What does rcd mean on penn foster

Study Guide

Advanced Composition By

Robert G. Turner, Jr., Ph.D.

About the Author

Robert G. Turner, Jr., holds a B.S. in business and an M.S. and a Ph.D. in sociology. He has more than 20 years of teaching experience, mainly at the college level, and is currently serving as an adjunct professor at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg. Dr. Turner is primarily employed as a professional freelance writer. His literary credits include two stage plays, two novels, and two nonfiction works, along with an array of publications in academic and educational venues.

Copyright © 2012 by Penn Foster, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of the material protected by this copyright may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Requests for permission to make copies of any part of the work should be mailed to Copyright Permissions, Penn Foster, 925 Oak Street, Scranton, Pennsylvania 18515.

Printed in the United States of America

08/05/14

All terms mentioned in this text that are known to be trademarks or service marks have been appropriately capitalized. Use of a term in this text should not be regarded as affecting the validity of any trademark or service mark.

INSTRUCTIONS TO STUDENTS 1

LESSON ASSIGNMENTS 9

LESSON 1: PLANNING A PAPER WITH SOURCES 13

LESSON 2: FINDING SOURCES AND TAKING NOTES 31

LESSON 3: WRITING A PAPER USING SOURCES 49

LESSON 4: LITERARY ANALYSIS: : FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE IN MUSIC AND SONG 71

PREWRITING EXAMINATION 89

ESSAY EXAMINATION 93

LESSON 5: USING DEFINITION WITH CLASSIFICATION 95

EXAMINATION 103

LESSON 6: USING COMPARISON AND CONTRAST 107

PREWRITING EXAMINATION 117

ESSAY EXAMINATION 121

LESSON 7: WRITING AN ARGUMENT 123

EXAMINATION—COURSE FINAL 133

SELF-CHECK ANSWERS 137

APPENDIX 165

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INTRODUCTION

Welcome to your Advanced Composition course. In this course, you’ll practice research and writing skills by develop- ing papers that require you to use sources and correctly cite them using MLA formatting. You’ll learn to look at writing with a critical eye—a skill you can apply to your own work, as well as to the reading you do for research or in your daily activities. You’ll apply these skills to your own writing through editing and revising.

COURSE SYLLABUS

Course name: Advanced Composition

Course number: ENG 300

Instructors: See faculty listing in the Student Handbook.

Hours: Monday through Friday, 9 A.M. to 7 P.M. Eastern Standard Time

Contact information: After logging into your homepage at the student website, click Contact us. For email, choose Contact Your Instructor. You must type your email address correctly to ensure a reply to your question and include your student number in the message. You also must add edserv@pennfoster.edu to the list of approved or accepted senders in your email browser.

For the best instructional assistance, ask specific questions, explaining what you don’t understand and the particular page in the study materials or exam requirement that it relates to.

Textbook: Kathleen T. McWhorter, Successful College Writing, Brief Fifth Edition

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Instructions to Students2

COURSE OBJECTIVES Primary objective: You’ll use research to plan, organize, develop, and edit a variety of papers with clarity and precision using standard MLA formatting.

When you complete this course, you’ll be able to

n Use the writing process to write essays using different patterns of development

n Apply an appropriate rhetorical style to an audience and purpose

n Write effective thesis statements

n Develop paragraphs using topic sentences, adequate detail, supporting evidence, and transitions

n Identify, define, and analyze literary elements

n Develop critical reading skills

n Use responsible research methods to locate appropriate secondary sources

n Use Modern Language Association citation and docu- mentation style to reference secondary source material correctly and appropriately

n Quote, paraphrase, and summarize secondary source material correctly and appropriately

n Use the conventions of standard written American English to produce correct, well-written essays

Note: For Lesson 6, you’re required to read one novel that has been turned into a movie and to watch that movie. The list of movies made from books is extensive and includes To Kill a Mockingbird, The Princess Bride, and Girl with a Pearl Earring. (A short story or children’s book isn’t an appropriate selection. You must read a full-length novel.)

Instructions to Students 3

A STUDY PLAN This study guide contains your lesson assignments and the exams for the seven lessons you’ll complete for this course. The self-checks at the end of each assignment will help you assess your understanding of the material so you’ll know whether you should move on to the next assignment or review the material before continuing.

Study pace. You have a study time limit for the semester but not one specific to Advanced Composition. You must pace yourself wisely through the semester’s courses to meet the expiration date, allowing sufficient time for reading, prewrit- ing, drafting, revising, and grading. Generally, you should allot at least two weeks for each English lesson, with some taking longer than that, and you must complete each exam in the correct order. The goal of this course is to help you grow as a writer by building on your strengths and improving your weaknesses with each assignment. Therefore, this course emphasizes the process approach to writing. Ideally, you’ll submit each exam in order after you’ve received your evalua- tion of the previous lesson so that you can apply the instructor’s feedback to your next writing project. You must successfully complete the prewriting assignments for Lessons 4 and 6 before you can submit the essays. While you’re waiting for evaluations, you should begin to work on the next les- son’s assignments. If you have other courses available for study, you may work on those materials while taking this English course and submit any completed exams.

Organization. To keep your work for this course organized, create clearly labeled files in your word processing program. We recommend you create a primary file folder named “Advanced Composition.” Within that folder, create separate files, such as “Self-Checks” and “Course Notes.” Also create a folder for each written exam (Lessons 4, 5, 6, and 7), where you’ll keep files of your research notes, rough drafts, and final draft. Establish a clear naming system for each file so you don’t confuse early drafts with your final version of an essay. When you reopen a rough draft, immediately use “Save as” and add the date before further revision. That way you won’t lose anything you may delete but then wish you had kept.

Instructions to Students4

Exam submissions. Use the following guidelines when submitting your exams: n Multiple-choice examinations (Lessons 1, 2, and 3):

You’ll submit your answers for these exams online. n Written examinations (Lessons 4, 5, 6, and 7): Unless the

individual exam instructions specify otherwise, papers must be typed double-spaced using a standard, 12-point font and left justification. Use 1-inch margins at the top and bottom and 1.25-inch margins for the left and right sides of the document. Each page must have a header in the proper format, containing student name, student number with exam number, page number, mailing address, and email address. Jane Doe 23456789—50068000 5 987 Nice Street My Town, AZ 34567 janedoe@yahoo.com

Name each document using your student number first, then the six-digit lesson number, and finally your name (for example, 23456789_500680 Jane Doe). Save each as “File Type: Rich Text Format” regardless of the word processing program you use. Follow the instructions in the text on pages 637–639. Use “Instructor,” rather than an instructor’s name. The course is Advanced Composition ENG 300. Don’t use headings in the body of your paper.

Exams can be submitted online from the student homepage using the Take Exam button next to the lesson number on the “My Courses” page. Check to be sure that the document you’ve uploaded is the one containing your final work for evaluation. When your paper is received into the exam sys- tem, it’s coded as RCD with the date received.

Evaluation. Evaluation usually occurs within seven business days of receipt (from the RCD date code). Exams are scored according to the parameters of the exam assignment using the Advanced Composition Course Rubric, which is located in the Appendix of this study guide with a complete explanation of evaluation criteria and skill levels. Instructors may write feedback on both the essay and the evaluation chart. To read the instructor’s comments, click on the View Project button next to your grade for the exam and then download the Instructor Feedback file. Be sure to save this file to your computer since it’s available on your My Courses page for just a brief time.

Instructions to Students 5

Evaluation Process

Your instructors will score each writing assignment by apply- ing the rubric shown on the next page to evaluate how well your work illustrates both the basic and advanced traits of good writing in various research settings (see Appendix). Although the basic techniques of writing aren’t taught in this course, you’re required to produce good writing. If you’re unsure of something, return to the textbook to fine-tune your skills. For more information, scan your textbook’s table of contents for a chapter breakdown and page numbers. For specific characteristics, use the index of your textbook.

On the chart in the Appendix, each trait is broken into three skill levels explaining what writing at that level looks like and to what extent the writing shows that trait. Each skill level is assigned a score that corresponds to the appropriate letter grade within the Penn Foster College grading scale. (For infor- mation about the grading scale, see the Student Handbook.) As such, these scores don’t represent an amount awarded from a possible range of points. Instead, each score value is constant. That means if your writing exhibits the given char- acteristics, you automatically earn the designated score for that trait and skill level. Papers with inconsistencies among skill levels will be scored according to the middle ground. For example, you may have spelled and punctuated everything with excellent style but your grammar is poor. The evaluator will average the score of high Skill Realized for Conventions with the score of low Skill Emerging for the score on Conventions.

Skill Emerging describes writing that either doesn’t have the trait or that lacks controlled, deliberate appli- cation. As below-average work, writing with traits at this level earns a D or an F.

Skill Developing refers to writing which shows general competence in the trait but which lacks finesse or depth of understanding in application. Traits in this range earn a low B or a C.

Skill Realized indicates the writing demonstrates the trait effectively and creatively, earning an A or a high B.

