Using, evaluating and Referencing Sources

Where do I find resources?

Books (print and electronic)– Library catalogue http://webcat.hud.ac.uk– Summon http://library.hud.ac.uk/summon/

Journal articles– Summon http://library.hud.ac.uk/summon/

Newspaper articles– Summon http://library.hud.ac.uk/summon/

Audiovisual (DVD, CD, streaming media)– Library catalogue http://webcat.hud.ac.uk– Summon http://library.hud.ac.uk/summon/

What is a good Source?

The difference between using Google and Summon Evaluate sources:

– Authority– Accuracy– Objectivity– Currency– Coverage (Adapted from ‘Evaluation Criteria -The Good, The Bad & The Ugly or Why It’s a Good Idea to

Evaluate Web Sources’ Susan E Beck available from http://lib.nsmu.edu/instruction/eval.html)

– http://nationalvanguard.org/2010/10/jewish-terror-the-story-of-lord-northcliffe/

How do I start finding sources?

1. Start with your reading list

2. Select important keywords (use dictionary/ thesaurus)

3. Identify types of information and where best to search– Books, journal articles, newspaper articles etc.– Library catalogue, Summon, specialist database

4. Identify key phrases/ stemming words– “audience research” “social class”– journalis* - finds journalism, journalist, journalists– wom?n – finds woman and women

How do I use my sources?

Point Evidence Context Introduce it Indent and single line space long quotes Ref outside full stop for long quotes but

inside for all others Use it – put it in context of question or next

point

Example

Many people blame the media for what goes wrong in society because it is such a big part

of their lives. As Williams puts it:

The centrality of the mass media in everyday life has led people to blame the media for a range of social ills. Whether it is increased violence in society, the growth of juvenile delinquency, football hooliganism, inner-city riots, terrorism, permissive behaviour, the decline of religiosity, falling educational standards, political apathy or any other social problem, we are ready to attribute ‘fabulous powers’ to the media. Complaints about the influence of the mass media are often underpinned by the assumption that this is something new. (2010, p.1)

This tendency to blame the media, however long it has been around, has to be seen in

context of the different ways in which people use the media.

Plagiarism and how to avoid it.

Always take details of your source on first reading.

Differentiate between the author’s words and your own in your notes

Follow the referencing guidelines – Gold Book or for more detail use library site (link also in skills site)

Acceptable or not?

Many people blame the media for much of what goes wrong with society including such things as increased violence, juvenile delinquency and educational standards. Williams (2010, p.1) suggests that these complaints about the mass media are ‘often underpinned by the assumption that this is something new’

Acceptable or not?

Williams(2010) suggests that the critical role of mass media in everyday life has led people to the belief that the media are to blame for a range of social problems. He lists such things as ‘football hooliganism, inner-city riots, terrorism, and falling educational standards’ as some of these problems.

Acceptable or not?

As the media plays such a big part in people’s lives they tend to blame it for many of society’s problems such as ‘increased violence in society, the growth of juvenile delinquency, football hooliganism, inner-city riots, terrorism, permissive behaviour, the decline of religiosity, falling educational standards, [and] political apathy’ (Williams, 2010,p,1). This tendency to blame the media has to be seen in context of the different ways in which people use it. (would all be double spaced)

Acceptable or not?

Williams (2010, p1) suggests that ‘the centrality of the media in everyday life has led people to blame the media for a range of social ills’ . He also suggests that ‘we are ready to attribute ‘fabulous powers’ to the media’.

Checklist

Have I used the resources I was directed to? Have I used a variety of sources? Have I shown how I have used my reading to

support my argument? Have I attributed ideas to the right people Have I quoted accurately Have I referenced correctly?