In addition to content and analysis, one of the most important factors in writing a good paper is having good reference sources. There is an excellent strategy for obtaining reference sources that I would like to share.
I have a lot of people who come in the day before, or even a couple days before, a paper is due to find reference sources for their paper. Often this leads to frustration because although Curry Library has a very healthy collection of sources, one library cannot hold all the books, journals, and peer-reviewed papers that a person needs to write a good paper. I believe that no matter what kind of paper you are writing, a research paper, a position paper, etc., the quality of your paper depends a lot on the quality of your sources. There may be many articles or books that are specific to your paper and excellent sources, but you do not have time to wait for inter-library loan because your paper is due the next day or the next couple of days and you have waited until you are ready to start writing before you collect your sources. Unfortunately, this is not a good strategy. It is important to remember that although sources may arrive through inter-library loan in as little as one day, you must always be prepared to wait up to 10 days for inter-library loan.
Here is a strategy for writing an excellent paper with excellent sources:
1. As soon as you receive a prompt for a paper, begin to choose and narrow your topic.
2. Choose a thesis, and decide what position you want to take on the issue you have chosen.
3. Read your prompt again carefully, looking for guidelines on the types and number of sources that are required for your paper.
4. Take some time to come into the library and begin collecting your sources, including requesting documents or materials through inter-library loan.
This strategy does not take very much time, and if you have done steps 1 through 3 the collection and requesting of your reference sources will be fairly quick. Whether your paper is due in two weeks or two months, you should collect your sources as soon as possible. I know that everyone has a lot going on, and if you are like me, you work on your projects according to their due dates. However, I always collect my sources immediately after I have completed steps 1 through 3 above, preferrably shortly after I receive my prompt. This allows me to print out the full-text articles and check out books that are available through Curry Library. It also allows enough time to receive every book or article I would like to reference in my paper, even if I simply hold on to them until I am ready to begin writing my paper and even if I decide later that they are not pertinent.
I am always disappointed when I am asked by someone for help on finding reference sources only to find out that their paper is due before they have time to obtain inter-library loan materials. There have been many interesting topics which have excellent sources available, but often the person has waited too late to get the best sources. If you collect your sources early, and allow enough time for all your sources to become available, it will always result in a better paper.
Labels: Reference Sources