Choosing sources for my papers in english 101, or any class for that matter, is a process that I put a lot of thought and time into to make sure they complement my paper flawlessly. The first thing I do when I know I have to use sources in a paper is begin searching online journal databases such as jstor and ebsco for articles that relate to my topic. Depending on the topic, I find that some information is easier to find than other information, so I really try and be specific when I enter my search terms to save time and make the initial process of finding sources easier. Luckily, so far I have found researching information for many of the food topics in english 101 is pretty easy because things such as the controversy over organic foods and the industrial food industry are a hot topic right now with the The Omnivore’s Dilemma.
The first thing I usually notice about a source is the title, if it catches my eye and seems relevant, I skim the source for information that may be helpful in my paper. I also believe it is very important to look at the author and even the publisher of the source so I can determine if it is credible or not. I choose to use the sources that are both credible and offer a good amount of information that would be helpful in my paper. I pull out quotes from the source and place them where I know they could further support some of my own points and make me seem more credible as a writer, showing that I really did my research. I always make sure to give a good lead into the quote by using a template, and never leave a quote hanging in my paper by not explaining it.
I believe I could improve my method for finding sources by trying to not just use online journal sources. While online journal databases are definitely a good place to find credible sources for a paper, books are another good option, and a goal I have for my next paper is to try and use at least one scholarly book as a source.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment