WRITING WITH SOURCES

Academic Skills WorkshopJoel Haefner, Writing Center

Director

Look at the assignment

Does the assignment explicitly require a certain number of sources?

Does the assignment imply or encourage sources?

Use sources to discover your topic and sharpen your thesis statement—especially texts you’ve read in class

Use the Library of Congress classification system or Subject Terms or Related Terms

Finding Sources

Google vs. Megasearch: “anything goes” sources vs. peer-reviewed sources

Google scholar What are subscribed databases? Some of the major databases:

PsychInfo (psychology) JSTOR MLA Bibliography (English & Languages) ScienceDirect (natural sciences) Lexis/Nexis

Finding Sources

Use targeted keywords and filters to narrow results

Use subject list on citation page to look for further sources

Use citations and references in books and articles to find more sources

Request books through I-Share or WorldCat

Request articles through Illiad Consult the liaison librarian

Evaluating Sources

Analyze the abstract Look at date of publication Look at publisher; search Internet for

more info Are there citations? Credentials of author Domain: .edu, .gov are the most credible How biased are the sources used, how

slanted is the language, does it “match” with other sources you’ve found?

Evaluating Sources, cont.

Peer-reviewed sources Popular sources Trade sources Government sources Personal web pages Advocacy organization web pages

Getting the citation

Use RefWorks to build a permanent collection of citations (including abstracts)

Use the “Cite” link on the right of the citation screen to get a citation in the style (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.) you want, then paste it at the bottom of your file

Use “Add to folder” link on right of citation screen to store citations in your personal folder

Sample Assignment

I, Rigoberta Menchú is a memoir (testimonio) by an indigenous Indian woman recounting the horrors of the Guatemalan civil war. Several episodes in the book have been attacked by anthropologist David Stoll as false or inaccurate. The assignment asks students to recommend whether the book should be admitted as evidence for the Guatemalan Commission for Historical Clarification, and to give reasons for that recommendation.

Sample Assignment, cont.

Sources: the assignment requires four sources besides the testimonio. Of those four, two must be peer-reviewed. Texts read in class can be used in the paper. An annotated bibliography is also expected.

General Outline

Testimonios have a political purpose Testimonios tell the story of a whole

people, not just one person This text is a unique eyewitness or at

least first-hand account Objections to Menchu’s text may be

erroneous or also politically motivated The goal of the Truth Commission is to

expose the civil war atrocities

The Thesis

Thesis: “Testimonios have political purposes, and they are collective stories; Menchú had specific intentions in writing her stories and there were not many other stories like hers; her most famous critic David Stoll has been questioned on his own intentions in his investigation and especially when some of his objections to Menchú’s story are fairly trivial. For these reason Menchú’s story can still fundamentally serve a purpose towards the goal of the Truth Commission..“

BEAM

What’s wrong with primary and secondary sources?

• Doesn’t work for all disciplines• Helps researchers, but not writers• We need a way of talking about how

writers USE sources Joe Bizup’s classification of rhetorical

sources: BEAM

Bizup’s BEAM system

B -- grounding facts, background sources E -- Evidence or exhibit sources. A

source which the writer explains, analyzes, or interprets; the subject or focus of a paper

A -- Argument sources. A source which a writer uses to affirm, challenge, refine or extend one of the writer’s own claims; support for a claim.

M -- Method sources. Sources which the writer includes to explain his/her method or theory.

General Outline: which sources do we need?

Testimonios have a political purpose Testimonios tell the story of a whole

people, not just one person This text is a unique eyewitness or at

least first-hand account Objections to Menchu’s text may be

erroneous or also politically motivated The goal of the Truth Commission is to

expose the civil war atrocities

Which of these sources would be B or E or A or M?

Walford, Lynn. "Truth, Lies, And Politics In The Debate Over Testimonial Writing: The Cases Of Rigoberta Menchú And Binjamin Wilkomirski."

Menchu, Rigoberta. I, Rigoberta Menchu: An Indian Woman in Guatemala

Report of the Commission for Historical Clarification. Guatemala Memory of Silence.

Clark, John A. "The Problem of Truth in Educational Research: The Case of the Rigoberta Menchu Controversy.”

