Finding Sources

Introduction

We discussed in class primary and secondary sources, now it's time to utilize your understanding through the research process. In Language Arts you will be writing and informative essay about The Great Depression. Through this activity you will find credible sources to use for your informative writing piece. 

Task

Your task is find at least three credible sources and create a annotated bibliography, in MLA format, for those sources. An annotated bibliography is a list of citations. Each citation is followed by a brief descriptive and evaluative paragraph, the annotation. The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited. For each source you must answer the following questions:

What is this source? Summarize what the source is and what it says in 2-3 sentences.

Is it Primary or Secondary? Explain why you know which type of source it is, give the defining characteristics.

Why does it matter? What does this source have to offer to the topic and why did you pick it for your research.

Your complete annotated bibliography will be due on Friday, October 10th and will be turned into the Google Folder provided for your class. This piece will be included in your portfolio for the class that we will work on in the last weeks of class with the University students. 

Process

Pick a topic or ask a question and spend some time researching what was occurring with that during The Great Depression.

What was Barberton like during The Great Depression?

How were professional sports effected by The Great Depression?

What artists came out of The Great Depression?

What was entertainment like during The Great Depression?

What effect did the human population and mass agriculture play in the Dust Bowl?

Pick a topic that you find intersting, or a question that you want to answer. If you have trouble deciding what to research ask one of the teachers and we can help guide you towards something. 

Once you have a topic you can beging to start your research process. Below are some helpful links to guide you toward credible primary and secondary sources. Remember you have about 30 teachers who are willing and ready to help you!

http://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/great-depression-and-world-war-ii-1929-1945 - good for finding primary sources

http://www.loc.gov/topics/content.php?subcat=11 - great for primary sources

www.scholar.google.com - great for finding credible secondary sources

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/browse/ - good for both primary and secondary sources

www.clusty.com - a great starting point

http://www.barbertonlibrary.org/Research/Databases -Need Barberton Library Card

http://www.akronlibrary.org/databases/index.html - Need Akron Library Card

https://sites.google.com/a/barbertonschools.org/bmslibrary/Home

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/2/11/-explains MLA citation

http://www.citationmachine.net/ - can help you generate citation 

Evaluation

Save your Bibliography as LastName.FirstInidial.Bibliography, John Smith would be Smith.J.Bibliogrpahy. Then Upload to the Google Folder for the class period that you are with Mr. Walker. Bibliographies are due on Friday October 10th. Late work will not be accepted. 

6th Period - https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B852Ia5CI4HORGw5M2txTk0tM2s&authuser=0

7th Period - https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B852Ia5CI4HOcnFpMGZIYkZkaTg&authuser=0

You will be evaluated per the rubric in your hand out. 

 

5 points

4 points

3 points

2 points

0 points

Total

Source 1

Explains why the source is important.

Explains if the source in primary or secondary.

Gives a summary of the source.

Explains why you wish to use this source.

Missing or insufficient information provided in one aspect of annotation.

Missing or insufficient information provided two aspects of annotation.

Missing or insufficient information provided three aspects of annotation.

Source is missing

Source 2

Explains why the source is important.

Explains if the source in primary or secondary.

Gives a summary of the source.

Explains why you wish to use this source.

Missing or insufficient information provided in one aspect of annotation.

Missing or insufficient information provided two aspects of annotation.

Missing or insufficient information provided three aspects of annotation.

Source is missing

Source 3

Explains why the source is important.

Explains if the source in primary or secondary.

Gives a summary of the source.

Explains why you wish to use this source.

Missing or insufficient information provided in one aspect of annotation.

Missing or insufficient information provided two aspects of annotation.

Missing or insufficient information provided three aspects of annotation.

Source is missing

Use of Primary and Secondary Sources

Accurately Identifies at least one primary, and two secondary sources.

Is either inaccurate in source identification or is missing sources.

Does not have a primary source.

Does not identify any sources correctly or uses all secondary sources.

Failed to complete the assignment

Organization

Has clear organization.

Organization could improve

Lacks organization.

Has no organization.

Failed to complete

Conclusion

I'll leave you with two more quotes from two infamous individuals.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” - Nelson Mandela 

"In Northeast Ohio, nothing is given. Everything is earned."- Lebron James

One of our aims in education is to prepare you for life after high school, we want to give you the weapons you will need to fight back against injustice and ingnorance. Hopefully you now have a clearer understanding of how to sift through the mass amount of information floating around and discover the truth for yourself.