Article: The first step in writing an academic paper is finding good sources. Start by going to your library's website and searching for keywords related to your topic. You can also use digital scholarly resources like WorldCat, JSTOR, Google Scholar, or ResearchGate. You may need to log in with your student ID or institutional ID to get access to many online scholarly databases, or access them through a school or library computer. Another good way to start building your bibliography is to look at the reference list on an introductory overview of your subject, such as an encyclopedia entry. Your instructor, or your school's reference librarian, may also be able to recommend some good sources on your topic. Look for sources that are reputable, well-sourced, and up-to-date. Ideally, most of your sources should have been published within the last 5-10 years. Scholarly books and peer-reviewed articles from academic journals are usually acceptable sources, as well as articles from reputable news organizations. Avoid popular publications and user-edited websites, such as Wikipedia. While Wikipedia is often unreliable and is not considered an appropriate source for most academic writing, it can be a good starting point for research. Check the "References" section of the Wikipedia article on your topic for useful sources. . Just because information comes from an apparently reputable source (such as a peer-reviewed journal, a scholarly book, or a news article), don't assume that it is correct. Consider some of the following as you are doing your research: Where is the author getting their information? Do they provide credible sources? Does the author provide convincing evidence to back up their arguments? Does the author have any obvious biases or agendas that affect the way they present or interpret their information? A primary source is any type of first-hand or direct evidence about your topic. Depending on the subject matter, a primary source might be something like a video recording of an event, data from a laboratory experiment, an interview with an eyewitness, or a historical document, such as a monument, work of art, or memoir. When you look at secondary sources, such as scholarly papers or news articles, you are seeing the data filtered through someone else's perspective. Looking at primary data allows you to interpret the evidence for yourself. Your instructor should specify whether you need to incorporate primary sources into your research, and if so, how to find and utilize them. If you're not sure, ask. While the internet offers a vast quantity of useful information for researchers, it can be hard to separate good-quality resources from bad ones. In general, look for sources that are published on scholarly websites (such as university, library, or museum websites), by reputable news organizations (such as the BBC, NPR, or the Associated Press), or by government organizations (like the EPA or FDA). When using online articles or other online sources, also consider these questions: Are the author's credentials given? Is the author qualified to write on the subject? Does the author state where they got their information? Are you able to verify the sources? Is the article written in an objective, unbiased manner? Is the article written for an academic audience? Is the content intended to be educational? How does the URL end? Generally, sites that end in .edu, .org, or .gov are more reputable than sites that end in .com.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Take advantage of your school's resources to build your bibliography. Choose appropriate sources. Read your sources critically Incorporate primary sources, if applicable. Evaluate online sources carefully.