Source Use and Evaluation

Question 1

Popular Source

Answer 1

Broad, general audience
Written by journalists/professional writers/average people
Reviewed by general editors (if at all)
Relies on advertising/sponsorship
Ex: Magazines, newspapers, news sources, blogs, open-access websites

Question 2

Scholarly Source

Answer 2

Subject-specific journals
Geared toward experts/researchers/professionals/students
Peer reviewed
Subscriptions only often by academic and professional databases
Take much longer to get published

Question 3

Primary Source

Answer 3

It is created by someone who witnessed or directly participated in the event or topic being studied.
Examples of primary sources include diaries, letters, photographs, government documents, speeches, artifacts, and interviews.
Primary sources are usually created at the time of the event, or shortly thereafter.
They provide direct evidence and insight into the historical context and cultural attitudes of the time period.

Question 4

Secondary Source

Answer 4

A secondary source is a work that interprets, analyzes, or comments on primary sources.
It is created by someone who did not directly witness or participate in the event or topic being studied.
Examples of secondary sources include textbooks, academic articles, biographies, and literary criticism.
Secondary sources are often written after the events or time period being studied and may draw upon multiple primary sources.
It is created by someone who witnessed or directly participated in the event or topic being studied.
Examples of primary sources include diaries, letters, photographs, government documents, speeches, artifacts, and interviews.
Primary sources are usually created at the time of the event, or shortly thereafter.
They provide direct evidence and insight into the historical context and cultural attitudes of the time period.

Question 5

Quotation

Answer 5

is a word-for-word excerpt from a source, usually enclosed in quotation marks.
It is used to provide evidence or support for an argument, or to illustrate a point being made.

Question 6

Paraphrasing

Answer 6

the process of restating a sentence or passage in your own words while retaining the original meaning. It involves taking the original text and expressing it in a new way, without changing the original message or altering its tone.

Question 7

Summarizing

Answer 7

the process of condensing a large or complex text or information into a shorter version that highlights the most important points. It involves identifying the main ideas, key points, and essential details of the original text or information and presenting them in a clear and concise manner