UNIV 200, Spencer
Spring 2015
Unit 2 Source Reviews
In Unit 2, you will locate 15 scholarly and substantive sources as you pursue answers to your proposed inquiry. You will document this research in source reviews, which will be due in five trios.
Format: Each source review should contain the following five parts:
1. Cite the source using APA style.
2. Identify the type of source as scholarly, substantive, or tertiary; for “A” “B” reviews, also include a brief sentence justifying how that source fulfills the requirement (see below).
3. Summarize (1-2 paragraphs) what the source is about, what problem or issue is addressed in the source, and what the author’s claim is.
4. Respond (2-3 paragraphs) to the source. Describe your initial reaction to the source, but then respond and reason about the source: How did it make you think differently about your topic? Do you agree or disagree with the author? What did he/she do successfully? What were his/her shortcomings? Did the author inspire you to seek out a new branch of study? Consider how the source fits in to your “Areas of Investigation.” Etc.
5. Pull out at least 1 meaningful quotation (2+ if a particularly rich source), copy the quotation into your review, note its page #, and write 3-5 sentences of reflection about why you chose that quotation and how it aided your research.
Here is a rough sample structure:
“A” Source Review #2
Schwartz, B. (2004). Let’s go shopping. In The paradox of choice (pp. 9-22). New York: NY, HarperCollins Publishers Inc.
Type of Source: Substantive. This source is one chapter of a substantive book.
[Insert 1-2 paragraph summary of chapter]
[Insert 2-3 paragraph response to the chapter]
Quotation:
“…our culture sanctifies freedom of choice so profoundly that the benefits of infinite options seem self-evident. When experiencing dissatisfaction or hassle on a shopping trip, consumers are likely to blame it on something else—surly salespeople, traffic jams, high prices, items out of stock—anything but the overwhelming array of options. Nonetheless, certain indicators pop up occasionally that signal discontent with this trend. There are now several books and magazines devoted to what is called the ‘voluntary simplicity’ movement. Its core idea is that we have too many choices, too many decisions, too little time to do what is really important” (p. 21).
[Insert 3-5 sentence response to the quotation]
“A,” “B,” and “C” Source Reviews
Each of the three sources per set will perform its own function:
“A” Source Reviews: The first source review will be of a specific source type, in this order:
1. Feb. 19 - Scholarly article found using a discipline-specific database (identify the database)
2. Feb. 24 - Part or all of a substantive or scholarly book, for example: introduction, chapter, essay in edited collection, etc. (identify the book & what part[s] you are using)
3. Feb. 26 - Substantive or scholarly source that is not written: a documentary, TED talk, data visualization, online video, audio recording, interview, NPR piece, podcast, interactive webpage, TV program on History or Discovery Channel, etc. (make sure it is not tertiary)
4. Mar. 3 - A 1st-person account of something relevant to your topic: can appear in a substantive long-form journalism piece, a memoir, a substantive blog, or other
5. Mar. 5 - Scholarly source that presents a viewpoint that disagrees with or challenges the predominant perspective on your inquiry (indicate how it disagrees/challenges)
For each indicated class period, your “A” source review will require you to find the above specified type of source. Pay close attention to the specification of scholarly, substantive, or tertiary. #1 & #5 must be scholarly; #2 & #3 may be scholarly or substantive; only #4 may be tertiary, though it may also be scholarly or substantive.
“B” Source Reviews: The second source review will cover a scholarly or substantive source that you found within the text or bibliography of a source you have already consulted, whether it is “A” or “C” in the same trio or from an earlier set. An author may simply allude to this source; the author of this source may referenced repeatedly and therefore be an important figure in that field; or, most likely, the source will be cited in the bibliography of something you’ve already read. In any case, identify the original and explain how you arrived at this “B” source in your review.
“C” Source Reviews: The third source review may be any scholarly or substantive source relevant to your research. In cases where particularly useful ones are found, a maximum of 2 of these “C” source reviews may be on tertiary sources.
Google Docs
You will turn these in via a Google Document that I will create and share with you. Source reviews are due by 11:59 PM the night before each class period, as specified below:
Feb. 19th / Feb. 24th / Feb. 26th / Mar. 3rd / Mar. 5th#1A, B, C / #2A, B, C / #3A, B, C / #4A, B, C / #5A, B, C
Grading
Each review is worth 10 points each, for a total of 150 points at the end of the 5 trios. To receive the full 10 points on each review, you must have the correct citation, include every part of the review format, and provide thoughtful responses in your summary and quotation.