Rudd, Bernard. “Questions about Stoll’s methods and intentions in attacking Menchu’s credibility.”

Quote, paraphrase, summarize?

Using the BEAM system, what makes sense? Background material: usually, paraphrasing is best. Evidence: direct quotation is essential. It shows

you’re really examining the text which is the focus of your paper.

Argument: if your source directly supports your claim, and if you can crop out a strong passage, quote; otherwise, paraphrase and cite.

Method: In Humanities papers, we probably don’t need details about methodology, but not true in science/social science papers. More paraphrase than quotation.

How should sources be integrated into your prose?

How quote, paraphrase or summary connects to your argument

Who is speaking—source or you Translate/explain the source in the

context of your thesis Suggest the credibility of your source Make the quotation or summary fit your

prose correctly and smoothly

Templates I: Including what others say

“[Stoll] and others have challenged the accuracy of [Menchu’s account].”

“A number of sociologists have suggested that [Menchu’s book] has serious contradictions.”

“Conventional wisdom says that [autobiographies] should be [absolutely accurate].”

“Most people believe that [we should be able to verify the information presented in memoirs].”

Templates II: Introducing something implied or assumed “One implication of [Stoll’s criticism ]is

the expectation that [actions during war will be reliable documented]”.

“[Stoll] apparently assumes [that Menchu was writing within the Western tradition of autobiography].”

“Supporters of [Menchu ]rarely admit [that she had political reasons for distorting her story and including those of others].”

Templates III: Pinning down a debate

“In discussions of ***, one issue has been ******. On the one hand, *** argues ***. On the other hand, *** contends ****. Other experts even maintain ****. My own view is ****.”

“Menchu’s inaccuracies have been interpreted variously. On the one hand, supports argue that she is telling a collective story. On the other hand, critics contend that she is lying for political purposes. Others deny that there are inaccuracies. “

The importance of including what They Say

Including what others have written is a great way to get new ideas and to sharpen your own ideas.

It also shows that you’ve done your homework—you know what others have written about the topic; you are an expert.

Summarizing

A good summary brings other viewpoints into your argument

A good summary balances what other authors say with your own focus/argument.

You’re ethically obliged to be accurate, but you can shape and trim a summary for your argumentative purposes.

Templates IV: verbs for summarizing and quoting

To make a claim: argue, assert, believe, claim, insist, observe, report, suggest, affirm

To express agreement: acknowledge, agree, praise, extol, endorse, confirm, verify, support

To question or disagree: complain, contend, challenge, question, refute, reject, deny, contradict, repudiate

To recommend or call for action: advocate, call for, demand, exhort, urge, warn, recommend

Templates V: Introducing quotes

[Stoll] states, “[many of the episodes Menchu describes cannot be verified].”

As [Arturo Arias] puts it, [“ Menchu is working in a native genre.”]

According to [Stoll], **** In her text, [Menchu] writes that **** [Stoll] disagrees with [Menchu] when she

writes ***

Templates VI: Explaining/exiting quotes

In other words, [Stoll] believes that [Menchu was intentionally distorting events].

[Stoll’s ]point is that *** Basically, [Stoll] is claiming here that *** The essence of [Stoll’s] argument here is

that *** In writing this, [Stoll] is suggesting that

***

Entering and Exiting quotes

The lead-in to the quote is where you make the argumentative link clear: does the quote agree with your previous claim? Does it contradict your claim which you then intend to rebut? The lead-in should also establish the credentials of the source.

The exit from the quote is where you restate what the quote said, shaped in a way that directly connects with your argument.

Templates VII: What you say: disagreeing

[Stoll] is mistaken about [Menchu’s veracity] because ***

By focusing on [Menchu’s family], [Stoll] overlooks [the integration of family and community in Guatemala].

[Stoll’s] claim that [Menchu lied] is based on the questionable assumption that ***

Templates VIII: What you say: agreeing

[Stoll’s] methodology is extremely useful because it sheds light on ***

I agree with [Arias] in his defense of [Menchu}

[Stoll] agrees with this claim. [Stoll] is surely right about [Menchu’s

dissembling about her lack of education.] [Arias’s] remarks about the [nature of

Latin American testimonio are irrefutable.

