English 110C.01

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English 110C.01

• Day 14

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What To Do With Secondary Sources
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What To Do With Secondary Sources (cont.)

• Primary and Secondary Sources
• Example you are writing an analytical paper on
  American Idol.
• Primary Source American Idol.
• Secondary Source any critical commentary (e.g.,
  academic essay, analysis, scholarly review, etc.)
  on American Idol.
• Q. Why is it important to use Secondary Sources
• A. As the writer, using secondary sources brings
  you into a critical discussion that already
  exists.

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What To Do With Secondary Sources (cont.)

• Two Problems Associated with Secondary Sources
• Problem 1 Using Secondary Sources as
  undisputable proof and answers.
• Why this is a problem this approach to secondary
  sources allows the sources to do the thinking
  rather than the writer.
• Problem 2 Ignoring Secondary Sources completely
• Why this is a problem it ignores positions on
  your subject matter that have previously been
  established and it keeps you outside the critical
  conversation.
• Remember it is possible to find a middle ground
  between what others have already said and what
  you are saying.

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What To Do With Secondary Sources (cont.)

• Strategies on How to Effectively Use a Secondary
  Source
• Strategy 1 Clarify the meaning of the
  quotation, paraphrase, or summary you give from
  the secondary source.
• Why this works it helps to explain the
  importance of the information you are using from
  the secondary source and helps to establish a
  conversation between you and the source.

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What To Do With Secondary Sources (cont.)

• Strategy 2 Reject the idea that the secondary
  source is the final answer.
• Why this works it moves you in the direction of
  questioning and conversing with the secondary
  source.
• Strategy 3 Seek to establish a conversation
  with the secondary source in which you move
  between agreement and disagreement.
• Why this works it helps to complicate your
  position.

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What To Do With Secondary Sources (cont.)

• More Strategies for Approaching Secondary Sources
• Uncover the secondary sources assumptions, if
  applicable.
• Agree with the secondary source to an extent, but
  take issue with some portion of it.
• Explain a contradiction in the secondary source,
  if applicable.
• Perform Notice and Focus on the secondary source
  to identify what may be interesting, odd, or
  strange about it.