Choosing Secondary Sources

Purpose of Secondary Sources Directly back up your own analysis Enlighten reader about subject, author or novel Adds ETHOS (credibility) to your paper

#1: LEGIT SOURCES Use High School database in virtual library Use Google Scholar Visit the KPL Avoid ANY wikis, personal websites, pseudo-professional organization websites

Types of Legit Secondary Sources Argument Type Echo Set Table Or Context Data type

#2. Argument or Data? Types: Secondary Sources can help define/classify/clarify an issue with stats and facts (DATA) OR give professional opinions on an issue (ARGUMENT) Purpose: Secondary Sources can directly support your argument (ECHO argument) OR indirectly set-up or support your argument (SET THE TABLE or CONTEXT)

Secondary Source: Argument Type Presents an argument/opinion of a critic This person’s opinion is credible since he/she has been peer reviewed and the writer is an expert in the field of study The opinion can be used to either ECHO your argument/opinion (yay!!) OR it can SET THE TABLE (create context for your paper)

Argument: Echo Example You believe your novel develops the point that the main character, Mr. Cheesy, represents the decline of Spain’s aristocracy You find a secondary source – a paper – in the virtual library, written by Dr. Selma Stevens, where she writes, “Mr, Cheesy can be understood as the symbol of Spanish aristocracy’s collapse”.

Argument Echo Example cont You have found an ECHO of your point – congratulations! WARNING: Be sure that you did not steal that critic’s point and claim it as your own!! Be sure to cite it properly Echoes can be hard to locate, so do not wear yourself out looking for them

Argument: Set the Table Example You believe your novel develops the point that the main character, Mr. Cheesy, represents the decline of Spain’s aristocracy You find a secondary source – a paper – in the virtual library, written by Dr. Kai Lumong, where he writes, “Mr. Cheesy seems to be unaware of his own decline – he is a Spanish aristocrat losing his power.”

Argument: Set the Table Cont. You have found quote that does NOT echo what you argue BUT The critic’s argument/opinion does help SET THE TABLE as (in this case) it sets the context: Mr. Cheesy is a Spanish aristocrat in decline, and seemingly unaware of it. You can then connect the dots that he represents the decline of all of Spain’s aristocracy

Argument: Set the Table Cont. A critic’s argument can be used to set the table in many ways: Enlighten the reader about the author Enlighten the reader about the plot Enlighten the reader about the setting Enlighten the reader about characters Enlighten the reader about your SUBJECT (love, hate, purpose, etc)

Secondary Source: Data Type Presents facts/stats from secondary sources This data is credible since it appears in a peer-reviewed source and the writer is an expert in the field of study The data can NOT be used to ECHO your argument/opinion It can only SET THE TABLE (create context for your paper)

DATA: Echo example (bad) You believe your author of Mr. Cheesy of Spain was born in Spain You find a secondary source – a paper – in the virtual library, written by Dr. Kai Lumong, where he writes, “The author of Mr. Cheesy of Spain was born in Spain.” So ??? You cannot argue whether the author was born in Spain – it is not an arguable point for your paper!!!

Data: Set the Table Example You believe your novel develops the point that the main character, Mr. Cheesy, represents the decline of Spain’s aristocracy You find a secondary source – a paper – in the virtual library, written by Dr. Kai Lumong, where he writes, “The author himself was born in Spain, raised in an aristocratic extended family, all of whom ended up in jail or penniless, much like most of the Spanish aristocracy of the time.”

Data: Set the Table Cont. You can Set the Table in your paper by noting the author’s experience in Spain’s aristocracy through his extended family AND how history has recorded the actual decline of the Spanish aristocracy You can now further argue, using your primary source, your belief that Mr. Cheesy likely represents the historical decline of Spanish aristocracy

Secondary Source: Argument or Data? (article on the play King Lear) When he hears Cordelia's answer (), Lear seems surprised, but not dumbfounded (). He then advises her to () "mend [her] speech a little." (1.1.95). He had expected her to praise him the most; but compared to her sisters', her remarks seem almost insulting (), all the more so since, according to scholar Dr. Wolsey, insults of the medieval monarchy could put one in jail.()

Argument or Data – there are BOTH When he hears Cordelia's answer (DATA), Lear seems surprised, but not dumbfounded (ARGUMENT). He then advises her to (DATA) "mend [her] speech a little." (1.1.95). He had expected her to praise him the most; but compared to her sisters', her remarks seem almost insulting(ARGUMENT), all the more so since, according to scholar Dr. Wolsey, insults of the medieval monarchy could put one in jail.()

Review: Secondary Source Argument Type Echo Set Table Data type