Instructions to Students6

When evaluating your paper, the instructor first reads through your essay to become familiar with its content and flow. He or she then works through the essay, evaluating both problem areas and strengths related to the rubric. Next, he or she fills out a blank evaluation chart identifying where your writing falls within each trait, relying on the descrip- tions in the Appendix to provide the full explanation of the traits your writing displays. Consequently, while reviewing your evaluated exam, you must refer to the following rubric.

The instructor may provide further comments or explanation about a particular strength or weakness within a trait, but primarily you’ll depend on the information given in your study guide. In light of that feedback, you should reexamine your paper and review the textbook to learn ways to strengthen that trait the next time you write. With each exam, your goal is to craft your writing more deliberately and skillfully.

Thesis: Focus for Audience and Purpose

The thesis establishes a clearly defined, analytic focus unique to the assigned topic, purpose, and audience.

Development and Structure of Ideas in Relation to Thesis

Using applicable pattern(s) of development, the writer explores in depth the relationship between thesis, assertion, and evidence. The opening engages the reader with the thesis. The body para- graphs develop the thesis in a controlled fashion. The discussion closes with a sense of finality reinforcing the thesis.

Incorporation of Source Material

Paraphrases, summaries, and direct quotations are aptly integrated with the writer’s style for the purpose and audience. Sources are relevant and reliable.

Overall Organization of Writing

Transitional words and connective phrasing guide the reader through the relationships between ideas. Each paragraph contains one idea that supports the thesis. The supporting sentences connect to/develop the paragraph’s focus.

Word Choice and Presentation Style

The writer shows a consistent point of view, captivating the reader with skillful, precise language for the purpose and audience. The essay is graceful and easy to read aloud with a natural, pleasant rhythm through varied sentence length and structures.

MLA Citation

Using the MLA citation style, the writer accurately documents the required number of sources.

Conventions

According to standard written American English, the writer correctly applies spelling, punctuation (including sentence structure), and grammar. These choices make the writing professional and easy to understand. The writing meets the required length and overall submission format for the assignment.

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Retakes. Students are required to complete all assigned work, including a retake for any first-time failing attempt on an exam. The evaluation of any first-time failing exam will include a Required Retake form. That form must then be included with your retake exam submission to ensure proper handling. If the assigned work isn’t provided, submissions will be evaluated according to the criteria but additional points will be deducted for not following the instructions. In addition, please review school policy about retakes in the Student Handbook (available online).

Plagiarism policy. Carefully review the plagiarism policy in the Student Handbook (available online). The first submission that departs from this policy earns a grade of 1 percent. If it’s a first-time submission, you may retake the exam (per retake procedures). A second such submission on any subsequent exam means failure of the Advanced Composition course.

ACADEMIC SUPPORT AND ONLINE RESOURCES Penn Foster’s digital library offers students access to online resources in all major disciplines and courses offered at Penn Foster, as well as one of the most comprehensive academic databases available today, Expanded Academic ASAP. Learn more about the library here:

How-To Guide— http://community.pennfoster.edu/docs/DOC-57990

Top 3 things— http://community.pennfoster.edu/docs/DOC-58013

Digital Library FAQ— http://community.pennfoster.edu/docs/DOC-58011

Citation Information— https://community.pennfoster.edu/docs/DOC-58115

Penn Foster’s librarian is available to answer questions about research and to help students locate resources. You can find her in The Community, by using the Contact an Instructor link in the Help Center in your student portal, and the Ask a Librarian link in the library.

Lesson Assignments8

Penn Foster has partnered with the tutoring service Smarthinking to provide support for students including writ- ing, science, math, and business. Smarthinking is available to all Penn Foster students through the link in the Help Center on their student portal. Smarthinking tutors are experts in their subject areas and can provide general help with courses and papers. They are not, however, Penn Foster employees, so students must be sure to clearly explain the purpose of an assignment to get the best possible results from their tutoring sessions. Students can live chat with tutors to ask questions about course material. Students can also take advantage of the Writing Center and upload a paper for review before submitting it to Penn Foster for grading. You’ll need to check the Drop-In Tutoring schedule for hours of service for live chats, but you can submit a question at any time and a tutor will reply. Consider adding Smarthinking to your academic routine; tutoring can help even the best students enhance their education.

Grammarly.com is offering discounts to Penn Foster students who register for a year of service. For $40 (a $95 savings), Penn Foster students have unlimited access to the Grammarly’s grammar, spell, and punctuation check, as well as the pla- giarism check. For students who have limited experience with research writing, Grammarly could be the helping hand you need to negotiate the research papers in your future.

Other online resources for grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and mechanics include the following:

Daily Grammar

http://www.dailygrammar.com/archive.shtml

Blue Book of Grammar and Mechanics

http://www.grammarbook.com/

Guide to Grammar and Writing, sponsored by Capital Community College Foundation

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/index2.htm

Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/

Please contact your English instructor for registration information

Lesson 1: Planning a Paper with Sources For Read in the Read in

study guide: the textbook:

Assignment 1 Pages 13–16 Pages 575–578

Assignment 2 Pages 17–21 Pages 578–583

Assignment 3 Pages 22–24 Pages 583–587

Assignment 4 Pages 24–28 Pages 587–593

Assignment 5 Pages 28–30 Pages 46–65 and 89–93

Examination 500439 Material in Lesson 1

Lesson 2: Finding Sources and Taking Notes For Read in the Read in

study guide: the textbook:

Assignment 6 Pages 32–35 Pages 595–603

Assignment 7 Pages 36–38 Pages 603–606

Assignment 8 Pages 39–45 Pages 606–615

Assignment 9 Pages 46–48 Pages 102–115

Examination 500440 Material in Lesson 2

Lesson 3: Writing a Paper Using Sources For Read in the Read in

study guide: the textbook:

Assignment 10 Pages 50–54 Pages 621–630

Assignment 11 Pages 54–59 Pages 630–636

Assignment 12 Pages 60–62 Pages 636–640

Assignment 13 Pages 63–66 Pages 640–662

Assignment 14 Pages 67–69 Pages 115–118 and 125–133

Watch the Using and Citing Sources Lecture Quiz 500697

Examination 500441 Material in Lesson 3

Lesson Assignments 9

A s s ig n m e n ts

A s s ig n m e n ts

Lesson 4: Literary Analysis: Figurative Language in Music and Song For Read in the Read in

study guide: the textbook:

Assignment 15 Pages 71–74 Pages 166–179

Assignment 16 Pages 75–77 Pages 182–194

Assignment 17 Pages 78–85 Pages 684–689 and 698–704

Assignment 18 Pages 85–88 Pages 152–157 and 309–312

Watch the Figurative Language Analysing Poetry Lecture Quiz 500698

Prewriting Examination: 50046800

Essay Examination: 50044200

Lesson 5: Using Definition with Classification For Read in the Read in

study guide: the textbook:

Assignment 19 Pages 95–98 Pages 410–416 and 420–426

Assignment 20 Pages 98–101 Pages 442–453

Examination 50044300

Lesson Assignments10

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Lesson 6: Using Comparison and Contrast in Novels and Movies For Read in the Read in

study guide: the textbook:

Assignment 21 Pages 108–109 Pages 374–384

Assignment 22 Pages 110–111 Pages 384–396

Assignment 23 Pages 111–113 Pages 396–407 and 615–619

Assignment 24 Pages 113–116 Pages 688–698

Watch the Using Comparison and Contrast/Analyzing a Novel Lecture Quiz 500699

Prewriting Examination: 50046900

Essay Examination: 50044400

Lesson 7: Writing an Argument For Read in the Read in

study guide: the textbook:

Assignment 25 Pages 124–125 Pages 514–520

Assignment 26 Pages 126–128 Pages 520–533

Assignment 27 Pages 129–131 Pages 544–557

Assignment 28 Pages 131–132 Pages 568–571

Final Examination: 50044500

Note: To access and complete any of the examinations for this study guide, click on the appropriate Take Exam icon on your “My Courses” page. You should not have to enter the examination numbers. These numbers are for reference only if you have reason to contact Student Services.

Note: For Lesson 6, you’re required to read one novel that has been turned into a movie and to watch that movie. The list of movies made from books is extensive and includes To Kill a Mockingbird, The Princess Bride, and Girl with a Pearl Earring. (A short story or children’s book isn’t an appropriate selection. You must read a full-length novel.)

Advanced Composition12

NOTES

Lesson 1 13

Planning a Paper with Sources

INTRODUCTION

The writer Isaac Asimov is said to have written many of his popular-science books without doing any research. But Asimov was a professor of biochemistry and vice president of Mensa International, an organization for people with exceptionally high intelligence. While most of us use the reservoir of knowl- edge and experience in our minds when we write, it’s unlikely that the average person can write competently and extensively using only that mental filing cabinet. Even if you think you know something—for example, a quote you memorized long ago—when you check it against the original, it may not be precisely as you remembered it. That’s why we use sources to check, and while we’re checking, we may find additional information that’s relevant to our topics.

