By Silvan Spicer
How can I tell if my source is a popular source?
Popular sources usually serve different purposes and audiences than scholarly sources. You can examine the following to see if your source aligns with the common characteristics of popular sources:
- Audience: Readership characteristics may differ slightly from publication to publication, but overall, usually for a general readership that doesn’t have any particular expertise or advanced education.
- Topic: Usually covers a broader range of topics in shorter articles. Articles offer overviews of subject matter and reportage rather than original research. There might be feature articles and reports on current social issues and public opinion.
- Purpose: Usually written to inform readers about current events, issues, or popular culture. May also aim to entertain, promote a certain point of view/bias, and/or sell products.
- Author: Usually written by staff writers, freelancers, journalists. Author might be a generalist – they don’t have a specific area of expertise. If written by staff or freelance writers, the article might not actually be attributed to a specific name – the author might be “staff.”
- Form: Mix of short and in-depth articles on a wide variety of subjects. There are usually high-impact visuals and designs, including photos and colorful graphics. There may be lots of advertisements. Keep in mind that ads may be hidden if you have an ad blocker!
- Use of sources: There may be few or no formal citations. References or links to other sources may be obscure or circular (only referencing their own website). There is often no guarantee that the sources the article uses are credible.
- Quality assurance: Usually edited and approved for publication in-house, often by a single editor who often may have strong opinions about what they want published/not published.
- Language/Voice: Uses a simple and non-technical writing style, with general, popular language most will be able to understand.
What does it mean for a source to be credible/reputable?
Using a credible/reputable source means that you can trust the quality of information that the source contains. Credible/reputable sources often make an attempt to limit outright bias, or at the very least to be forthright about their intentions and/or biases.
How can I tell if a popular source is credible/reputable?
Examine the following characteristics to determine whether your source meets standards of credibility.
- Evaluate the author. Is there an author? What are their credentials? Can you find an author bio page, either on the website, or through a Google search? What does the author’s purpose for writing the source seem to be?
- Evaluate the organization. Who is publishing the information? What are their goals/values/biases? Do they have an agenda? Are they trying to sell readers something? Pay particular attention to whether the site is owned/hosted by a business entity or corporation. Company websites often look extremely credible, but this doesn’t mean that they don’t have a strong bias based on their own financial motives.
- Evaluate the purpose of the site. Why does the site exist? What is it trying to do? Inform people? Get people to click on ads? Get people to buy a certain product?
- Evaluate the specific information in the article/on the page. Does the author cite their sources and/or give readers access to an original source for their info? How is the piece written/edited? Are they reporting, summarizing, analyzing, arguing, or doing something else?
Is it okay to use a popular source that has a bias/agenda?
Just because a source has a bias or agenda doesn’t mean that it isn’t necessarily reputable. Oftentimes, popular sources will report on events/people/information, but with a significant slant. What is important is that you are able to evaluate the source and figure out what the source’s slant is, and that you transfer that understanding over to your own paper when you talk about the source. Make sure you don’t present an illusion of objectivity when a source you’re using is very clearly not an objective source.
How do I find credible/reputable popular sources?
- Go through your university library/databases. In addition to scholarly (peer-reviewed) sources, university libraries also usually maintain databases of credible popular sources, such as archives of newspapers and magazines. Get help from the Newman Librarians.
- Use the right type of source for the type of information you are looking for. If you are looking for statistics information, credible sources include things like encyclopedias and government reporting/statistics pages. Online dictionaries and encyclopedias are great for finding definitions and general information about terms/topics.
- Default to sources created/maintained by credible, professional entities. These types of entities include governments, research think tanks, professional organizations (like the APA or ABA), and libraries/databases.
- Be wary of articles. Anyone with a Medium account can write an “article” and post it online, but that doesn’t mean that it’s going to be credible. Unfortunately, Google search results are often filled with troves of disreputable sources that only exist to sell a product or garner page views. If you find an article you like, it is imperative that you evaluate it closely to make sure it is a credible source. Larger news publications are usually credible sources, but even then, make sure you pay attention to any potential biases the author might have. AllSides has a rating system for news publications that might prove helpful in these cases: https://www.allsides.com/media-bias/ratings
Now that I have a popular source how do I incorporate it into my writing?
