Assignment 1: Discussion—Evaluating Sources (Scholarly Versu

Assignment 1: Discussion—Evaluating Sources (Scholarly versus Popular) When creating research papers, the quality of the sources you use is critical to the success of your investigation of the subject. Therefore, it is important to be able to effectively evaluate the appropriateness of the information you are collecting. Post to the Discussion Area your response to the following: What are the criteria you use to judge the quality of the resources you use when doing research? How do you maintain the balance between writing your own thoughts and quoting or paraphrasing from your sources? What percentage of your paper is original? How do you maintain the balance among Web resources, print media, and other source channels, and what is the percentage of such content? Write your initial response in about 150–200 words. Apply APA standards to citation of sources. Note that your response to this assignment will also be submitted as a piece of writing for M8: Assignment 2 for a review of your writing skills. Therefore, make sure your response to this assignment is logical, clear, and well organized. Also, proofread your response for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors.

Paper For Above instruction

Evaluating sources critically is fundamental to producing high-quality research papers. When assessing the credibility and relevance of resources, I primarily consider the authors' qualifications, publication date, and the source's credibility. Scholarly sources, such as peer-reviewed journal articles and academic books, are evaluated based on peer review status, author expertise, methodology, and citations, which ensure their reliability and scholarly integrity (Rowley & Slack, 2004). Conversely, popular sources like news articles, blogs, and magazines are assessed for objectivity, source bias, and credibility, though they often lack rigorous peer review (Grabe & Bucar, 2004). Maintaining a balance between original ideas and sourced content is vital; I aim for about 80% of my paper to be my own analysis and synthesis, with approximately 20% directly quoted or paraphrased. To ensure integrity, I use proper APA citations for every borrowed idea, preventing plagiarism (American Psychological Association, 2020). I diversify my sources by including web resources, print media, and multimedia, aiming for roughly 40% web-based resources, 40% print media, and 20% multimedia content. This approach enriches my research by providing varied perspectives, ensuring a comprehensive understanding (Hart, 2009). Overall, critical evaluation and balanced sourcing underpin my research methodology, fostering credibility and originality.

References

• American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). APA.
• Grabe, M., & Bucar, L. K. (2004). The role of news media. Communication Quarterly, 52(2), 139-157.
• Hart, C. (2009). Doing a literature review: Releasing the research imagination. Sage Publications.
• Rowley, J., & Slack, F. (2004). Conducting a literature review. Management Research News, 27(6), 31-39.