Research papers aren’t busy work. You’ll learn not only how to think, write, and organize, but also how to pay attention to detail, communicate your ideas to others, and find support for your ideas. The skills used in developing a research paper are all transferable to the job market.

OBJECTIVES

When you complete this lesson, you’ll be able to

n Develop a feasible topic

n Frame useful research questions

n Establish a working thesis statement

n Read actively and critically to analyze sources

n Identify bias and recognize the difference between fact and opinion

n Explain the difference between primary and secondary sources

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Advanced Composition14

ASSIGNMENT 1: USING SOURCES Read the following assignment. Then read pages 575–578 in your textbook. Be sure to complete the self-check to gauge your progress.

INTRODUCTION

People in any society depend on each other for sustenance of all kinds. That’s definitely true in the world of scholars. Those who acquire and express ideas through the written word rely on many resources, and they understand the need to acknowledge the work of other thinkers and writers. Like Isaac Asimov, they may have assimilated a lot of general knowledge and made conclusions of their own; but anytime a writer borrows ideas and words directly from another person, that person must be cited as the source for those ideas.

When you write a research paper, you develop your idea by searching for similar ideas to back it up. As you locate sources to support your thesis, you recognize that all the ideas aren’t your own, so you make it clear which ones are and which are not. This practice applies no matter the type or date of the source.

READING HIGHLIGHTS

Quick Starts. These opening exercises for each chapter aren’t assigned activities, but pause to read each one before beginning the chapter reading.

Pages 575–578. The sources you select for your research will fall into two distinct categories. Primary sources come from “the horse’s mouth.” That is, the information is available in a first-person document or recording, rather than a quote or interpretation by another person. Such sources are considered extremely reliable. Primary sources include letters, speeches, diaries, the writings of scientists and philosophers, and many other types of text or records. It may be a personal account of a battle or an interview with a celebrity.

Lesson 1 15

Here are some examples:

n A letter from James Madison to his wife Dolley

n Abraham Lincoln’s second inaugural address

n A diary kept by a soldier during the Korean War

n The poetry of Emily Dickinson

n A radio broadcast from a reporter observing the destruction of the Hindenburg

n Albert Einstein’s published papers on the special theory of relativity

Secondary sources either support or comment on primary sources. They may serve your purpose better than primary sources if you’re looking for authority to back up an argument. If an original manuscript of a play is the primary source, then a critical essay discussing the work is the secondary source. An author interested in the life of Samuel Adams would consult as many primary sources (actual writings by Adams himself) as he or she could before writing a biography of Adams. If you used the resulting biography as a source for your paper, that would be a secondary source. The author may have quoted the primary sources and collected facts from them, but he or she also went on to interpret and draw conclusions from the material.

Even when using primary sources, you must be careful of translations. For example, Plato’s dialogues have been trans- lated differently by different scholars; Emily Dickinson’s poems were arbitrarily edited in early editions. You may have to do further research to determine the professional reputation of the translator or editor. Also be careful with websites; it’s often difficult to verify the credentials of a website’s author(s).

Examples of secondary sources include

n Ken Burns’ documentary, The Civil War

n An Encyclopedia Britannica article on Freud’s theories

n Rome: The Biography of a City by Christopher Hibbert

Advanced Composition16

Pages 577–578. A research paper, like any other type of conventional writing, needs a structure. Facts, statistics, and other details have to be fitted together so they flow logically and create a meaningful article, narrative, or commentary. Using the framework of your thesis, you must seek out infor- mation to support your ideas, choosing evidence that best supports each point in your thesis. Just as every line of dia- logue in a screenplay is designed to move or inform the plot, every source you use must contribute to developing your thesis. Your in-text citations also must fit into the flow, pro- viding the necessary information in the correct form. MLA style is the preferred approach to parenthetical in-text cita- tions in English and the humanities, and it’s what you’ll use in this course. Chapter 23 provides a guide. Take a few moments to skim through the MLA section.

Review Figures 21.1 and 21.2 on pages 578–579 for a visual of the systematic way you need to approach locating and using sources. In particular, note all the ways information can be extracted and used during the research and writing process.

Self-Check 1

At the end of each section of Advanced Composition, you’ll be asked to pause and check your understanding of what you’ve just read by completing a “Self-Check” exercise. Keep your answers in your self-check file or a separate notebook. Answering these questions will help you review what you’ve studied so far. Please complete Self-Check 1 now.

1. Write a brief paragraph differentiating primary and secondary sources and give one example of each. Then, in a second paragraph, describe the advantages and disadvantages of secondary sources.

2. Using an example for each, describe how to acknowledge sources in an MLA-style essay or research paper.

3. What element of a research paper determines its boundaries, guides its development, and establishes its objective?

Check your answers with those on page 137.

Lesson 1 17

ASSIGNMENT 2: PLANNING YOUR PAPER Read the following assignment. Then read pages 578–583 of Chapter 21 in your textbook. Be sure to complete the self- check to gauge your progress.

INTRODUCTION

Complete freedom to choose a topic might make the job of planning a paper harder, not easier. Your assignment will give you some limits to work within and some description of what’s expected, so begin planning your paper by defining the assignment. First, think about the objective of the paper. A good place to start is with the verbs—what are they asking you to do? Verbs like describe, persuade or convince, or com- pare and contrast tell you what you need to accomplish with the paper, as well as what primary pattern of development to apply. Once you have your objective clearly in mind, you’ll be able to explore appropriate sources.

READING HIGHLIGHTS

Review Figures 21.1 and 21.2 on pages 578–579, which show you the steps involved in writing a paper using sources. This chapter’s skills are outlined in detail. The basic steps in selecting, narrowing, and discovering ideas for a research topic are similar to methods used in any other essay writing. They include preliminary reading, prewriting, and viewing your topic from different perspectives.

Pages 578–583. In this section, you’ll study five practical guidelines for choosing an appealing and feasible topic. Consider what these recommendations mean to you.

After defining the assignment, and perhaps above all, it makes sense to choose a topic that interests you. However, in actual experience, some topics may seem interesting at first glance, but then seem less interesting as you learn more. In other cases, a random idea or topic may catch your attention

Advanced Composition18

while you’re exploring on the Internet or in an online catalog at the library. That’s why seeking out an interesting topic requires an open mind, as the following scenario shows. Think through it carefully, because it will reappear as this lesson proceeds.

Your composition teacher requires you to develop a paper with some connection to Central Africa, leaving the details to your interests. You’re interested in what motivated Joseph Conrad when he wrote The Heart of Darkness. The novel contrasts the mentality of Westerners to the apparently random savagery of Central Africa, where nature seems to overwhelm the order and reason of civilization. You do some Internet searching, but, as you do, you find that English graduate students and scholars of all kinds have written mountains of material on this topic. Not only would the topic be unmanageable, it’s also unlikely that you could come up with a fresh perspective on the topic.

However, you do find that the film Apocalypse Now is based on Conrad’s book. Now you may be on to something. But soon the same problem arises. You’ll have to know Conrad literary criticism inside out to write anything fresh and engaging about the film. So your search continues.

Then, skimming a page on Central Africa, you discover that civil war and mass murder in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) (formerly Zaire) involve international corporate interest in a mineral called columbite-tantalite, popularly known as coltan. You’ve never heard of coltan, but a quick Internet search reveals that coltan is essential to the produc- tion of cell phones and other electronic products. Quickly searching some more, you find that the topic yields sources, the topic is fresh and current (but not too new, since there’s information avail- able), and it seems manageable.

Lesson 1 19

As you know, a reasoned approach to narrowing and discov- ering ideas about a topic is preliminary reading, prewriting, and viewing your topic from different perspectives. You’re interested in the coltan issue and so far, in your preliminary reading, you’ve unearthed the following facts:

n Coltan is a mineral that combines niobium and tantalum. Tantalum is a rare metal that’s a crucial component of the transistors used in cell phones and in some other technological contexts.

n As the demand for coltan has soared, so has its price in international markets.

n Roughly 80 percent of the global supply of coltan is found in the far eastern highland regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

n The Democratic Republic of Congo is the third-largest African nation. Its capital, Kinshasa, is near the mouth of the Congo River, far to the west of the highland region.

n The government centered at Kinshasa oversees a land of poverty and political corruption.

n The coltan mining region borders Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi.

n A brutal civil war, characterized by rape, torture, and random murder, disrupts the entire coltan mining region.

n The violence is strongly related to the smuggling of coltan from the DRC.

n International interests, out of Belgium and other nations, will buy the coltan wherever they can get it.

n Efforts by the United Nations and other nations to contain the violence have had little or no success.

n The mining is creating extensive environmental destruction.

n The habitat of the endangered Eastern Lowland Gorilla is being destroyed by the mining operations.

Advanced Composition20

At this point, you can think about different perspectives on the general topic of coltan mining. Different points of view and, therefore, different narrowed topics can be explored by using research questions. For example,

n What’s the history of Western colonialism in this region?

n What are the uses of coltan?

n What cultural and sociological impacts does coltan mining bring about?

n What’s the economic importance of coltan locally and globally?

n Who benefits from the use of coltan?

n What’s the environmental impact of coltan mining?

n What parties are responsible for the smuggling and how are they involved in the civil war (to what advantage)?