Check out our resource on incorporating research
Popular sources for different academic disciplines:
Sources used:
By Kate Moss, Ph.D, Doctoral Lecturer and Full-time Faculty, General Education & BA in Liberal Studies
Writing Fellows (WAC) and Tutoring Coordinator
Explore some of these resources to learn more or refresh your memory about evaluating sources:
By Kate Moss, Ph.D, Doctoral Lecturer and Full-time Faculty, General Education & BA in Liberal Studies
Writing Fellows (WAC) and Tutoring Coordinator
The following sources are applicable to any class that involves writing:
Below are resources specific to academic disciplines:
By Tara Pauliny, Ph.D, Faculty, General Education
Q: I have a writing assignment and I don’t know where to start. What should I do first?
A: The first thing to do when approaching a writing assignment is to consider the context–the “big picture.” That is, review the assignment carefully and ask yourself a series of questions:
- What is the purpose of this assignment? What am I being asked to accomplish?
- Pay close attention to what the assignment says about this and also any other information your instructor has given you. Do not guess or make assumptions. Read the directions carefully and make notes for yourself. If you still have questions after you do this, reach out to your instructor–but make sure you start this process early. Don’t ask clarifying questions the day before a major assignment is due.
- As you consider the assignment’s purpose, ask yourself what you need to do to fulfill that purpose. For example, if the purpose is to forward a thesis about a text, what evidence do you need to offer that argument? Do you need peer-reviewed sources? How many?
- What is the context in which I am writing? In other words, what genre am I writing in and what are the parameters of that genre?
- Different academic disciplines use different writing genres. For example, in a biology class you might be asked to write a lab report, while in a literature class you might be asked to write an analytical essay, and in a sociology class you might be asked to write a research report. All of these assignments have different expectations, requirements, and formats.
- Once you determine the genre or style in which you are writing, make sure you understand what is expected. You can find information about different genres on the Purdue Online Writing Lab, The Excelsior Writing Lab, or other university writing centers. You should also look through your class notes and class resources–most likely your instructor has provided this information to you. If you have done all of this and still have questions, reach out to your instructor for clarification.
- Who is my audience, how do I want to present my work to them, and how might I adjust to their expectations?
- Of course your audience for any class is your instructor and possibly your classmates, but you should also think about your audience more widely. For instance, when you are writing in a specific discipline, your audience is other people who work in that discipline. This is what you need to follow the conventions and expectations of that particular field. Consider, too, the type of assignment you are producing. Is it digital? Will it be posted to an open website or shared in some other way? If so, your potential audience is larger than your class, so consider that as you write.
Q: OK, I have considered the assignment’s audience, context, and purpose. What’s next?
A: The next step is to make a writing plan. There are many ways to do this, so it is good to try a few options and see what works best for you, but here’s one suggestion:
- First, consider the scope and time frame of the project. Is this a long, involved project that includes outside research and a few drafts and revisions or is this a smaller, more limited project? Consider how long it will take you to complete the project and don’t forget to build in time for research, analysis, getting feedback, revising, and editing–all of these steps are part of the writing process. Work backward from the due date and make a schedule for yourself.
- When you establish a writing schedule, be realistic! If you plan to do more than is possible, you may get discouraged or fall behind. Instead, create a reasonable schedule and build in breaks–especially when you are drafting. Giving yourself a bit of time between drafts can help you see the project more clearly.
- If you deviate from your plan or find that you need to make adjustments to it, that is not a problem. This is a normal part of the process.
Q: Great, I am doing all of these things. Any other advice?
A: Yes!
- Remember that writing is hard. It takes time and effort. Try not to get discouraged and keep at it.
- Remember that procrastination is not your friend. Instead, make a reasonable plan and stick to it. Make it a habit and your writing will improve and you may even begin to enjoy it more.
- Find a writing process that works for you. Some people like to work for short periods every day (this is suggested by writing experts) but you can also try longer sessions on fewer days. Just try to avoid writing the entire project all at once; this rarely works out well. You need time to consider ideas, to utilize evidence, and to proofread and edit.
- Set yourself up for success. If you need quiet to work, try to find a space without distractions or use noise canceling headphones. If you like to work around others, consider working in the library, a computer lab, a coffee shop, or with friends.
- Consider building in time for others to read your work and offer comments; try taking a draft to a writing tutor or having someone whose writing you trust read it for you.
