ELACC.5.RI.9: Integrate information from several texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably. What is the best way to find information, integrate it, and present it orally or in writing?

Use Multiple Sources Suppose your assignment is to write a report or give a speech on a certain topic. First, you will need to do some research on your topic by going to the library or searching for reliable sources online. Next you will need to take notes on what you learned from each source. Then you will use what you learned from all the sources to write or speak knowledgeably about your topic. You can’t just take information from one source!! Discuss why with your classmates.

Suppose your assignment is to give a speech describing indentured servitude in the American colonies. You decide to start finding out about indentured servants, using both firsthand and secondhand accounts. Suppose that you have found three different sources that relate to the topic of indentured servants. Read Source A below. Indentured Servants Early settlers in the American colonies had a lot of land but not enough people to work on it. So, beginning in the decade after the settlement of Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607, many men and women came to the colonies to live as indentured servants. In exchange for their passage overseas and room and board, these men and women agreed to work for a period of between four and seven years. Then they would be considered free. Until then, they had to fulfill their contracts by working very hard. Their lives were harsh and restricted. People who tried to run away could be punished by having their contracts extended. If they survived the hard labor, however, indentured servants received freedom packages which sometimes included at least 25 acres of land.

What did we learn from Resource A What did we learn from Resource A? Discuss with a partner and then click. Source A is a secondhand account. It gives factual information about indentured servants in the American colonies. You learn that indentured servants worked for between four and seven years to pay off the debt of their passage to America and their room and board. If they endured the restrictions and survived the hard labor, they could receive freedom packages that included 25 acres of land. BTW: Remember what a secondhand account is? How is it different from a firsthand account?

Now Read Source B. Adapted from a letter by Richard Frethorne, an Indentured Servant: Virginia, 1623 Loving and Kind Father and Mother, There is nothing here to comfort me. Since I left the ship, all I have eaten is watery porridge and peas. There is not enough meat or poultry to be had; I haven’t seen any deer around, and I am working too hard to hunt for fowl. Early until late I work and work, awarded for my labor with yet more porridge. Four men have to share a meager serving of bread, so it’s little wonder that so many have fallen ill. Not only am I hungry, I hardly have any clothing. My cloak was even stolen by a man whom I believe sold it for food. Fortunately, Mr. Jackson in Jamestown is kind to me and has given me some fish, but I am still miserable and hungry. I want nothing more than to go home. I do beg you, good Father, to release me from my great grief. I know you would cry if you saw my pathetic state. Give my love to all my friends and family. The answer to this letter will mean life or death for me; please, Father, send for me as soon as possible. Richard

What did we learn from Resource B What did we learn from Resource B? Discuss with a partner and then click. Source B is a firsthand account. It is written by an actual indentured servant in Virginia named Richard Frethorne. From his description, you learn that life as an indentured servant could be very hard. Frethorne worked from very early in the morning until late at night. He had very little food and clothing. Many of his companions got sick. Frethorne believed that if his father didn’t send for him, he might die. BTW: Remember what a firsthand account is? How is it different from a secondhand account?

Now read Source C. Adapted from an advertisement in the Virginia Gazette, Parks from November 12, 1736: A white servant boy named John Turner, belonging to Mr. Darby Skinner of Hampton, was sent to Williamsburg and has not returned. It is suspected that he has run away. He had on a blue jacket and trousers and had with him a small bay horse. . .Whoever will bring the boy and horse to Mr. Darby Skinner shall have a reasonable reward, over and above what the law allows. Credit: Virginia Gazette (Parks), Williamsburg, November 12, 1736. What did we learn from Source C? Discuss with a partner.

Source C is a firsthand account Source C is a firsthand account. It was written by a man in Virginia named Darby Skinner whose servant, John Turner, ran away. From his newspaper advertisement, you learn that Skinner believes that Turner belongs to him. You also learn that indentured servants who ran away might be caught. People like Skinner who had indentured servants would offer rewards to get them and any property they took back. Now, let’s think… What information in Sources A, B, and C is related and could be used in a report? Life as an indentured servant was very hard. If indentured servants ran away, they could be caught and punished, since the people they worked for thought of them as their property. Indentured servants got free passage to America and, if they survived the hard labor and restrictions, they could get land when they were free.

After reading the information from multiple sources, you decide that being an indentured servant in the American colonies had serious drawbacks but, for survivors, some positive outcomes. This will be the focus of your speech. You will prepare your speech and use examples from your reading to support your main ideas.

So, the best way to find information, integrate it, and present it is to… gather resources from the library and online. take notes on what you learned from each resource. look for the commonalities in your notes and decide your approach to your presentation. write your speech or essay using the notes that you took. Be sure to use your own words. Do you remember what it is called when you copy someone else’s words? PLAGAIRISM! (Definitely frowned upon among teachers, professors, and the general public.)