Clearly, addressing all of those aspects of the coltan issue would be unmanageable within the limits of a relatively brief research paper. You’ll need to create a working thesis that helps you narrow your topic. Reviewing all of your questions, you decide to concentrate on the environmental issue. You write, “Regional conflicts in Africa are threatening the last habitat of the rare Eastern Lowland Gorilla.”

To develop this thesis, you have to confine yourself to sum- marizing the coltan issue while focusing on the Eastern Lowland Gorilla and its threatened habitat. Now you need new research questions for your narrowed topic. They might include

n What’s the Eastern Lowland Gorilla’s habitat like?

n How is the mining affecting it?

n How long has the habitat destruction been going on?

n Can the damage be reversed?

n How else can the gorillas be protected?

Lesson 1 21

Self-Check 2

Use this background material to complete the self-check. Keep your answers in your self-check file or a separate notebook.

n According to Queensland’s Environmental Protection Agency, more than 90 percent of the species that have existed on Earth are now extinct.

n Natural habitats and particular species have been affected by human activity, sometimes leading to the extinction of a species (bison, mountain lions, and gray wolves are nearly wiped out).

n Over millions of years, many species died out when they couldn’t adapt to an environment altered by climate change.

n Natural selection is the process by which species develop traits favorable to survival within a particular habitat.

1. Review the material under “View Your Topic from Different Perspectives” on page 581. Use Exercise 21.1 on page 581 for reference. To address the topic “extinction of animal species,” list one or more questions each from the perspective of biology, geology, history, and economy.

2. After reviewing the material on pages 582–583, create a working thesis and at least three research questions to address one of the perspectives further.

Check your answers with those on page 137.

Advanced Composition22

ASSIGNMENT 3: SELECTING AND EVALUATING USEFUL SOURCES Read the following assignment. Then study pages 583–587 in Chapter 21 of your textbook. Be sure to complete the self-check to gauge your progress.

INTRODUCTION

Before you begin your search for sources, make sure you have a copy of your working thesis and your research questions in front of you. Refer to it each time you locate a potential source, and make sure it’s relevant to your topic before you print or copy any articles or borrow any books. While you may not want to take time to thoroughly read each piece, at least look in a book’s index to see if your topic is covered and scan any item you believe you need. The information you find might be a repetition of something you already have, it may be out of date, or it may be too general for your needs. Select only those sources that you’re likely to use before closely reading the source.

An Internet search engine may be your favorite place to find information quickly, but don’t depend too heavily on the articles you find there. A lot of the best, in-depth information for a research paper is found only in print sources. Make sure you consult your library’s “search engine”—the reference librarian. He or she can show you where to find excellent sources online as well as in print. Make a point of choosing at least a few print sources, particularly when you need primary sources.

READING HIGHLIGHTS

Page 584. When is a source relevant? Use common sense. If the source helps you answer one of your research questions, it’s relevant. But remember to consider your audience, your thesis, and the timeliness of your source.

The school’s library provides access to many print sources online through the Expanded Academic ASAP periodical data- base. Use the library link from your home- page at the school’s website.

Lesson 1 23

Your audience and your purpose—the way you intend to develop your thesis—will affect the sources and information you choose to review and to include in your paper. Suppose you’re looking at the pros and cons of DNA testing in crime investigations. A scientific work in population genetics might be too technical for your audience. A mainstream magazine article on how DNA testing is used in novels or television programs may be biased and misleading. Your most relevant sources will be articles from law enforcement agencies or civil rights organizations that focus on this issue.

Also remember that the world changes quickly, particularly in respect to technology. When evaluating a source, you may find that it’s simply out of date. On the other hand, older sources may be helpful if you’re researching the historical background of an issue.

Pages 584–585. How can you decide if a source is reliable? Your text offers you four guidelines. In general, scholarly sources are more factual and balanced than general-interest sources. Some news sources are considered reliable—The New York Times has a better reputation than a supermarket tabloid, and a website that ends in .edu is more reliable than a blog. A good source names the author, so you can check his or her credentials. But even among scientists and schol- ars, judgments and opinions differ. You may have to check facts and other opinions to tell whether an article is biased, but be aware of your own biases, too.

Pages 585–587. The techniques for evaluating Internet sources aren’t much different from those used for evaluating print sources. The main difference is that the accuracy, pur- pose, and timeliness of Internet sources can be somewhat difficult to evaluate. If you can’t verify a fact or a site’s credi- bility, it’s best not to use it.

Note: Study Table 21.1 page 586. Notice the different pur- poses of the websites, as well as questions to guide your evaluation of the site before you use the information you find there. Sometimes a commercial URL seems to be offering a factual report when it’s actually just a public-relations piece.

Advanced Composition24

ASSIGNMENT 4: ANALYZING SOURCES AND WORKING WITH TEXT Read the following assignment. Then read pages 587–593 in Chapter 21 of your textbook. Be sure to complete the self- check to gauge your progress.

Most of this section is devoted to detecting bias. You’ll review your concept of identifying bias and determine when an idea presented as a fact is actually an opinion. You’ll also search out underlying assumptions, many of which are implied rather than explicit, and review the skills needed for reading sources.

Self-Check 3

In your self-check file or notebook, complete the following exercises.

1. In a paragraph, explain the difference between relevant and reliable sources to support the thesis of a research paper or essay. Use examples to support your ideas.

2. Complete Exercise 21.3 on page 585.

3. List three questions you could use to evaluate the accuracy of an Internet source.

4. Which of the following will probably contain the most objective data?

a. A report with charts documenting hourly wage rates by an occupational group b. A memoir about working in a coal mine c. An editorial in The Washington Post d. A letter rebutting an article in a medical journal

5. You may consider an article from an Internet source reliable if the article

a. first appeared in a print source or publication. b. contains the author’s name and the publication date. c. provides documented information. d. is published by a national association.

Check your answers with those on page 138.

Lesson 1 25

READING HIGHLIGHTS

Pages 588–589. There are opinions and there are facts, but there’s no definitive line between the two. For instance, the distance from Earth to our Moon is 238,855 miles—sometimes. When its orbit is closest to Earth, it’s only 225,780 miles away. Statistical facts are always off by a mathematically determined margin of error. But if the sample is correctly taken, a statistic can be called a fact—even though that fact may change next week. Very few facts are incontrovertible. You may say that men are physically stronger than women, and that may be true on the average, but there will be many exceptions among individuals. Not all opinions have equal weight, either. An opinion based on empirical evidence matters more than an opinion based on an unsupported belief. For example, if an agronomist who is also a meteorologist states that the Iowa corn harvest will be down 10 to 12 percent this year, her expert opinion is more significant than that of a man next to you in the grocery line. Be sure to read the boxed example of facts and opinions on page 588.

Pages 589–590. People naturally have opinions and favored points of view. But are all viewpoints biased? Well, yes, but there are degrees of bias. It may be possible to determine that viewpoint X is better supported than viewpoint Y, and a bal- anced journalistic comparison of X and Y could be relatively free of bias. Regardless, there are three things to remember about opinions. First, recognize that you have biases of your own, and try to keep an open mind. Second, a clear argument in favor of a viewpoint can still be a reliable and relevant source. Third, when in doubt, seek out alternative viewpoints supported by logical, reasoned, and substantial evidence.

Pages 590–592. Generalizations and assumptions are related, but you need to understand how they’re different. A generalization is an interpretation of a set of facts. There- fore, a generalization can be valid. For example, the assertion that children who grow up in poverty are more likely to be malnourished is probably a valid generalization, at least in statistical terms—if it’s based on factual data that’s been correctly gathered and analyzed. But now consider two other versions of this assertion:

Advanced Composition26

Children who grow up in poverty are always malnourished. This isn’t a generalization because “always” makes it a categorical statement—there are no exceptions. Clearly, there are instances of poor children who aren’t malnourished. Therefore, the generalization is invalid.

Young people who grow up in poverty are delinquent more often than middle-class children. Reread this sentence. Does it appeal to your intuition? If it does, you may have been misled. Actual sociological data suggests that the likelihood of being labeled delinquent is higher among the poor. However, the frequency of delinquent acts is similar for both middle- class and poor children.

Now imagine an article or research paper with this thesis: “Rates of delinquency can be reduced by reducing poverty.” If the author doesn’t supply sociological studies that define the issues, the whole argument will be based on a false assumption. Keep in mind that assumptions like these often establish the foundation for a thesis, so you should be prepared to evaluate an author’s assumptions, as well as your own.

Pages 592–593. When you read a textbook, you’re seeking knowledge about specific concepts. By contrast, you’ll read sources to find information that will answer your research questions. That’s why you should read sources selectively, skipping over material that isn’t relevant to your working thesis. By skimming for keywords or phrases, you’ll pick out what you need more quickly. You read the title, an introduc- tory paragraph, the headings, the graphics, and key terms or phrases. Make sure you read the last paragraph—it will often be a summary of the article. Later you can carefully read the articles you chose and take notes. Make sure you mark any copies or printouts with the information you’ll need for your in-text citations and works-cited page.

