A lengthy research paper can be a daunting task for students of all ages. Even in college, writing papers can be overwhelming and lead to long, stress-filled nights. It may be helpful to alleviate some of the anxiety by using great sources that have credibility with the teacher or professor.
Good Gateways, Not Sources
The first place many students think to look is often Wikipedia. It comes up fairly close to the top of a Google search, so this is what many people begin with. That’s one thing, but citing a Wikipedia article as a source can get students into a lot of trouble.
Wikipedia is a site than anyone can edit whenever they feel like it. It is often checked, but a person can never know when the information seen there is 100 percent correct. This means that it is not a site that should be used as a source for a paper.
The best way to utilize Wikipedia is to use it as a gateway to find legitimate sources. Using the information gathered there, find journal articles, newspaper articles, official web sites, etc that have some backing to them.
Another source that people tend to rely heavily on is an encyclopedia. Whether it’s in print form or online, encyclopedias should not be used as sources. While they are scholarly, they are typically not detailed works. There are better-detailed sources out there that could be used instead.
Good Sources Online
Typically, many online resources that come from scholarly sources are good places to get information. For example, through many public and university libraries, people can gain access to sites that often have:
- Letters
- Diaries
- First-person accounts
- Newspaper archives (Such as the Washington Post or New York Times Archives)
Along with that, people and places’ official sites are often legitimate sources if they contain new or useful information pertinent to the topic being researched. For instance, if one was researching President Gerald Ford, going to his museum's website would be a good place to get some information on him and where he grew up.
Good Print Sources
Books on the topic are great for research. They often contain indexes that determine whether or not they will be useful without having to read the entire text. Historical texts, biographies and scholarly studies are often available at public libraries. Asking the library staff for help finding a particular item should never be a problem, either. Finding historical documents or using the online system should be something the librarians are more than willing to help students access.
Citing Your Sources
When writing a research paper, keep in mind that any information that is found is probably someone else’s discovery. For instance, if today, a student is writing about the American Civil War, chances are they were not there to experience it.
In that way, it is incredibly important to site any sources that are used. This includes quotes from articles or books, online sources, pictures and documents. Today’s teachers are very able to check sources’ legitimacy. They are also clever enough to know when work has been copied and plagiarized.
Things to Remember When Writing an Research Paper
Students should always ensure that they use good sources. They give writing credibility. This could include valid sources such as newspaper archives (both online and print), books, and good, credible websites. Plagiarized work is a taboo, and is unacceptable in academic settings, as well as in business.
Sources
A Research Guide for Students. Writing Help Site (accessed March 26, 2010)
Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL). Online Writing Lab (accessed March 26, 2010)
Alicia Linn - Hi! I'm Alicia. I have a degree in journalism from Michigan State University. In terms of writing, I have worked on feature and news-type ...
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