Directions: Complete the following analysis for four sources minimum, but it’s really a thinking process that should be used on all of your possible sources.
Try to select sources that provide different viewpoints or ideas. Try not to fall victim to confirmation bias or anchoring bias. These sources will help you lay a foundation for your essay. You are trying to discover what you think right now. You can worry about proving it later.
Part 1:Annotate – upload a picture of annotations. If it’s easier, you can also show me your annotations in class.
Part 2:Summary – Write a one paragraph summary of the source you are reading. Do not just use the thesaurus to change a few words from the article abstract. Show, instead, that you’ve processed the thesis and main points of the article and can relate them in your own words.
| 1st line has author, title (with correct formatting), main point | |
| Written in present tense | |
| Written in 3rd person | |
| Uses author tags/signal phrases on all sentences | |
| Uses transitions and sentence combination to create flow and coherence | |
| Uses concise, specific, college-level language |
Part 3:Evaluate this source – Should you use it? Is it credible? Does it say what you need it to? Can you answer for its flaws?
Fill out the charts below, and then write a 1-5 sentence ya-but summary for your source.
| Is it Academic? (A quick and dirty assessment) | ||||
| + | = | – | Notes | |
| Title of Publication: | ||||
| Genre: (book, journal, blog, etc) | ||||
| Purpose of Genre: (Inform, persuade, entertain) | ||||
| How often does publication come out? | ||||
| Does it have in-text citations? | ||||
| Does it have references? | ||||
| What kinds of appeals does it use (ethos, pathos, logos) – | ||||
| What is the level of language? |
| Notes | + | = | – | Ya-But | |
| Currency: | Date of publication? How much has changed since then? | X | |||
| Relevance: | Is the source relevant to the discussion? Does the source fit your needs? | ||||
| Authority: | Consider the source. Does the author have relevant credentials? Is the source from a quality publication? A blog? Etc? | X | For any category that does not directly help your ethos/credibility, explain why you still can use the information. Acknowledge what is imperfect (ya) and offer rebuttal (but) | ||
| Accuracy: | Is the info reliable? Accurate? Do you have any sources that directly contradict the factual information presented? | ||||
| Purpose: | Was this source written to persuade, inform, or entertain? Does it present only 1 side of the subject? |
Part 4: Claims
As you (re)read the article, try to identify claims made (fact, definition, cause, value, policy). Not all articles will provide information in each category (though most will). Copy/paste or make notes about quotations or pieces of info you can use. You can use Trello or some other visual organizer to do this if you’d like. The question you are trying to answer is: How can I use this article?
Part 5: Counter Arguments
List the elements of the article that offer ideas that are counter to yours or that acknowledge other possibilities and perspectives. So, the question here is: What doesn’t further your argument but might still make your paper? This would show up in argument/ya-but sections.