You've done a few searches in a database focused on your topic area, and now you have a preliminary list of results with titles that look intriguing.
How can you evaluate them efficiently?
I. Evaluate for reliability: if your topic is academic, check that the article is published in an academic journal -- or in a book published by a university press. Look up the author's name: is the author affiliated with an academic institution? |
II. Begin evaluating the article for content. Click the title to bring up the entire record... |
... and check for an Abstract: |
Skimming the abstract can save you time, eliminating articles that would not be helpful...
and helping to identify those that concentrate on topics that interest you.
III Begin taking control of the content. Articles are often headed by abstracts and divided by section headings. Look at these for the structure of the argument, and pay attention to any graphs, illustrations, maps that you want to examine and make note of. Read the "Conclusion" section and make notes that will help you to relate points the author makes in the course of the article to the final statement. Make sure also to look through the notes or bibliography for leads to more sources that are likely to be useful.
IV Once you have your articles and preliminary notes organized, begin reading in depth. Read with special care those sections that apply to aspects of your argument.
As you begin to write, be sure to make an appointment with the Farnham Writers' Center! |