Skip to Main Content

ENG 100 Prof. Krystyna Michael Fall 2021

Pre-Writing Part 1: Researching Quality Information about Coates’ Essay

 
Pre-Writing Part 1: Researching Quality Information about Coates’ Essay (Due Sunday, November 7)
This stage of the research project requires you to find two quality sources and write three paragraphs: one for each source and one summarizing what you learned from the sources.

There are two types of sources: primary and secondary.
 
A primary source is a document or an object from a particular event or time period that provides a first-hand account. Historical newspapers, diaries, letters, interviews, and objects like dresses, posters, and pottery are all primary sources.
 
Secondary sources analyze primary sources. They include histories and critical essays that contextualize and explain what primary sources mean. For this essay, I'd like you to find one primary and one secondary source about a sub-topic that Coates discusses in his essay.

This assignment has a few steps. They are: 1) Finding Sources 2) Summarizing Sources and 3) Evaluating Sources. This section should be at least 750 words.

First Find Sources
You will learn how to use the library's databases and the world wide web to find sources.

Then Summarize Your Sources 
You will write two paragraphs: a short, one-paragraph summary of each source that explains the main idea and at least one detail from the source. Illustrate your points with quote sandwiches that introduce the quote, provide the quotes, and then explain the quote. Each paragraph should be at least 250 words.

Then Evaluate What You Learned from Your Sources 
In one paragraph, explain what you learned from researching about Coates’ piece. What are the key things that you now understand after completing your research? This should be at least 250 words. 

How to create effective keywords

Keywords - what are they, why do they save you time?

Three steps for developing keywords:

(1) Pull out the important words from your topic and questions you may have.
(2) Look at each word: is it a KEY CONCEPT? Does it DESCRIBE my idea, by itself?  If it's not clear, come up with a better word that does describe that key concept.
(3) Think about words that people who write about these issues might use.