Page 516 - Wordsmith A Guide to College Writing

change the question or alter your angle of investigation before you
have researched than it is later in the process.

Step 2: Find and Evaluate

Information from Various Sources

Whereas personal writing allows you to write from your own

experience, academic writing requires you to understand and evaluate

the ideas of others. Therefore, academic writing requires a willingness
to learn and to research. Sources for information may include

encyclopedias, books, periodicals, databases, and Internet sites.

Once you have found source material, you will evaluate the material

and determine its relevance to your research question.

Sources for Research

Different sources have different strengths and weaknesses. Some

provide the latest information, some go into depth, and some provide
a broad overview. Knowing the characteristics of various types of

sources will help you select the right ones for your project.

General encyclopedias provide broad, general, factual information.

They provide a broad overview and thus may be a helpful source of
background information. However, they do not go into much depth and

may not provide the latest information. Examples of general