FYS: Imaginative Sojourns: Writings about the Self (Salerno)

We have spent a lot of time talking about different types of sources and how to evaluate the quality of those sources. But a source is only as strong as how you use it in your paper. You can use a variety of types of sources to provide background information (in this case for your reader), exhibit, argument, or method. We will discuss each of these using the BEAM Method. 

Background Sources- Provides an overview of a topic, core concepts or basic facts. 

• Providing the reader basic information about your topic. THIS IS DIFFERENT THAN THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION YOU FOUND REFERENCE SOURCES!
• Noncontroversial, well established information in the field
• Can be common knowledge, and therefore does not necessarily need to be cited. 
  • If in doubt cite your sources!

Exhibit Sources - generally works of literature, collected data, observed event that you need to analyze. 

• used to provide an example or give evidence for a claim
• News or popular sources can be great places to find descriptions of events to use as exhibit sources. 

Argument Sources - information from other authors you are agreeing with, disagreeing with, or building upon. 

• puts your research in context of other scholarship on your topic. 
• More than likely scholarly sources. 

Method Sources - sources that provide underlying framework for your argument. 

• For some research, this will literally be the methods you use to collect data. 
• Can be a set of key terms, or a general model or perspective you are writing under.
• Since methods, like  background knowledge, are often common knowledge in a given discipline, they can sometimes go uncited.