- Don’t beat yourself up. Again: writing is hard work. All writers struggle and get stuck. Moving through doubt and frustration is part of the process.
- Celebrate your wins. When you have a good writing session, enjoy it. Make note of what you did and why it worked so you can reproduce it. When you find a process that works for you, stick with it. When you write something you are proud of, take a moment to congratulate yourself.
Q: I have a writing assignment and I don’t know where to start. What should I do first?
A: The first thing to do when approaching a writing assignment is to consider the context–the “big picture.” That is, review the assignment carefully and ask yourself a series of questions:
- What is the purpose of this assignment? What am I being asked to accomplish?
- Pay close attention to what the assignment says about this and also any other information your instructor has given you. Do not guess or make assumptions. Read the directions carefully and make notes for yourself. If you still have questions after you do this, reach out to your instructor–but make sure you start this process early. Don’t ask clarifying questions the day before a major assignment is due.
- As you consider the assignment’s purpose, ask yourself what you need to do to fulfill that purpose. For example, if the purpose is to forward a thesis about a text, what evidence do you need to offer that argument? Do you need peer-reviewed sources? How many?
- What is the context in which I am writing? In other words, what genre am I writing in and what are the parameters of that genre?
- Different academic disciplines use different writing genres. For example, in a biology class you might be asked to write a lab report, while in a literature class you might be asked to write an analytical essay, and in a sociology class you might be asked to write a research report. All of these assignments have different expectations, requirements, and formats.
- Once you determine the genre or style in which you are writing, make sure you understand what is expected. You can find information about different genres on the Purdue Online Writing Lab, The Excelsior Writing Lab, or other university writing centers. You should also look through your class notes and class resources–most likely your instructor has provided this information to you. If you have done all of this and still have questions, reach out to your instructor for clarification.
- Who is my audience, how do I want to present my work to them, and how might I adjust to their expectations?
- Of course your audience for any class is your instructor and possibly your classmates, but you should also think about your audience more widely. For instance, when you are writing in a specific discipline, your audience is other people who work in that discipline. This is what you need to follow the conventions and expectations of that particular field. Consider, too, the type of assignment you are producing. Is it digital? Will it be posted to an open website or shared in some other way? If so, your potential audience is larger than your class, so consider that as you write.
Q: OK, I have considered the assignment’s audience, context, and purpose. What’s next?
A: The next step is to make a writing plan. There are many ways to do this, so it is good to try a few options and see what works best for you, but here’s one suggestion:
- First, consider the scope and time frame of the project. Is this a long, involved project that includes outside research and a few drafts and revisions or is this a smaller, more limited project? Consider how long it will take you to complete the project and don’t forget to build in time for research, analysis, getting feedback, revising, and editing–all of these steps are part of the writing process. Work backward from the due date and make a schedule for yourself.
- When you establish a writing schedule, be realistic! If you plan to do more than is possible, you may get discouraged or fall behind. Instead, create a reasonable schedule and build in breaks–especially when you are drafting. Giving yourself a bit of time between drafts can help you see the project more clearly.
- If you deviate from your plan or find that you need to make adjustments to it, that is not a problem. This is a normal part of the process.
Q: Great, I am doing all of these things. Any other advice?
A: Yes!
- Remember that writing is hard. It takes time and effort. Try not to get discouraged and keep at it.
- Remember that procrastination is not your friend. Instead, make a reasonable plan and stick to it. Make it a habit and your writing will improve and you may even begin to enjoy it more.
- Find a writing process that works for you. Some people like to work for short periods every day (this is suggested by writing experts) but you can also try longer sessions on fewer days. Just try to avoid writing the entire project all at once; this rarely works out well. You need time to consider ideas, to utilize evidence, and to proofread and edit.
- Set yourself up for success. If you need quiet to work, try to find a space without distractions or use noise canceling headphones. If you like to work around others, consider working in the library, a computer lab, a coffee shop, or with friends.
- Consider building in time for others to read your work and offer comments; try taking a draft to a writing tutor or having someone whose writing you trust read it for you.
- Don’t beat yourself up. Again: writing is hard work. All writers struggle and get stuck. Moving through doubt and frustration is part of the process.
- Celebrate your wins. When you have a good writing session, enjoy it. Make note of what you did and why it worked so you can reproduce it. When you find a process that works for you, stick with it. When you write something you are proud of, take a moment to congratulate yourself.