As sources, websites offer some unique challenges, particularly in the way they’re laid out. You’ll have to scroll through the homepage to see what links and features are offered. While you do, try to avoid the temptation to get too absorbed in browsing. Keep your mind focused on your topic and stay alert for information related to your working thesis.

Lesson 1 27

Reminder: For Lesson 6, you must read a book that was later made into a movie. You also need to watch the movie. If you haven’t yet made a choice and begun reading, do so before you begin Lesson 2.

Self-Check 4

Label each of the following statements as fact (F), opinion (O), or expert opinion (EO).

______ 1. A Gallup poll indicated that 60 percent of respondents agree that it’s better to marry

someone who shares similar interests.

______ 2. According to Dr. Howard Gardner of Harvard University, there are at least eight differ-

ent kinds of intelligence.

______ 3. The Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee offer unsurpassed opportunities for

landscape photography.

______ 4. The attention span of adults is about 20 minutes.

______ 5. Mexico City is one the world’s most populous cities.

______ 6. Denver, the so-called Mile-High City, is the site of a U.S. government mint.

______ 7. It’s understood that, on average, women are more familiar with cooking than men.

______ 8. In 1852, since President Franklin Pierce was greedy to expand U.S. influence, he

offered to buy the island of Cuba.

______ 9. Although Mozart died in poverty, his music remains immortal.

Label each of the following as fact (F) or generalization (G). Indicate what kind of support or documentation would be necessary for you to evaluate each statement’s accuracy.

______ 10. Most people who live in San Francisco hold far-left political views.

______ 11. Jupiter’s atmosphere is rich in methane.

______ 12. People in many nations opposed the invasion of Iraq.

______ 13. Africa has a bright future because it’s rich in natural resources.

______ 14. The average summer temperature in Seattle is 72 degrees Fahrenheit.

(Continued)

Advanced Composition28

ASSIGNMENT 5: ACTIVE- READING REVIEW Read the following assignment. Then, in your text, read Chapter 3, “Reading in College,” on pages 46–65. In Chapter 4, “Responding Critically to Text and Images,” read “A Guide to Responding to Text” on pages 86–93. Be sure to complete the self-check to gauge your progress.

As you may recall, there are two parts to the reading process. First, you must comprehend what the author says, and second, you must figure out what the author means. Interpreting the author’s use of words and their connotations or symbolism isn’t always as straightforward as it may seem. No matter how scholarly an article seems, you must approach it with a critical eye. Sorting out facts and opinions or generalizations and valid conclusions comes easier with practice. You’ll become more skillful in active reading the more you use it.

Self-Check 4

15. In one or two short paragraphs, identify and explain what assumption or assumptions you find in the following paragraph.

I love man as my fellow; but his scepter, real or usurped, extends not to me, unless the reason of an individual demands my homage; and even then the submission is to reason, and not to man. In fact, the conduct of an accountable being must be regulated by the operations of its own reason; or on what foundation rests the throne of God?

—Mary Wollstonecraft (1759–1797), excerpt from A Vindication of the Rights of Women

(Second Revised Edition, 1792)

Check your answers with those on page 139.

READING HIGHLIGHTS Pages 47–48. Take note of the four common misconceptions about active reading. Remember that not everything you see in print is true. Approach what you read with a good sense of what you’re looking for. When in doubt, read difficult para- graphs more than once. Keep alert to material that’s relevant to your purpose.

Pages 48–50. Active readers preview material with a purpose in mind, turn headings into questions that need answers, and are careful to review what needs reviewing. Make sure you review Figure 3.1 on page 49. It gives you an overview of the active reading process. Notice its application to the previous discussion on locating and using research material. Also, read the feature box at the top of page 50 to compare the attitudes of passive and active readers.

Pages 50–52. The essay “American Jerk” permits you to clearly understand the parts of an essay that should be scanned in the previewing process. Which paragraphs are read completely? What part of other paragraphs is read?

Pages 52–57. Read with a purpose. Remember to form questions to guide your reading and to search for key elements. A repeat of the “American Jerk” essay, on pages 54–55, walks you through the search for key elements, naming them in the margin comments. The thesis statement is highlighted. Practice looking for key elements in a short opinion piece.

Pages 57–61. Not all texts or all graphics are “user friendly.” Table 3.1 on page 59 offers you a list of useful approaches to difficult text. Remember that creating a graphic organizer—a visual graph that breaks down the content of a difficult text into key elements—is one of your options. Review Figure 3.2 on page 60 and Figure 3.3 on page 61.

Pages 62–65. Chapter 3 ends with “Combat High,” an essay by Sebastian Junger. If you’ve ever wondered how soliders feel about combat, you’ll find the essay fascinating. Before reading the essay, study the directions on page 62. For item 1, which will appear in the self-check, preview the essay following the steps on page 49. You may want to do item 2 for practice, following the directions and jotting down a few ideas and impressions.

29

Advanced Composition30

Pages 86–88. Active reading can be likened to a two-way conversation. An essay like “Combat High” raises questions and forms impressions. Posing questions about what you’re reading and reflecting on your impressions is your side of the conversation. Study Figure 4.3 on page 87. It provides an overview of an active response to a reading. Notice the three primary stages of the active reading process.

Self-Check 5

In your self-check file or notebook, complete the following exercises.

1. Turn to page 62 in your text. Refer back to the instructions that precede the reading. After previewing the Junger essay, respond with at least three questions to guide your reading.

Read the following paragraph and respond to the questions that follow.

Prior to 1600, Japan was generally divided into regions ruled by warlords. However, from 1600 on, and for several centuries, Japan was united under a dynasty of shoguns of the Tokugawa clan. Having adopted the musket by way of Portuguese traders, the Tokugawa shoguns organized armies that succeeded in maintaining political unity. However, for a time, Tokugawa hegemony was threatened. In particular, Western missionaries had succeeded in converting large numbers of Japanese to Christianity. In response to this threat, the shoguns took steps. First, they established Confucianism as the state religion. As they did this, they also got busy persecuting native Christians and Western traders. By 1650, it was illegal to build seagoing ships and Japanese were effectively forbidden from traveling abroad.

2. Were shoguns warlords? If not, what Western equivalent title or function could you assign to the term shogun?

3. What does the term dynasty imply?

4. By what means did the Tokugawa shoguns enforce political unity?

5. In terms of long-term historical or social patterns, what implications might you infer from the last sentence of the paragraph?

Check your answers with those on page 141.

Lesson 2 31

Finding Sources and Taking Notes

INTRODUCTION

Many students have been trained to think that the first thing they need to do when they have a research assignment is to visit libraries, log onto the Internet, or interview other people in search of information. But you yourself are an important source of information—in fact, you should be the first source of ideas for your research project. No matter what subject or topic you’re researching, you probably have some knowledge or ideas about it. That’s why we covered the various ways to generate ideas, consider different perspectives from which to view topics, and develop research questions—all before you looked for any source material.

This lesson guides you through the next phase of the process— locating, choosing, and using sources to develop and support your narrowed topic (your working thesis). We begin at the library, a resource often neglected because Google searches are so easy. For an academic research paper, however, the library is your most essential tool and should act as the starting point for your search process. Use your local library (and, in partic- ular, the reference librarian) as well as virtual libraries, such as the college’s library (click the Library Services link on your student page) or others including

Internet Public Library http://www.ipl.org

The WWW Virtual Library http://vlib.org

Library Index http://www.libdex.com

OBJECTIVES

When you complete this lesson, you’ll be able to

n Use keywords, library catalogs, databases, and periodical indexes to locate sources in the library

n Locate and evaluate sources on the Internet

L e

s s

o n

2 L

e s

s o

n 2

Advanced Composition32

n Describe techniques for choosing and narrowing a topic

n Take effective notes from sources

n Explain techniques for gathering citation information

n Correctly paraphrase information taken from sources

n Properly record direct quotations

n Explain plagiarism and how to use sources ethically

n Prepare an annotated bibliography

ASSIGNMENT 6: USING LIBRARY SOURCES Read the following assignment. Then read pages 595–603 in Chapter 22 of your textbook. Be sure to complete the self- check to gauge your progress.

Carefully study the material under “Locating Useful Library Sources.” Refer to it often as you learn to locate useful library sources.

READING HIGHLIGHTS Pages 596–597. The best way to learn your way around a library is to tour a library. Ask for a map or floor plan at the circulation desk. Take some time to look around. Locate the stacks, the periodical section, and the microfiche and micro- film resources. Talk to the reference librarians about the types of resources they offer. Ask about the library’s website and how to link to the library catalog or databases to which the library subscribes.

Study Figure 22.1 on page 597. It will guide you through the steps involved in researching your topic.

