Academic Reading and Writing
Compilation Document
Contents
Academic reading and writing The Lloyd Sealy Library: Evaluating Information Sources......................3
Why Should I Evaluate My Sources?..................................................................................................3
Quick Qs to ask of every source.........................................................................................................3
ALA Resolution...................................................................................................................................3
What Questions Should I Ask?...........................................................................................................3
Top Ten Reasons for Evaluating Internet Sources..............................................................................4
What Is Peer Review?........................................................................................................................4
Features of a Peer-Reviewed Article..................................................................................................5
Does the article have the following features?...............................................................................5
Also consider.................................................................................................................................5
How Do I Find Peer-Reviewed Articles?.........................................................................................6
Thesis Statements..................................................................................................................................7
What this handout is about...............................................................................................................7
Introduction.......................................................................................................................................7
What is a thesis statement?...............................................................................................................7
How do I create a thesis?...................................................................................................................7
How do I know if my thesis is strong?................................................................................................8
Examples............................................................................................................................................8
Harvard writing college: topic sentences and signposting...................................................................11
UNC writing centre: Book Reviews......................................................................................................12
What this handout is about.............................................................................................................12
What is a review?............................................................................................................................12
Becoming an expert reviewer: three short examples......................................................................12
Developing an assessment: before you write..................................................................................14
Writing the review...........................................................................................................................14
Introduction.....................................................................................................................................15
Summary of content........................................................................................................................15
Analysis and evaluation of the book................................................................................................15
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................15
In review..........................................................................................................................................16
1
,How to Do a Close Reading – Patricia Kain..........................................................................................17
How to Begin:..................................................................................................................................17
1. Read with a pencil in hand, and annotate the text..................................................................17
2. Look for patterns in the things you've noticed about the text—repetitions, contradictions,
similarities........................................................................................................................................17
3. Ask questions about the patterns you've noticed—especially how and why...............................18
Elements of Rhetorical Situations........................................................................................................19
Structure within paragraphs................................................................................................................20
Guns, germs and steel.........................................................................................................................21
Preface.............................................................................................................................................21
Prologue..........................................................................................................................................21
Abstract...........................................................................................................................................24
Introduction.....................................................................................................................................24
Eurocentric approaches...................................................................................................................25
The California School.......................................................................................................................25
China as the centre of an early modern global economy?...............................................................26
A world of surprising resemblances.................................................................................................27
Problems with the surprising resemblances – thesis.......................................................................27
A world of surprising resemblances? A closer look..........................................................................28
neglected differences and differing trajectories: modes of production...........................................28
Neglected differences and differing trajectories: cultures, institutions and politics........................29
Concluding remarks.........................................................................................................................30
2
, Academic reading and writing The Lloyd Sealy Library:
Evaluating Information Sources
Why Should I Evaluate My Sources?
As a researcher, you will navigate a vast amount of information from a variety of sources, including
but not limited to books, journals, and the Internet. Not everything you find is appropriate to use in
your research paper.
You should aspire to become an expert on the topic of your choice, as a researcher, so you need to
consider whether the information you are finding is reliable, valid, authoritative, relevant, and
current.
Quick Qs to ask of every source
- Where does the information come from?
- Is the information supported by evidence?
- Can the information be verified somewhere else?
- Does the information seem to be free of bias and emotion?
- Are there obvious spelling, grammar or presentation errors?
ALA Resolution
- ALA Resolution on Access to Accurate Information (2017)
This resolution acknowledges the problems of fake news, personalized newsfeeds, web
search algorithms and the delay of Freedom of Information Act requests. It states that
access to accurate information, rather than censorship, is the best way to counter
disinformation and media manipulation.
What Questions Should I Ask?
The CRAAP Test consists of basic evaluation criteria you should ask to determine whether the
information you have found is reliable.
Currency: The timeliness of the information.
- When was the information published or posted?
- Has the information been revised or updated?
- Is the information current or out-of-date for your topic?
- If you found the information on the web, are the links functional?
Relevance: The importance of the information for your needs.
- Does the information relate to your topic or answer your question?
- Who is the intended audience?
- Is the information at an appropriate level (i.e., not too elementary or advanced for your
needs)?
- Have you looked at a variety of sources before determining this is one you will use?
- Would you be comfortable using this source for a research paper?
Authority: The source of the information.
- Who is the author/publisher/source/sponsor?
- Are the author's credentials or organizational affiliations given?
- What are the author's credentials or organizational affiliations?
- What are the author's qualifications to write on the topic?
