ENG 123 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Thesis Statement
Continuing to Plan a Research Project
Search for in depth information on your topic
-Check the library's resources (catalog, databases) for books, articles and multimedia
-If acceptable, search internet for relevant websites, blogs and groups
-Keep a list of search terms and annotate working bibliography by recording the type of source, the source's
main points and how you would use the source
-Refine your research questions and draft a thesis
Refine Your Search
-Is this hat I expected to find?
-Am I finding enough/too much information?
-Do I need to modify my keywords?
-Do I need to recheck background sources?
-Do I need to revise my research questions?
-Do I need to modify my thesis statement?
Evaluate your sources, determining relevance
-Does the source explain terms or concepts or provide background?
-Does the source provide evidence to support my claims?
-Does the source offer alternative viewpoints or lend authority?
Evaluate your sources, determine reliability
-Who wrote it?
-How recently was it published?
-Who published it and what is the reputation of the publisher?
-Is the source scholarly popular, or something else?
-Is the source printed or online?
-What does the source say?
Use research to support your ideas
-Use evidence from sources to support your ideas:
1. Synthesize ideas from multiple sources
2. Support your ideas with summaries, paraphrases, quotations as appropriate
3. Include your own analysis to demonstrate how source information supports your ideas
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Search for in depth information on your topic. Check the library"s resources (catalog, databases) for books, articles and multimedia. If acceptable, search internet for relevant websites, blogs and groups. Keep a list of search terms and annotate working bibliography by recording the type of source, the source"s main points and how you would use the source. Refine your research questions and draft a thesis. Use evidence from sources to support your ideas: synthesize ideas from multiple sources, support your ideas with summaries, paraphrases, quotations as appropriate.
