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A Source is a Source, Of Course: What Happens When Students Rethink The Purpose of Sources

A Source is a Source, Of Course: What Happens When Students Rethink The Purpose of Sources. Cynthia Nitz Ris University of Cincinnati OCTELA Spring 2013. Shallow Use of Sources. Student as expert “ I want to argue that . . . . “ assault weapons should be legal

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A Source is a Source, Of Course: What Happens When Students Rethink The Purpose of Sources

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  1. A Source is a Source, Of Course: What Happens When Students Rethink The Purpose of Sources Cynthia Nitz Ris University of Cincinnati OCTELA Spring 2013

  2. Shallow Use of Sources • Student as expert • “I want to argue that . . . . “ • assault weapons should be legal • parents are to blame for childhood obesity • veterans are being mistreated • “I just need to find one more quote to support my position”

  3. Changing the Focus The Research Assignment: Look at a problem, an event, an idea, an ethical dilemma, or a controversial term from the perspective of relevant discourse communities and from the texts that they create.

  4. Moving Away from “Proof” • Your purpose in conducting this research: • An exploration emerging from a personal observation or of observing the world around you; • An investigation of an event or idea that is viewed differently by various communities where you would like to better understand why these different perspectives exist; • A better understanding of a problem or concern that demands some explanation but is not yet clearly understood

  5. The “Talk Show” Metaphor “Finnish TV talk show host finds success in unconventional approach”9 December 2007

  6. You are the Host • Research who to invite to the table • Consider what information they might add to the conversation • Anticipate questions you might ask • Remain open to information received • Synthesize and analyze the information as a frame or final consideration for the audience

  7. Moving Toward Reliance on Informed Sources • Who the communities are that we need to hear from, including: • An understanding of why the communities represented are important to the conversation; • A careful and fair analysis of their views on the subject; • As much as possible, primary sources

  8. The Relevant Communities • Determining Who Is Talking About the Subject Area: • General Google Search • General news and magazine articles • Interviews • Library databases that sort by type of text • Selecting Limited Communities: • Provides diverse views • Most informed perspectives on particular focus • Groups we don’t typically hear from or associate with topic

  9. Fair Analysis: Avoiding Binaries • Early Framework: We’ll hear from those who are for or against assault weapons • Instead: • Embracing the spectrum of ideas • Avoid assuming that a group of individuals belong together or have the same views. Avoid “those Republicans” or “those Democrats”; be wary of generalizing about “environmentalists,”“the medical community,” or other broad groups • Maintaining objectivity

  10. Including Unconventional Sources • Credibility and reliability of sources should be considered during analysis • Questions about credibility shouldn’t exclude relevant sources from consideration • <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/OBA6qlHW8po?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

  11. Primary Sources If not in person, where could these sources be heard from directly? General and specialty magazines and newspapers; peer-reviewed journals; books; web sites, blogs, wikis, and forums; documentaries, movies, and videos; photographs, editorial cartoons, posters, works of art, and other visual media; promotional materials, brochures, and pamphlets; transcripts of speeches and first-hand testimony including interviews and surveys; song lyrics; educational material; logs, diaries, and memoirs; legal documents, policy papers, and government documents; and reviews and critiques.

  12. Embracing the Messiness • As students continue to research: • Your focus may change and narrow • Who you need to hear from may change • Are you finding a range of ideas? • Why are these various ideas important ones to represent? • Mere accumulation of information is not as important as analysis, synthesis, and significance.

  13. Reframing the Analysis • What are different ideas regarding causes for childhood obesity? • What perspectives are held by communities with different connections to assault rifle use, such as law enforcement, gun owners, victims of violence or their families, and local politicians? • Why is there apparent criticism of the military or military personnel?

  14. A Dynamic (vs. Linear) Process

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