English 1110: Writing and Information Literacy

ASK US!

If you need additional help with your research for this class, including finding articles, organizing your research, or citing your sources, you can contact the Libraries' Ask Us! team here: https://library.osu.edu/askus (please let them know you are taking English 1110).

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Getting Started

Welcome to the research guide for students enrolled in English 1110! This guide will help you navigate the Libraries' resources, find relevant sources, and write appropriately supported and sourced papers. The tabs on the left will explain how to find background and reference sources (like online encyclopedias), scholarly books, scholarly and popular articles, streaming video and DVDs, and other sources using the Libraries' catalogs and databases.

The tabs within this box include help with citation style formats and information about where to find writing and research help in Thompson Library and across campus. The box below includes videos to help you get started as your search for information. 

If you need help, contact the ASK US! team using the link in the box on the left side of this page.

Below are links to helpful videos and tutorials about where and how to search for information and how to evaluate and integrate sources.

Bibliography/Works Cited

When you conduct research and write a paper based on that investigation, you are entering a scholarly conversation with those who have discussed the topic before you. In order to direct your reader (in this case, your peers and your instructor) to this previously published information, you will create a bibliography--or Works Cited page--listing the primary and secondary sources you consulted. You will also attribute any direct quotations you use in your paper to the appropriate authors (in-text citation). It's important to cite your sources accurately and provide a clear path that your audience can follow to access each source.

This is a helpful video from the University of North Carolina Writing Center about why we cite: https://youtu.be/96Sq6Ptnq3UHere's a post from Yale's Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning on the same topic: https://poorvucenter.yale.edu/undergraduates/using-sources/principles-citing-sources/why-cite

Below are links to frequently used citation styles. Ask your instructor which format they prefer.

MLA Citation Style Guide: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_style_introduction.html

APA Style Guide: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_style_introduction.html

Chicago Manual of Style Guide: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_style_introduction.html

 

Annotated Bibliography 

An annotated bibliography also includes a summary and/or evaluation. 

Here are some helpful websites with instructions and examples -

The Writing Center at OSU's Center for the Study and Teaching of Writing offers free help with writing at any stage of the writing process for any member of the university community. 

Here is the link to make an appointment: https://cstw.osu.edu/make-writing-center-appointment

Here is a link to their tips and tools page: https://cstw.osu.edu/tips-and-tools

Student Life Disability Services (SLDS) are committed to creating an accessible educational experience for students with disabilities. They partner with students, faculty and staff to design accessible environments and to provide academic accommodations and support services.

Here is a link to an overview of their services: https://slds.osu.edu/about-us/

 

Guidelines from OSU's Digital Accessibility Services: https://das.osu.edu/getting-started/producing-accessible-digital-content

More information under the "Presenting your Research" tab on the left of this page.

Kinds of Sources: Tertiary, Primary, Secondary

Background or reference sources provide concise, contextual information on a topic (bibliographies, biographical information, dates, timelines, etc.). You can also use these sources to to find keywords to use for searching online library databases and library catalogs for books and articles on your topic. These are also called tertiary sources.

Primary sources are the raw materials of history —original documents and objects which were created at the
time under study (Library of Congress). Examples include an 18th-century newspaper, Samuel Pepys' diary, William Wordsworth's poem, Desideria, and Zadie Smith's novel, On Beauty

Secondary sources like scholarly books and articles discuss, interpret, and/or critique primary sources. 

  • Peer-reviewed articles have been vetted by other experts in the field before they were published in a scholarly journal. Many databases will allow you to limit your search to peer-reviewed articles.
  • Popular articles are written by journalists or professional writers for a general audience.