Pages 597–598. Quite often, library resources such as catalogs and journals are located on databases. To search efficiently, remember to use keywords to access information in a database of any kind. Suppose you enter the word “Napoleon” into a computer linked to a database and press Go or Search. The keyword will bring up a list of resources

Lesson 2 33

that contain the word “Napoleon”—probably hundreds or thousands of them. If you’ve already narrowed your topic, add the area of your focus, such as “unification” or “Napoleonic Code” to limit the number of sources to those most likely to be useful. Each database links keywords to subject matter in different ways; your reading will help you understand some of those differences.

In general, keywords are words or phrases related to your topic. If you’ve used search engines like Google or Yahoo, you’re already familiar with the concept. You’ll need to keep in mind that library resource databases often categorize information under subject headings. The issue here for a researcher is the fact that subject headings, like substance abuse or financial services, may be quite distant from key- words you might use to look for information on an Internet search engine. When information is arranged under subject headings, you might want to use a strategy suggested in your text. For example, if your topic is the causes of residential segregation, you could look enter key words or subject head- ings like urban racial segregation, mortgage red-lining, or urban renewal.

Pages 598–600. You can use a library catalog to locate books and, in many cases, periodicals, newspapers, govern- ment documents, and electronic sources (websites). The illustrations in Figures 22.2 and 22.3 show sample search pages and search results. However, your library’s format and procedures for accessing the library’s catalog may differ. Check the menus on the monitor screen to help you get started, but always ask for help if you don’t know how to begin or can’t find what you want on the menus.

Pages 600–603. A bibliography is a list of books, articles, documents, web-posted articles, and other resources related to a particular topic. In performing keyword searches, you can locate a bibliography by attaching that term to a subject. For example, to locate sources on Walt Whitman, you could enter “Bibliography Walt Whitman” in the search window.

Advanced Composition34

Indexes of periodicals may be general or specialized. They’re accessible online or from a CD-ROM. The Reader’s Guide to Periodical Literature lists more than 200 popular publications dating from 1900, although they’re not very useful for academic research. InfoTrac databases access thousands of periodical sources. You have access to several databases through the Library Services link on your student homepage.

Full-text articles may be directly accessed if they’re offered in HTML. Articles in PDF files require Adobe Acrobat Reader to view or print the material. Make sure you have this free down- load on your computer.

Specialized periodical indexes and abstracts generally list technical and academic articles within a specific academic dis- cipline, such as art history, biology, or education. The Essay and General Literature Index is accessible online or as a CD-ROM. Look over the list of academic indexes on page 603, but note that many specialized databases require registration through an academic institution or a subscription to access full articles as opposed to abstracts.

The most common sources available for research include nonfic- tion books, reference books, periodicals, and the Internet. Nonfiction books contain facts, as well as extensive discussions of opinions, ideas, and theories. Use nonfiction books when you need an in-depth discussion of a topic.

Reference books include general-interest encyclopedias, special- ized encyclopedias, dictionaries, specialized dictionaries, atlases, and almanacs. If you want to look up a fact, read a concise dis- cussion of the history of a topic, or find basic background information, use a reference book. In addition to reference books for the general reader, specialized reference books offer more academic and detailed discussions.

Periodicals contain relatively short articles; some, such as newspapers and certain magazines, are of general interest, cov- ering a range of topics that appeal to many different people. Special-interest periodicals focus on a single topic such as sports, news, or medicine. Unlike books and reference books, the articles in periodicals are about focused ideas related to

Lesson 2 35

a larger topic. Their short format allows them to concentrate on one specific aspect of a topic, and their more frequent publication may mean the information is more up to date than that in a book. Use periodicals to familiarize yourself with current ideas and information—but not for background information, facts, or in-depth information.

Study Table 22.1 on page 601 for a comparison of scholarly journals and popular magazines.

Self-Check 6

In your self-check file or notebook, answer the questions based on the following online exploration.

1. Access http://www.vt.edu/ and study the homepage. Then answer these questions.

a. Where are Virginia Tech Extension facilities located?

b. Scroll down and click on Libraries. On top of the search box click on the Addison tab. Select “author” from the drop-down menu. Then enter “Freud, Sigmund” and click Search. You’ll open a list of sources for Sigmund Freud. Scroll down to the book Civilization and Its Discontents. Where is it located in the Newman Library? What is this book’s call number? Who translated and edited this work and who was the publisher?

c. Click on the link for this entry. Explore the information available in this area. What are the subject categories for this book?

Check your answers with those on page 141.

Advanced Composition36

ASSIGNMENT 7: RESEARCH THROUGH THE INTERNET Read the following assignment. Then read pages 603–606 in Chapter 22 of your textbook. Be sure to complete the self-check to gauge your progress.

Electronic media have radically transformed the way people transmit, store, and access information. You’re probably familiar with the Internet and sites like Twitter and YouTube. However, this assignment will show you how to locate Internet sources you can use to write a serious essay or a research report. Internet sources include listservs, newsgroups, email, and the Web. While much of this material may sound familiar, reading it can help you understand more about the Internet and how to find your way around.

READING HIGHLIGHTS Pages 603–605. The Web was originally designed to allow scientists and academics to share information. Today, the Web links millions of websites across the globe and facilitates quick communication, commerce, and information access. Websites are accessed through online web browsers, such as Firefox, Microsoft Internet Explorer, or Google Chrome. Each website is identified by a uniform resource locator (URL) with three parts.

http://www.vt.edu/info/facts/index/html

1 2 3

Part 1, http, stands for hypertext transfer protocol. Part 2 identifies the URL server. Opening it should lead to a site’s homepage. Part 3 identifies a cyber-path to the location of a particular web page.

Part 2 is the key element to examine. It identifies the server where the site’s information is stored and explains extensions— the tag that identifies the type of entity publishing the site. For research purposes, .edu and .gov are usually the most reliable, although reputable news, medical, and business organizations may have a different tag, such as .org or .com. You must be more careful with those because some may contain seriously slanted information. If you access them, read the content care- fully and critically to determine their worth to your topic.

Countries have exten- sions, such as .uk for the United Kingdom and .jp for Japan. For some purposes, the website’s country of origin may be a factor in how useful it is.

Lesson 2 37

Be sure to note the list of search engines on page 604, along with handy tips on how to use keywords. Keep in mind that different search engines often provide different responses to key words written into a search window. For that reason, it may make sense to check out keyword responses on more than one search engine.

Locating useful Internet sources demands care and good judg- ment. Because some of the material on the Web is inaccurate, biased, invented, or merely entertaining, you must make an effort to identify authoritative websites. When you find good sites, you can bookmark them, but remember to keep a separate list of the sites from which you copied or printed information for your in-text citations and works-cited page. Review Table 22.2 on page 605 for a list of web sources for academic research. The material on contact- ing authors is also especially valuable.

Page 606. Listservs and newsgroups connect groups of people through particular servers. College listservs, for example, may inform faculty members of the Biochemistry Department about upcoming events, grade deadlines, and so on. Newsgroups may serve as discussion forums among people, such as the editorial staff of a daily newspaper or the sales representatives of a com- pany or industry. Meanwhile, authors, other researchers, and organizations may respond directly to email queries.

Self-Check 7

Questions 1–7: Indicate whether the questions are true or false.

______ 1. An article in Reader’s Digest on carpal tunnel syndrome, written by a chef who has the

ailment, is an accurate source for a paper on carpal tunnel.

______ 2. Information found on a .gov website is likely to be accurate.

______ 3. Any information published on the Web undergoes a stringent review process.

______ 4. A website called http://members.aol.com/~sstevens/mywebsite.html is probably not a

reliable source for factual information.

(Continued)

Advanced Composition38

Self-Check 7 ______ 5. All information found on the Web has an author listed.

______ 6. An article by the National Rifle Association on the importance of gun ownership will

probably present all sides of the issue.

______ 7. A book written in 1988 discussing demographics in China is likely to be the most

appropriate source for a paper on the 2003 SARS disease outbreak.

Imagine that you’ve been assigned an art history paper on female artists in history, and you chose Artemisia Gentileschi, born in Rome in 1593. To learn more about Artemisia, choose a search engine and type in her name. Explore at least three websites that are, in your judgment, reliable for this assignment. Look for both biographical information and examples of her work, and then answer the following questions.

8. Who was Artemisia’s first art teacher?

__________________________________________________________

9. What was the name of her first dated and signed painting?

__________________________________________________________

10. What event scarred her life when she was 19 years old?

__________________________________________________________

11. Which of her paintings is considered a reaction to that event?

__________________________________________________________

12. Other than Orazio, which baroque artist’s influence is seen in Artemisia’s work?

__________________________________________________________

13. What criteria did you use to choose reliable websites?

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

Check your answers with those on page 141.

Lesson 2 39

ASSIGNMENT 8: GATHERING INFORMATION FROM SOURCES AND USING IT RESPONSIBLY Read the following assignment. Then read pages 606–615 in Chapter 22 of your textbook. Be sure to complete the self- check to gauge your progress.

