There are many methods you can use to evaluate the information you find when researching for your argumentation paper.
Three recommended methods are:
Lateral Reading is a highly recommended method of evaluating information, especially information you find with a web search. Lateral reading helps you determine an author’s credibility, intent, and biases by searching for articles on the same topic by other writers (to see how they are covering it) and for other articles by the author you’re checking on.
Lateral Reading Steps to Try:
Look at each resource, and read vertically and explore the site the source comes from. What are your initial thoughts?
Do a web search for the creators of each resource. Describe your search and the results. What can you learn from these searches? Note- the creators include both the individual author(s) and the publisher of the material.
Check a national newspaper of record, and search for stories on each creator of the resource. You can use The New York Times, which FHSU has access to. Find the link, and how to create an account here. Hint- when searching, put the creator's name in "quotation marks." Describe your search and the results. What can you learn from these searches?
Follow John Green's advice from the video below and look up each information resource's creator on Wikipedia. What can you learn from Wikipedia?
When searching for information resources on the web, using the CRAAP test by Meriam Library California State University, Chico, can help you determine the authority of a resource.
| Criteria | Questions to Ask about the Information | Questions to Ask about the Webpage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | Currency: The timeliness of the information |
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Are the links functional? |
| R | Relevance: The importance of the information for your needs. |
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| A | Authority: The source of the information. |
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Does the URL reveal anything about the author or source? examples: .com .edu .gov .org .net |
| A | Accuracy: The reliability, truthfulness, and correctness of the content |
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| P | Purpose: The reason the information exists. |
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The BEAM model, created by Joseph Bizup, is especially helpful when you need to decide how to use a resource.
| Ways to Use Sources | Explanation | Uses | Sources Examples | Scholarly Articles Common Locations | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B | Background | Factual and noncontroversial information, providing context | Give context, Provide facts, present authoritative info | Encyclopedia articles, overviews in books, statistics, historical facts | Introduction |
| E | Exhibits, Evidence | Data, observations, objects, artifacts, and documents that can be analyzed | To be analyzed and interpreted. Primary sources, Evidence | Text of a novel, field observations, focus group transcriptions, questionnaire data, results of an experiment, interview data (primary sources) | Body, Results |
| A | Argument | Critical views from other scholars and commentators; part of the academic conversation | Show prior conversation. Refute, refine, extend, affirm | Scholarly articles, books, critical reviews (e.g. literacy criticism), editorials | Body, Introduction, Literature Review |
| M | Method, Theory | Reference to methods or theories used, usually explicit though may be implicit; approach or research methodology used | Provide definitions, explain how you will analyze and interpret the evidence | Part of books or articles with reference to theorists (e.g. Foucault, Derrida) or theory (e.g. feminism, post-colonialism, new historicism etc.); information on a research methodology | Methods, Introduction, Body |
Adapted from UC Merced Library: https://libguides.ucmerced.edu/beam;(CC BY-NC 4.0)
Method information refers to the methods or theories used by the author to analyze and interpret the evidence. You can use these to adopt a concept, a work process, or a manner of thinking.
Method resources include articles or books on theories or theorists and information on research methodology.
In scholarly articles, methods and theories can be found in the method or methodology section or implied in the introduction or literature review.
When you are researching your action research plan and determining if you are going to use an information resource in your argumentation paper, the BEAM model can help you determine how you will use the resource and if you need to find additional resources to fill in gaps.
You may find it useful to keep notes on the resources you find, and how you might use them. Then you can see the gaps and what other research you need to do.
Background information is general information or factual evidence used to provide context.
Background resources include encyclopedias, books with general overviews, statistics, and historical facts.
In scholarly articles, background information can often be found in the Introduction and/or literature review.
Exhibit or Evidence are materials you can analyze or interpret.
Exhibit resources include data, observations, artifacts, literary or artistic works, field observations, experiment results, specimens, historical and government documents, and more. Primary Resources are often exhibit resources.
In scholarly articles, exhibit information can often be found in the Results section.
Argument information comes from critical views from other scholars and experts. You can engage with these claims to become part of the scholarly conversation. You can refute, refine, extend, build upon, or affirm them.
Argument resources include scholarly articles, books, literary or artistic criticism, and opinion or editorial pieces.
In scholarly articles, you can find information about other writer's arguments in the Literature Review, and the author's arguments in the Discussion section.