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Discussion Post

To begin the trajectory of academic writing, there are some things that the writer should consider doing as part of the preparation for the final product. Searching for resources is not as simple as you might think. This type of research should be carefully worked through as you refine your sources to develop the intended outcome. As students at Liberty University, the Jerry Falwell Library will be the dominant research domain. The understanding of the resources available for your topic how to access the library's wealth of knowledge and quickly and efficiently. Dr. Brian Pinzer offers some practical things as you begin researching a topic. Pinzer states that we need skilled in finding sources that we will be constantly using. The writer will need to under the purpose of what they are writing and carefully evaluate the quality of the sources being used. The information should include authority, credibility, reliability, and validity. This will build a strong foundation for your research. Make sure you are clear on what is being asked of you to develop; this will offer a direction of research. The final thought is to ensure that there is an understanding of language and symbols that will make this simpler than you think. Identify keywords on your topic and methodology. Use connecting words, the Boolean Operators, like ‘or,' ‘and,' and ‘not.' Symbols, an asterisk *, quotation, ".." are helpful to narrow your research.

Journals, Books, and Dissertations are the resources I find myself using primarily. The things that should be considered in any of the three sources are as follows. The following are considerations that should be considered with every resource to add to the quality of the report.

I. Currency: to use this, the writer would be able to ensure that the subject being reviewed is current and is continually evolving or has its relevance depleted to the point that the research has died out.

II. Relevance: does the information support add to the research, is the information digestible to the readers.

III. Accuracy: Is the source or author a reliable source? Is it peer-reviewed, can the data be confirmed through other sources, is the information biased.

IV. Authority: Who created the article, web page, or documents? Does the author have credentials, has the source been cited, and does the Author or Authors have the experience to be recognized as an authority?

V. Purpose: Is there an obvious intended audience? Is there an obvious bias? What is the objective of the source and their works?