Topic and Source Analysis
3+ Pages
10% of Final Grade

The Topic and Source Analysis project is the first step toward your final project in a sequence of essays that will build on one another. It’s important that you select a topic for this project that you want to continue working on for the rest of the term. This project will be your argument that you have found an appropriate topic and have done enough research to begin writing the first research paper.

Directions: Using the Opposing Viewpoints in Context Database, select a topic that you are interested in researching this semester. You will use this topic for the next two papers, so choose carefully. Find a topic that has a Topic Page with an Overview. Read over the overview. Then compile an analytical bibliography of three additional sources, all pertaining to the same topic. Your Source Analysis will NOT look like a traditional essay. Instead, it will use formatting to clarify the various articles you’ve found. Your Topic and Source Analysis should have a brief introduction to give an overview of your project and a conclusion to synthesize the information you’ve found.

Requirements:
• 1 Opposing Viewpoints Overview Article Summary
• 1 popular press article (newspaper or magazine) analytical summary
• 1 scholarly peer reviewed source (academic journal article) analytical summary
• 1 argumentative/opinion-based source (editorial or viewpoint article) analytical summary
• Conclusion that synthesizes the relationship between the sources and makes an argument for the topic’s appropriateness for college-level research

**You must find sources in at least TWO different Databases**

DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS

1: Use the Opposing ViewPoints in Context database to select a topic.
***You should find a topic that has a TOPIC PAGE with a clear overview article.

2: Read the overview about the topic provided by the database.
Summarize the article in your own words.

3: Find your three sources from two or more databases that are all closely related.
Do not pick the first three articles you happen to find.
You will most likely need to look at or read more than 3 sources to find the ones to work together for this assignment.

4. Prepare your bibliography. Think about your audience and how you can use formatting and transitions to make your information clear. This should not look like a traditional essay.

Each Topic and Source Analysis Should Contain:
• Begin with a brief introduction that explains the organization of your Topic and Source Analysis for your reader. Don’t be afraid to use “I” here. Talk to your reader directly.
o Ex: “This Topic and Source Analysis is about…. I will first summarize…then I have provided three sources….
• After the introduction, summarize the Opposing Viewpoints issue page overview for your topic
• After the Issue Page Summary, provide three sources with accurate bibliographic citation for each source in MLA format.
o These should be in alphabetical order
o Be sure you have both popular press and a scholarly source
o One source must be an opinion (viewpoint) source
o Sources should come from 2 different databases
• Each source citation should be followed by a 2+ paragraph analytical summary of the source.
o ANALYZE the audience, purpose, and context of the source
 Who wrote it? Where was it published? Why was it written? How do these rhetorical needs affect the content of the source?
o EXPLAIN main arguments
 What is the main argument of the source? What are secondary arguments?
o EVALUTATE the supporting evidence
 Does the source provide adequate evidence to support its claims? How do you know the evidence is adequate?
 What problems do you see with the evidence?
 How might the evidence in the source be useful?
o INCLUDE 2+ quotes from the source to support your claims
 You can integrate quotes into the paragraphs or include them below the analytical summaries as separate bullet points
o Each paragraph of your analytical summaries should be well developed, with a clear topic sentence and support.

5. Write a 1+ paragraph conclusion that synthesizes the information you’ve found.
The conclusion should show how the various sources are related to the general topic and to one another, and it should make an argument for why these sources and your topic is appropriate for a college-level research essay.

6. Edit and Proofread Carefully:
A reader who doesn’t know anything about the topic and/or your project should be able to understand what information is in your Topic and Source Analysis.

This project should not look like a normal essay. It should, however, be easy to read and follow.

Be sure that you have all major components. Missing a component of the assignment will result in a failing grade.

All students are required to participate in a draft workshop for this assignment and provide comments to at least 2 classmates.

All essays will be submitted to plagiarism detection software. Please review your results before finalizing your submission. Essays will be submitted online.