In this section, you’ll study techniques for gathering citation information from sources, taking notes, paraphrasing, recording direct quotations, and writing an annotated bibliog- raphy. You’ll also learn what constitutes plagiarism and how to use sources ethically and responsibly. Learning the art of correct paraphrasing and the procedures for using a direct quotation are crucial to writing a research report or a thoughtful essay, so make careful notes on these procedures.

READING HIGHLIGHTS Pages 606–608. Extracting information from sources must be systematic. Figure 22.4 on page 607 offers you a work- sheet that simplifies the task of keeping track of your sources for further research or proper citation. Another approach to organizing extracted information is the annotated bibliogra- phy, which is described and illustrated in detail. Even if your assignment calls for a works-cited page, you might find the annotated bibliography a useful tool as you begin your research, since it includes a description of each article.

Pages 608–610. This section offers three different systems for taking notes. Some people prefer 4 � 6 or 5 � 8 note cards. Others create computer files organized for taking notes, writing out quotations, and making comments. A third possibility is printing or photocopying material and then underlining and writing margin notes directly on the copies. Keep in mind that the advantage of note cards is that you can arrange them according to the points you wish to make and they can be easily rearranged if you find something new and worth- while toward the end of your search for information. But whichever method you choose, be sure to mark each page with its source, both for citation purposes and in case you have to revisit the material for additional information.

Advanced Composition40

When you take information from sources, you’ll note it in one of the following ways, each of which must include correct doc- umentation of the source:

n Direct quote

n Summary

n Paraphrase

n Combination of quote with summary or paraphrase

Pages 610–613. In business and professional research projects, it’s often the job of the researcher to read through a source, or a number of sources, and summarize the findings for a CEO or other individual. That person will be depending on the researcher to accurately convey the essence of the information—but not waste time by presenting more than what’s necessary. The same principle applies to the research papers you’ll write.

Although a summary conveys the same information as the source you’re working with, it shortens or condenses the word- ing, sometimes drastically. It restates, in just a few sentences, the ideas that are contained in a paragraph, a few paragraphs, or even several pages. For instance, you might need to summa- rize background information so your reader has an understanding of the context of an issue you’re reporting on or give some his- tory in order to clarify a problem you’ve uncovered. The following are the basic steps to take as you read through sev- eral pages of a source you want to summarize:

n Underline the main ideas or key facts related to your purpose.

n Cross out details and facts that aren’t important to your purpose.

n Scan through what you’ve underlined from beginning to end and then set the source aside.

n Write down the main ideas in your own words without looking at the source.

n Scan the underlined material again to verify the facts you’ve included in your summary.

n Condense the main ideas into one sentence or a few sentences, depending on how much of the information you need for your research project.

Lesson 2 41

Carefully study the five guidelines offered in your textbook and bookmark the page for future reference. Also remember that even though your summary notes are written in your words, you must cite the source if you use all or part of a summary from your notes when writing your paper. In the next lesson, you’ll learn different ways to integrate each of the note-taking methods into your actual paper. For now, include careful, detailed source information for any note that you make when researching.

As with summaries, paraphrasing restates an author’s ideas in your own words. Whereas a summary greatly condenses the facts and ideas, a paraphrase keeps the same basic order of information. Paraphrases are useful for many reasons. As a student, if you can read a passage and put it into your own words, then you can be sure you understand that passage. Being able to write a good paraphrase also shows that you grasp the material well enough to translate the ideas into your own words. As a writer, paraphrasing helps you avoid using too many direct quotes and encourages you to phrase the information in your own individual writing style. Finally, since most sources use language that’s not distinctive enough to quote directly, paraphrases simply convey the information you need to cover.

Incorrect paraphrasing, when your own phrasing and sen- tence structure are too close to the author’s, is considered plagiarism. To avoid plagiarizing, set the source aside and work completely from what you remember of the passage, writing as if you were explaining the main idea to someone. Plagiarism often occurs when you haven’t taken enough time to understand the material. If you find yourself doing any of the following, you’re in danger of plagiarizing while trying to paraphrase:

n Going back and forth between a source and your writing

n Using a thesaurus to insert a different word here or there within a sentence

n Changing the form of the words, such as a verb to a noun (“clarify” to “clarification”)

n Putting the same words in different order

Advanced Composition42

For further practice on writing paraphrases, visit the Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL) at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/619/02/.

A direct quote is simply a unique phrase or sentence that you copy directly from the source, word for word. You indicate a direct quote by using quotation marks around the phrase, sentence, or sentences that you’ve taken from the source, along with the source citation. Use this punctuation not only in your paper, but also as you take notes, so you don’t inad- vertently plagiarize. If you didn’t use quotation marks, you could mistake a quote for a summary you wrote yourself. Even with the citation information, you would have commit- ted plagiarism, because you didn’t indicate that you were using the author’s exact wording.

A quote must exactly reproduce the author’s words, including spelling and punctuation, even if they’re outdated or incorrect. As you record a quotation in your notes, don’t delete any words or change any word forms, even if you don’t think you’ll use that part of the quote or know you’ll have to change a pres- ent tense verb to a past tense. Instead, record it exactly, so you have the complete, accurate quotation before you when you’re ready to include it in your paper. Only then do you make decisions about using an ellipse or brackets.

You may find there are times when you don’t want to quote an entire passage, but part of its language is unique or inter- esting enough to quote directly. In such cases, you can use a combination of a paraphrase or summary with a direct quote.

Another essential part of note taking is that of annotating your notes and sources. Annotating means that you jot down your thoughts, making personal comments as you interact with the source and think about how you’re going to use the information in your paper. Personal comments are an impor- tant step toward being able to synthesize sources and draw conclusions of your own about your topic. In many ways, a personal comment is a type of freewriting. When a bit of information captures your attention, you need to write down the connection to your narrowed topic and your thoughts while they’re fresh. Finally, such annotation helps you put your ideas together as you go, thereby providing a great deal of the writing needed for your paper. Just be sure you keep careful track of which ideas and information come from sources and which are your own personal comments.

Lesson 2 43

Pages 613–615. Plagiarism is the intentional or unintentional use of other people’s ideas, words, or concepts without proper attribution. Either type of plagiarism carries heavy sanctions, which may include failure of the course, expulsion from the institution, or, in some cases, legal action. It’s simply unaccept- able to copy someone else’s work and try to pass it off as your own. The box at the bottom of page 614 spells out behavior you should avoid. Notice that simply omitting quotation marks from an attributed direct quote is a form of plagiarism.

Cyberplagiarism is common, but still wrong. You may have found the exact same wording on several websites. Which one should you cite? In these cases, you might decide to find your information through a more reliable source. If you do use a website as a source, make sure you include the URL, the specific source, and the date you accessed it.

As you begin your own writing, review Chapter 21, which covers narrowing your topic, writing a working thesis, and creating research questions. Then read the section on how to find sources for your topic. As you work, make sure each source is both reliable and relevant to your topic. Note citation information while you search. Choose a note-taking method that works for you or combine two; for instance, you might begin by making copies and printouts and then transcribe the material you need onto note cards or into a computer file for easier management. Copy direct quotes word for word, and ensure that paraphrases and summaries are cited according to their sources.

Advanced Composition44

Self-Check 8

Questions 1–4: Read the sample source in which the underlined passages indicate quota- tions to be used in the exercises. The sentences have been numbered to identify them. The material appears on page 12 of the source. Then, complete each of the sentences, inserting the appropriate quote from the sample source. Be sure to use the proper form and punctu- ation for in-text citations.

(1) I love man as my fellow; but his scepter, real or usurped, extends not to me, unless the reason of an individual demands my homage; and even then the submission is to reason, and not to man. (2) In fact, the conduct of an accountable being must be regulated by the operations of its own reason; or on what foundation rests the throne of God?

(3) It appears to me necessary to dwell on these obvious truths, because females have been insulated, as it were; and, while they have been stripped of the virtues that should clothe humanity, they have been decked out with artificial graces that enable them to exercise a short-lived tyranny. (4) Love, in their bosoms, taking place of every nobler passion, their sole ambition to be fair, to raise emotion instead of inspiring respect; and this ignoble desire, like the servility in absolute monarchies, destroys all strength of character. (5) Liberty is the mother of virtue, and if women be, by their very constitution, slaves, and not allowed to breathe the sharp invigor- ating air of freedom, they must ever languish exotics, and be reckoned beautiful flaws in nature.

—Mary Wollstonecraft (1759–1797), excerpt from A Vindication of the Rights of Women

(Second Revised Edition, 1792)

1. (Sentence 1) Wollstonecraft asserts that while she loves her fellow man _______________________________________ has no sway over her.

2. (Sentence 3) The author argues that people’s capacity to guide their lives through reason is among ___________________.

3. (Sentence 3) It’s in that context that she deplores the narrow restrictions of women’s pre- scribed social roles, proclaiming that women are ___________________________ designed to attract, manipulate, and _____________________________ over the men in her life.

4. (Sentence 5): Declaring that ______________________, Wollstonecraft argues that if women are ________________, then they’re precluded from ever inhaling the __________________.

