Case Study Essay #2
After studying and practicing how to evaluate sources, students will demonstrate their ability with the skill in a short write-up that should also benefit them moving forward in the research essay. Each student will select one source, any source, that they feel relates to the topic of their upcoming research essay. This can be any source at all – primary or secondary, popular or scholarly, print or electronic, written or visual. Students will select only source. This could be academic, like a book, a scholarly article, or electronic, like a webpage, a blog entry, or something more visual, like a commercial, TV show, video, or advertisement. Please note: students cannot and will not be successful without selecting a source to address.
After selecting a source related to their research topic, students should complete a short write-up about it by following the prompt (set of questions below). To do so, students should address the following questions. Please be sure they are all answered in the write-up:
– What is the source? In other words, what is the title and what type of source is it (news article, webpage, video clip)?
– Where was the source found (how did you find it)?
– When was it created and published? How is it distributed (do people have to purchase it, have a subscription service, etc.)?
– Who are the authors or creators of the source? What are the backgrounds of the authors or creators?
– Why do you believe the source was created?
– What messages does the source put forward?
– Do you believe the source is credible, meaning does it give expert, fair, and accurate information? Why or why not?
If you need clarification about any of these questions, look over chapter 19. The questions are drawn from their lessons about evaluating sources. While the textbook and writing resources (like the MLA handbook, a dictionary, etc.) may be used for reference, students should not incorporate any other sources in their essay. In other words, students should just focus on one source for this assignment, and not worry about consulting, paraphrasing, or quoting any other websites, articles, books, etc. (expect the one they select to focus on). The majority of the writing should be in the student’s own words, but students may also wish to quote their source. If so, please use MLA format.
Guidelines for how to cite in MLA format (for a variety of sources) can be found in our textbook pages 465-486 or you may want to use online resources such as the library’s guides or Owl Purdue at https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/. Please include a Works Cited entry at the end of your case study for the source you selected. It will only be one source, so just one entry.
The assessment of the case study will be determined by the qualities that follow, which are reflected on the rubrics used for the assigning of points.
Answers the questions on prompt in a thorough manner, with details, reasons, and/or explanation.
Shows evidence of deeper thinking by questioning, analyzing, evaluating, or drawing conclusions.
Prepared in a manner that is easy to read with strong to excellent sentence structure and word choice and very few errors in grammar, spelling, or punctuation.
Demonstrates tone and style (MLA) appropriate for productive academic discussion.
Requirements:
– 300-500 words in a document of double-spaced paragraphs in MLA page layout format (12 point Times New Roman Font, 1 inch margins, heading including your name, the professor’s name, the course number, and the date, a title centered without additional space or bolding or underlining, a Works Cited entry, etc.)
– An accurate and clear write-up of the selected source
– Strong and clear writing, minimal to no errors in grammar, mechanics, or tone
– Due-date: Friday, August 6 by 11:59 pm.
*Special notes about this case study: The case studies are a way to check in with students and make sure they can demonstrate their ability in the skills covered in the course, but this one (Case Study Essay #2) also serves a dual role because it also gives students a chance to very closely study and evaluate one (academic or non-academic) source they feel relates to their research topic. *
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