3
Compilation Document
Contents
Academic reading and writing The Lloyd Sealy Library: Evaluating Information Sources......................3
Why Should I Evaluate My Sources?..................................................................................................3
Quick Qs to ask of every source.........................................................................................................3
ALA Resolution...................................................................................................................................3
What Questions Should I Ask?...........................................................................................................3
Top Ten Reasons for Evaluating Internet Sources..............................................................................4
What Is Peer Review?........................................................................................................................4
Features of a Peer-Reviewed Article..................................................................................................5
Does the article have the following features?...............................................................................5
Also consider.................................................................................................................................5
How Do I Find Peer-Reviewed Articles?.........................................................................................6
Thesis Statements..................................................................................................................................7
What this handout is about...............................................................................................................7
Introduction.......................................................................................................................................7
What is a thesis statement?...............................................................................................................7
How do I create a thesis?...................................................................................................................7
How do I know if my thesis is strong?................................................................................................8
Examples............................................................................................................................................8
Harvard writing college: topic sentences and signposting...................................................................11
UNC writing centre: Book Reviews......................................................................................................12
What this handout is about.............................................................................................................12
What is a review?............................................................................................................................12
Becoming an expert reviewer: three short examples......................................................................12
Developing an assessment: before you write..................................................................................14
Writing the review...........................................................................................................................14
Introduction.....................................................................................................................................15
Summary of content........................................................................................................................15
Analysis and evaluation of the book................................................................................................15
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................15
In review..........................................................................................................................................16
1
,How to Do a Close Reading – Patricia Kain..........................................................................................17
How to Begin:..................................................................................................................................17
1. Read with a pencil in hand, and annotate the text..................................................................17
2. Look for patterns in the things you've noticed about the text—repetitions, contradictions,
similarities........................................................................................................................................17
3. Ask questions about the patterns you've noticed—especially how and why...............................18
Elements of Rhetorical Situations........................................................................................................19
Structure within paragraphs................................................................................................................20
Guns, germs and steel.........................................................................................................................21
Preface.............................................................................................................................................21
Prologue..........................................................................................................................................21
Abstract...........................................................................................................................................24
Introduction.....................................................................................................................................24
Eurocentric approaches...................................................................................................................25
The California School.......................................................................................................................25
China as the centre of an early modern global economy?...............................................................26
A world of surprising resemblances.................................................................................................27
Problems with the surprising resemblances – thesis.......................................................................27
A world of surprising resemblances? A closer look..........................................................................28
neglected differences and differing trajectories: modes of production...........................................28
Neglected differences and differing trajectories: cultures, institutions and politics........................29
Concluding remarks.........................................................................................................................30
2
, Academic reading and writing The Lloyd Sealy Library:
Evaluating Information Sources
Why Should I Evaluate My Sources?
As a researcher, you will navigate a vast amount of information from a variety of sources, including
but not limited to books, journals, and the Internet. Not everything you find is appropriate to use in
your research paper.
You should aspire to become an expert on the topic of your choice, as a researcher, so you need to
consider whether the information you are finding is reliable, valid, authoritative, relevant, and
current.
Quick Qs to ask of every source
- Where does the information come from?
- Is the information supported by evidence?
- Can the information be verified somewhere else?
- Does the information seem to be free of bias and emotion?
- Are there obvious spelling, grammar or presentation errors?
ALA Resolution
- ALA Resolution on Access to Accurate Information (2017)
This resolution acknowledges the problems of fake news, personalized newsfeeds, web
search algorithms and the delay of Freedom of Information Act requests. It states that
access to accurate information, rather than censorship, is the best way to counter
disinformation and media manipulation.
What Questions Should I Ask?
The CRAAP Test consists of basic evaluation criteria you should ask to determine whether the
information you have found is reliable.
Currency: The timeliness of the information.
- When was the information published or posted?
- Has the information been revised or updated?
- Is the information current or out-of-date for your topic?
- If you found the information on the web, are the links functional?
Relevance: The importance of the information for your needs.
- Does the information relate to your topic or answer your question?
- Who is the intended audience?
- Is the information at an appropriate level (i.e., not too elementary or advanced for your
needs)?
- Have you looked at a variety of sources before determining this is one you will use?
- Would you be comfortable using this source for a research paper?
Authority: The source of the information.
- Who is the author/publisher/source/sponsor?
- Are the author's credentials or organizational affiliations given?
- What are the author's credentials or organizational affiliations?
- What are the author's qualifications to write on the topic?
3
