CARINR BEHAVIOR OF NURSES

ENGL 1121: College Writing and Critical Reading Paper 3: Source Summary and Analysis You will be using a number of sources in your research paper, likely of different types: books, articles, news stories,

websites, interviews, and/or government reports. To a large degree, the quality of your own research work and the success

of your argument depends on the quality of your sources: how do they support your ideas and lend convincing support and

credibility to what you are trying to say? Sources that are weak in terms of content or credibility will only weaken your

own work; this would include sources that rely on weak evidence, assumptions, or faulty logic, and sources whose authors

are overly biased, unqualified to write as experts, or otherwise compromised in terms of credibility. So choosing strong

sources is the first step in using strong sources. Keep in mind this adage: “Garbage in, garbage out.”

This assignment asks you to find a strong potential source for your research project, read it, summarize it, and analyze it.

This source must be a published written source in print or online (not an unpublished source, and not a source like a

personal interview). It does not need to be a scholarly source (see information posted on D2L about distinguishing

scholarly sources from nonscholarly ones), but it should be credible, related to your research topic, and substantial in

length (at least 5 pages long). It should be based on sources itself, drawing on cited or named sources in its text.

One you have found a source you think will work and you’ve gotten instructor approval (see syllabus for due date), you

will summarize and analyze your source in terms of its content, argument, rhetorical strategies, source use, credibility, and

overall effectiveness. See below for more guidance about how to do this.

Ideally, this assignment can directly contribute to your research paper. Choose a source that you might use as a source for

the research paper. This source summary and analysis, however, is not part of the research paper itself and is a separate

writing project. If your plan for using sources in your research paper changes later, that’s OK. You aren’t required to use

this source in your final research paper.

For this writing assignment, you will need to read your source carefully. Print it out or make a copy so you can mark it up.

Establish an accurate and thorough understanding of the writer’s main point, and pay attention more to how the writer

makes his or her point. Take notes as you go.

Learning Objectives:

After completing this assignment, you should be able to:

• identify and find an appropriate source for use in an academic research project

• accurately summarize a piece of writing, capturing its main point(s), structure, methods, and defining features

• analyze how a source communicates a main point and supports its points

• assess a source’s credibility, content, and effectiveness as a piece of writing

Minimum Requirements:

 600–900 words  Instructor approval of your source; source should be at least 5 pages long  An accurate summary of the source content, argument, and/or methods  Thorough analysis of the source  Correct MLA style, including a Works Cited citation and any necessary in-text citations

Source Summary

In one substantial paragraph (maximum of 500 words), summarize the source. Remember, do not yet analyze or critique:

do not include your own ideas or opinions in the summary. Follow our checklist for summary, and include:

1. A full and correct MLA Works Cited citation, at the beginning of the document 2. The full title of the source and the author’s or authors’ name(s) 3. The context of the source’s point or content, if specified (e.g., what larger question, problem, or discussion the

writing is engaged in—the “they say”)

4. The source’s thesis or central point. You can paraphrase the thesis statement, with an appropriate citation. 5. The author’s or authors’ main points or structure of their argument as they make their case 6. The type(s) of evidence used, if applicable 7. The method(s) used, if applicable

Source Analysis

Now, analyze and critique the source you’ve read and summarized. In 2-4 organized paragraphs, explain how the authors

present their ideas. Consider questions like:

• What kind of source is it? A newspaper article? Scholarly research article? Government report? Website?

• Who are the authors? Is information about them and their qualifications included anywhere in the publication?

• What is the publication in which this source appears? Who is the publisher? What is their reputation?

• How specific is the source’s focus or scope? Does the writer tie the main point to any larger questions or issues?

• Where is the thesis or main point stated? How is it stated (e.g., “This paper aims to prove…,” or more subtly?)?

• How is the writing organized? Do section headings divide up the text? Is there a clear introduction and conclusion?

• Where you do find the sources the author used? Are footnotes, in-text citations, or bibliographies used?

• What types of evidence does the writer use in his or her argument (e.g., data, surveys, interviews, texts, records)?

• What is the vocabulary and tone like? Technical or nontechnical? Objective or opinionated? Serious or casual?

• Do the writers address any counterarguments or conflicting ideas? If so, how? To what extent?

• What kinds of illustrations (pictures, tables, figures, etc.) are used to present research, if any?

• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the source, in your opinion?

• How do you foresee using this source in your own research paper?

Grading Rubric for Final Draft A paper B paper C paper D paper

Citation

(5 points)

Citation is complete

and in perfect MLA (8th

edition) format

Citation is complete and

correct overall in MLA

(8th edition) format

Citation present, though

may have some errors or

missing info

Citation present, but not in

MLA, missing major info,

or error-riddled

Quality of

Summary

(20 points)

Accurately and fully

captures main idea and

content of source

Fulfills all criteria of

summary writing

Accurately captures

main idea and content of

source

Fulfills most criteria of

summary writing

Gives an approximate

sense of the thesis and

source’s main points

Fulfills most criteria of

summary writing

Does not accurately

communicate the source’s

thesis and content

Does not fulfill many of

the criteria of summaries

Analysis of

Source

(20 points)

Thoroughly examines

source’s argument,

features, and strength

Considers credibility of

source and use in

research writing

Examines source’s

argument, features, and

strength

Considers credibility of

source and use in

research writing

Examines source, but

needs more critical

attention to its argument,

methods, or credibility

Considers use of source,

but not in-depth

Shows a superficial level

of attention to how the

source builds argument

Does not critically consider

use of source in own

writing

Paragraphs

(10 points)

Topic sentences control

and shape paragraphs

Well-developed

paragraphs show unity

and coherence

Topic sentences guide

readers

Paragraphs show unity

and coherence

Clearer topic sentences

needed

Paragraphs could be

better organized and/or

may need more

development

Paragraphs lack clear topic

sentences

Paragraphs need to be

better developed or revised

for coherence and unity;

summary and analysis are

intermixed

Style

(10 points)

Summary is entirely

inthird-person

Clear sentences are

grammatically correct

Tone is formal and

professional

Summary uses primarily

third-person

Sentences are

grammatically correct

Tone is appropriately

formal

Summary is mostly in

third-person

Clear sentences; only

occ. structure problems

Tone is occasionally

causal

Strays from third-person

Sentences lack clarity;

frequent structure problems

Tone is too casual

Errors

(5 points)

Correct grammar,

spelling, and punc-

tuation show great care

Generally correct

grammar, spelling,

punctuation; shows care

Pattern of mistakes,

typos, incorrect

grammar; needs

proofreading

Pattern of mistakes makes

prose difficult to follow

and evinces little care

Papers that fail to achieve minimum standards receive a grade of F.