| Research Guidelines
Researching and Citing Correctly Many of you are not used to rigorous citation guidelines. That�s all right; it�s one of the things you are here at college to learn. One of the biggest changes you may have noticed is the difference between primary and secondary sources. A primary source is called that because it is dependable. It is available for peer review. It cannot be changed. Secondary sources are good for backing up information you�ve found in your primary sources. This is why I require a certain amount of primary sources, but have no requirements for secondary sources. Both must be properly cited, both in your Works Cited / Bibliography page and in your paper (in-text citation). You must use an approved style manual, such as MLA (which you were very probably taught in high school). If you do not know how to cite properly, please ask the Learning Skills Center for help. They will be happy to help you! Students who use the LSC usually have much better scores than students who don�t. Use all the resources the school makes available to you! The library also has quick-reference cards and online reference help. And, of course, you have all kept your style manual from high school or your English Composition course. Use the following research guidelines. These may differ from what you�ve been taught elsewhere, especially in a history course. Use my guidelines. Primary Sources - Cannot be an Internet source. You may use the Internet to find these sources, but the source itself must be available in print. You cannot trust a non-print, internet-only source. Unfortunate, but true. You may, however, use the Internet to find these sources, and I encourage this. Academic Search Elite, Article First, etc. give you very acceptable sources. Make sure to cite the actual print source, not the website you read it on. This goes for newspapers and so on as well. Ask yourself, �Could I read this in print (without printing it off of the computer)?� If the answer is yes, then it is not an Internet source. - Cannot be an encyclopedia, dictionary, or other general reference material. You have moved beyond second grade. I expect you to process your own information, and general reference materials process information for you. I want to know that you can find original material for yourself. - Cannot be your textbook or class notes. - Some examples of good primary sources: Books, journals (magazines), newspapers, films, personal correspondence (interviews), government publications. Secondary Sources - Creditable websites. Never a .com! Never Wikipedia (despite being a .org)! University websites (.edu), professional organizations and the like (.org), and government pages (.gov) are usually decent. Please use your scientific judgment. - General reference books. !!!I Should Never See Anywhere in Your Paper, Cited or Not!!! - .com internet sites. - Wikipedia or any other Joe Anybody contributed sites, such as H2G2. If you can contribute to an entry, you may not use it! Need more help citing? Citation Machine |