R3-a: Thinking about how sources might contribute to your writing
R3-aThink about how sources might contribute to your writing.
How you plan to use sources will affect how you evaluate them. Not every source must directly support your thesis; sources can have other functions in a paper. They can
- provide background information or context for your topic
- explain terms or concepts that your readers might not understand
- provide evidence for your argument
- lend authority to your argument
- identify a gap or contradiction in the conversation
- offer counterarguments and alternative interpretations to your argument
As you plan your writing, you will need to think through the kinds of sources that will help you fulfill your purpose most effectively.
For examples of how student writers use sources for a variety of purposes, see MLA-1c and APA-1c.