Chapter Nine Locating Supporting Material

Chapter Nine Table of Contents zPrimary Resources: Interviews and Statistics zSecondary Resources: Print and Electronically Stored Sources*

Locating Supporting Material zPrimary research yOriginal or firsthand research conducted by the speaker. zSecondary research yThe vast body of information gathered by others.*

Primary Resources: Interviews and Surveys zSupporting materials drawn from primary research can include any source developed directly by the participants involved. zIn addition to interviews and surveys there are: yOral or written histories yDiaries yRecordings of meetings*

Primary Resources: Interviews and Surveys zBefore You Begin: Planning a Research Strategy zInterviews zSurveys*

Primary Resources: Interviews and Surveys: Before You Begin: Planning a Research Strategy zKeep the reason for your search in mind. zReview thesis statement.*

Primary Resources: Interviews and Surveys: Interviews zThe wording of a question is almost as important as the information it seeks to uncover. zAvoid: yVague questions which don’t give the interviewee enough to go on. yLeading questions which encourage, if not force, a certain response. yHostile questions which reinforce interviewer’s agenda.*

Primary Resources: Interviews and Surveys: Interviews zBy taking notes, tape-recording, or video- taping, you needn’t reconstruct from memory what was said. zAlways get permission ahead of time. zAllowing the interviewee to set the pace and select the time and place is how you conduct the interview professionally.*

Primary Resources: Interviews and Surveys: Surveys zSurveys are an effective source of support for topics related to the attitudes, beliefs, and values of people in your immediate environment.*

Secondary Resources: Print and Electronically Stored Sources zDatabase yA searchable place or “base” where information is stored, such as books or computers*

Secondary Resources: Print and Electronically Stored Sources zResources to Facilitate Your Search zBooks zNewspapers and Periodicals zGovernment Publications zReference Works zCritically Evaluating Secondary Sources*

Secondary Resources: Print and Electronically Stored Sources: Resources to Facilitate Your Search zIf conducting your research in a library, seek the assistance of reference librarians. zCard or online catalog yCatalog of a library’s holdings xOrganized by author, title, subject xOrganized by Library of Congress call number or Dewey decimal number*

Secondary Resources: Print and Electronically Stored Sources: Books zA well-written book provides detail and perspective and can serve as an excellent source of supporting examples.*

Secondary Resources: Print and Electronically Stored Sources: Newspapers and Periodicals zPeriodicals are regularly published magazines or journals. zMost libraries have special computerized databases that index past articles.*

Secondary Resources: Print and Electronically Stored Sources: Government Publications zThe U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) is responsible for publishing and distributing all information collected and produced by federal agencies.*

Secondary Resources: Print and Electronically Stored Sources: Reference Works zEncyclopedias summarize knowledge found in original form elsewhere. zGeneral encyclopedias attempt to cover all important subject areas of knowledge. zSpecialized encyclopedias delve deeply into one subject area such as religion, art, sports, or engineering. zElectronic encyclopedias cross-reference topics via hyperlinks (highlighted words that link to related topics).*

Secondary Resources: Print and Electronically Stored Sources: Reference Works zAlmanacs and fact books are geared towards facts and statistics, and exist in both general and specialized forms. zBiographical Resources provide information about famous or noteworthy people. zBooks of Quotations provide material for introductions, conclusions, examples, narratives, and testimony.*

Secondary Resources: Print and Electronically Stored Sources: Reference Works zPoetry collections provide lines, or even entire poems, for use by speakers in their introductions, conclusions, and illustrations. zAtlases are collections of maps, text, and accompanying charts and tables.*

Secondary Resources: Print and Electronically Stored Sources: Documenting Your Source Material zInclude: yName of author or editor yTitle yVolume or edition yName of publisher yPlace of publication, or Internet address yDate and year of publication yPage numbers*

Secondary Resources: Print and Electronically Stored Sources: Critically Evaluating Secondary Resources zConsider the following when assessing the validity of a source: yWhat is the author’s background and reputation? yHow credible is the publication? yHow reliable is the data? yHow recent is the reference?*