(Continued)

Lesson 2 45

Reminder: Keep reading the book you chose in preparation for Lesson 6. If you haven’t yet made a choice and begun reading, do so before continuing on to Lesson 3.

Self-Check 8

Read the following passage carefully. Then write three research questions to begin your search for material for an essay based on some aspect of the events described in the paragraph.

In Britain, the July election of 1945 drove the Conservative party from power. It seems the Brits had had their fill of “blood, toil, tears, and sweat.” Churchill resigned as Prime Minister and became leader of the opposition. In the spring of 1946, Sir Winston traveled to Fulton, Missouri, to deliver a speech in the auditorium at Westminster College. In his address, he warned that an “iron curtain” had fallen across Europe. He argued that the English-speaking peoples had a common bond that would unite them in common defense against the looming threat of the Soviet Union under Stalin. Indeed, his speech provided a narrative that would shape the views of an entire generation. That was no mean feat. The state of the world was by no means clear in the spring of 1946. Europe’s economy was mainly rubble and ashes. Even as George Catlett Marshall prepared a plan to restore Europe’s econ- omy, Stalin’s Soviet Union was showing its colors and defining its intent. After so much blood and horror, another kind of darkness rose across Eastern Europe. Just as, in March of 1942, it was not at all clear how the war would turn out, in the spring of 1946, it was not at all clear what direction the world would take.

5. __________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

Check your answers with those on page 142.

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ASSIGNMENT 9: CHOOSING AND NARROWING IDEAS: A REVIEW Read the following assignment. Then read pages 102–115 in Chapter 5 of your textbook. Be sure to complete the self-check to gauge your progress.

INTRODUCTION As you may know, it helps immensely to choose a topic that interests you. Like a journey, the process of researching and writing takes time, so you should have a compatible companion in your topic. Even if your instructor assigns a topic, your thesis—your focus on the topic—will be unique to you.

Often your research sends you in a direction different from what you first intended, or you become so caught up in gath- ering information that you forget your narrowed topic, your research questions, and/or your working thesis. To ensure productive use of your time, stop periodically during your hunt for information. Reconsider your thesis to determine the need for further research and to refocus your efforts. Returning to the starting point from time to time is necessary; therefore, we’ll now review the basics of choosing and narrowing ideas.

Remember that choosing and narrowing a topic is a process. You begin with a broad idea and then break it down into subtopics, related categories, and supporting details. You’ll further refine your focus as you research and find additional information or, in some case, a lack of specifics that forces you to broaden or change your approach again.

READING HIGHLIGHTS Pages 102–106. Sometimes knowing where to start when narrowing an assigned topic for an essay can be difficult. Free- writing or some other prewriting technique can help if you don’t have an idea or can’t think of a personal connection immediately. You might start with a list of things you want to know more about—applying different viewpoints and categories.

47

Narrowing a topic means choosing one aspect of it that you’ll be able to cover sufficiently in the number of pages you have to work with. This makes sense when you consider that there are probably numerous and lengthy books written on your basic topic, and if you have only five pages in which to present your idea, it will be impossible to offer any kind of insight in so short a space. Exploring your topic for an angle or insight is part of the learning experience. Although the text discusses techniques for finding ideas, use the suggestions to help you reconsider research questions and develop assertions to sup- port your thesis.

Pages 106–109. Aside from selecting a point of view on your topic, you’ll need to determine the purpose of your paper and consider your audience. “To fulfill an assignment” is never the purpose of an essay. In this course, you’ll write to an audience of fellow Penn Foster College students. Your pur- pose establishes your approach to your topic, while your audience determines its language and tone.

The concept of a point of view includes both the grammatical perspective and the slant or position you take in your writing. Your text emphasizes selecting a voice depending on how you choose to approach your topic. The first-person point of view is suitable for a narrative, the second person is often used in process analysis, and the third person is appropriate for descriptions and academic papers, although there are many variations on the three basic approaches. The key is to con- sistently maintain a single voice throughout your paper.

Pages 110–115. Review the varied techniques writers use to discover ideas, which you can apply at any stage of the research and writing process. As you read, think of ways you might want to use freewriting, mapping, brainstorming, questioning, and writing assertions.

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Self-Check 9

In your self-check file or notebook, complete the following exercises.

1. Exercise 5.4 on page 109

2. Exercise 5.7 on page 113. Respond to items 1, 2, and 5 only. Work on your own.

3. In each of the following sets, which represents a researchable topic that isn’t too broad and isn’t too narrow?

a. The marketing strategies the Coca-Cola Company applies The Coca-Cola Company’s future marketing plan Past marketing strategies the Coca-Cola Company has used

b. Impact of deregulation on the airline industry Percentage of commercial airline crashes traced to negligent maintenance the ten years immediately before and after deregulation Impact of deregulation on commercial airline safety

c. Children sent to day care or preschool start kindergarten with more developed skills. Children sent to day care or preschool start kindergarten with more highly developed language skills. Children sent to day care or preschool start kindergarten with larger vocabularies.

d. The 14 different disease-causing genes discovered in 1994 Importance of genetic research in our lives Way(s) the discovery of a genetic basis for obesity affects treatment of obese persons, both medically and socially

e. Ways for adult children of alcoholics to interact most positively with their alcoholic parents Ways adult children of alcoholics interact with their alcoholic parents Emotional reactions of adult children of alcoholics to their alcoholic parents

4. Which of the following are appropriate thesis statements for a college research paper—that is, topics that can be appropriately researched?

a. The economies that result from a trash-burning plant outweigh its environmental impact. b. Sexual preference is primarily physically based, not socioculturally based. c. McDonald’s makes a better burger than Burger King. d. Prozac is one of the best ways to treat clinical depression. e. Evidence shows that as the number of hours children aged 8–14 watch television

increases, so does their violent behavior.

Check your answers with those on page 143.

Lesson 3 49

Writing a Paper Using Sources

INTRODUCTION

In this section, you’ll learn how to actually write your research paper. After your topic is selected and narrowed, the thesis statement is prepared, and all notes and sources are collected and organized, it’s time to write the first draft. If the first steps are completed properly, the writing should be fairly straightforward. You arrange your notes according to the pattern of development you’ve chosen and begin writing. As you present your ideas, you may generate more questions requiring some additional research or find a gap in your logic, but you can easily fix these problems at this stage. Once you’re satisfied with your draft, you can edit and proof- read to correct any technical errors.

OBJECTIVES

When you complete this lesson, you’ll be able to

n Explain how to select a thesis topic

n Develop an effective thesis statement

n Provide effective support for your thesis statement

n Organize the first draft of a research paper

n Integrate sources into an essay or research paper

n Use formatting, editing, and proofreading techniques to revise your work

n Describe the MLA style for in-text citations and a works- cited page

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ASSIGNMENT 10: ORGANIZING AND WRITING YOUR FIRST DRAFT Read the following assignment. Then read pages 621–630 in Chapter 23 of your textbook. Be sure to complete the self- check to gauge your progress.

You know how to select a topic and complete your research. Now you’re ready to see how everything comes together into a first draft. The better job you do of organizing your notes and sources, the easier it is to put them together into an essay or research paper. In this assignment, you’ll review effective techniques for sorting out your research and developing your ideas as you work on your first draft.

READING HIGHLIGHTS Pages 622–623. Writing a research paper can be stimulating and enjoyable if you think of your work as a voyage of discovery. Your enthusiasm (or lack of it) will be reflected in your pursuit of information, your critical thinking on the subject, and your expression of your ideas when you’re writing. Review Figure 23.1 on page 623, a chart listing the steps of the writing process covered in this chapter.

Pages 623–628. As mentioned, researching your narrowed topic often unearths additional relevant sources. What’s more, you may discover information that affects how you planned to develop your narrowed topic. If you’re making personal comments or annotations while researching, you’re better able to determine if you’re getting sidetracked or need to revise your thesis. Modify your working thesis as you go, to save time and avoid disappointment. Throw away ideas for which you aren’t finding support, or adjust your direction based on a surprising discovery.

For example, say your working thesis is that a girl raised with older brothers is less likely to adopt a socially acceptable female gender role, but you then discover credible informa- tion from more than one source that indicates the impact of brothers on a girl doesn’t affect her in terms of societal roles but only in her general approach to life. Your revised thesis

Lesson 3 51

might say that a girl raised with older brothers is more likely to adopt a tomboy attitude while playing a socially acceptable female gender role. Making such decisions and changes as you go also helps you group similar ideas and details from different sources, thereby accomplishing the first steps in sorting and synthesizing your information. Use the exploratory questions on page 623 to guide you in revising your working thesis both while you’re researching and as you prepare to draft your paper.

You can begin arranging your ideas by choosing categories from among your sources, as shown on pages 624–625. A graphic organizer, such as the one in Figure 23.2 on page 626, is also a useful tool for grouping your sources. A list of pros and cons is a third way to organize ideas, which is especially useful for arguments or a compare-and-contrast approach.