STUDENT WRITING
Teaching Students to Write Research Papers

After you select your research topic, you want to begin exploring what primary and secondary sources are available and then determine which of those sources will provide the most effective context and/or evidence for your argument. To do this, you will first need to eliminate inappropriate sources — such as those that are outdated, use unreliable or uncited sources, or make unsubstantiated claims. Next, you need to determine the rhetorical situation of the source.

Next, you should read the source critically, evaluating its argument. Finally, you should consider how you might use the source in your argument.

What is the rhetorical situation of the source?
You need to think about the conversation a text belongs to. What question is being addressed and why is the writer troubled by it? You need to consider a real author writing for some important reasons out of a real historical context. Whether argumentative or informative, sources present a bias. This is true of primary sources as well as secondary sources. For example, there are the political biases in different magazines and newspapers. Before reading a text, you need to determine the rhetorical situation of the source and the argument. Ask yourself,

• What kind of text is it? What are its qualities and features?
• Who is the author? What is the reputation of the author? What is her or his bias?
• When was the source written?
• Where did the source appear? (There are different degrees of scholarly prestige for different journals and presses.)
• Why was the book or article written?
• What is the author’s aim?
• How is the source organized?
• What sources are included in the bibliography and footnotes?
  
  You want to select sources worth your time and attention. Begin by looking at the title, abstract, date, name of publisher or periodical, and length of text. Consider the source’s relevance, currency, scholarship, and scope.