Introduction

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24

Finding Sources and Conducting Field Research

To learn how to devise a research strategy, see Chapter 23; to learn how to evaluate sources, see Chapter 25.

Students today are surrounded by a wealth of information—in print, online, even face to face! This wealth can make finding the information you need to support your ideas exciting, but it also means you will have to develop a research strategy and sift possible sources carefully. What you are writing about and who will read your writing project will help you decide whether journal articles about your topic written by experts in the field will be most appropriate or whether you should rely on articles from newspapers and magazines you access online, or even whether blog posts or tweets from politicians and other public figures, information about legislation, a historic document, or a video will best help you support your claims. Does your writing project require you to depend mainly on secondary sources—works that analyze and summarize a subject—or develop primary sources, such as interviews with experts, surveys, or observational studies you conduct yourself? Whatever sources you decide will best help you support your claims, this chapter will help you find or develop the resources you need.