Templates IX: Agreeing and disagreeing

Though I concede that [Stoll] is correct about many events, ] I still believe that [Menchu’s testimonio conveys the indigenous Indians’ sufferings.]

[Stoll] is right about [inaccuracies in the text, ]but he seems on more dubious grounds when he claims that ***.

While [Menchu’s ]argument that [her translator made factual errors is probably wrong,] nevertheless [the narrative of the civil war on the whole is accurate.]

Templates X: Be sure we know who is talking

The easiest way to mark your voice is to use “I” but some instructors may prohibit this.

I contend, on the other hand, that *** My own view is that *** Although *** argues that ***, I am not

persuaded.

Templates XI: Be sure we know who is talking (II)

When you can’t use “I”: The evidence shows that *** [Stoll’s] assertion that [Menchu lied] is

supported by[ the facts and documents.] Everyone can agree that *** [Stoll] is correct is calling attention to

[the lapses and inaccuracies in Menchu’s text.]

Templates XII: Planting a Naysayer

Yet some critics disagree with this claim. Of course, some readers may challenge this

assertion. [Conservatives] will contest any defense of

[Menchu’s memoir] because of [her political beliefs].

Although not all [educators] think alike, some of them will probably dispute [the wisdom of teaching Menchu’s text]

While it is true that [Menchu’s text is inaccurate], it does not follow that [it should be excluded from the Truth Commission’s evidence.]

Templates XIII: indicating why your claims matter

This position challenges [the beliefs of many readers who think all autobiography is factual.]

Recent studies like [Stoll’s] has focused new attention on [the testimonio genre], which critics have not previously analyzed.

[Readers] used to believe [all memoirs were grounded in reality.] But recent criticism has emphasized [autobiography’s fictional and cultural elements.]

This interpretation has important implications for ***

Example: student text backing up a claim

It is the responsibility of the Guatemalan Commission for Historical Clarification to document the happenings during the thirty-six-year war Civil War including events, dates, people, deaths, and so on. “The Commission for Historical Clarification (CEH) was established…in order to clarify with objectivity, equity and impartiality, the human rights violations and acts of violence connected with the armed confrontation that caused suffering among the Guatemalan people” (Tomuschat, Cotí, Tojo 8).

Example: student text backing up a claim, revised

It is the responsibility of the Guatemalan Commission for Historical Clarification to document the events, dates, people, and deaths during the thirty-six-year war Civil War including, and so on. The final report of the Commission reports its mission was to “The Commission for Historical Clarification (CEH) was established…in order to “clarify with objectivity, equity and impartiality, the human rights violations and acts of violence connected with the armed confrontation that caused suffering among the Guatemalan people” (Tomuschat, Cotí, Tojo 8).

Example: student text backing up a claim

Testimonio although very much associated with taking a political standpoint is also associated with “the logic of collective political action” (Arias, 76) Menchú and her people had the same ideas. They were fighting for the ultimate goal of ending the war.

Backing up a claim, revised

Testimonio , the genre Menchu was writing in, although very much associated with taking a political standpoint is also associated with “the logic of collective political action,” as literary scholar Arturo Arias claims (Arias, 76). In other words, a testimonio is the story of a whole people’s political efforts. Menchú and her people had the same ideas. They were fighting for the ultimate goal of ending the war.

Student text: planting a naysayer

Critics who believe she may have fabricated some of her story must therefore understand that parts of it were experiences that came from her people as well, not just her.

Planting a Naysayer, revised

Critics , like David Stoll, believe she may have fabricated some of her story: Menchu, Stoll charges, “described events which did not happen, according to records, involving people who were not there” (23). But these critics must therefore understand that parts of it were experiences that came from her people as well, not just her, and that testimonios have political goals.

Summary: Using sources in your writing

Use sources to find a topic, narrow a topic, help you hammer out an outline or thesis

Use a variety of search tools Evaluate the credibility of your sources What type of source do you need for

different points? (Background, Evidence, Argument, Methodology?)

Use cue words and templates to indicate how sources relate to your argument