Connections 1

Introduce students to finding a source from a citation and presenting an analysis of the source.  It is likely first-semester students are unfamiliar with interpreting a citation then proceeding to access the material cited. 

In collaboration with the librarian, create a list of readings, in different formats, all related to the same topic.  Suggested formats:  scholarly articles, books, review articles, newspaper articles, book chapters, web sites, government documents, and periodical articles.

Find, Read, and Share:
During our next class, the librarian and I will distribute a list of citations to readings related to [note topic here], and we will demonstrate how to interpret the citation, search for, and access the readings.  Your assignment is to find the reading assigned to you, and then read and analyze it.  You will be asked to make a brief presentation in class summarizing the process you followed to find the reading, as well as your analysis.

Your analysis should include:
Determining what genre the reading represents: e.g., is it a news article, an editorial, a scholarly research article, or something else.  Also:

1. Who wrote it?
2. What is the author’s affiliation, if any?
3. How might an affiliation affect his/her point of view?
4. What is the argument?
5. What evidence is given?
6. What is the conclusion?
7. What is your opinion of the source?