US12B - Research Assignment as a preliminary part of Paper #3 
 

Assignment: Critically evaluate six research sources you locate about an artist or a work of art designed to comment on the world of video games, their motives, effects, history or contexts.  
 

Select your topic by researching….  READ Student Guide to Writing, 14^th ed., Ch. 9, and Appendix D. 

Tips: Your task is twofold.  First, you must research sources on a topic of your choosing.  Learning how to evaluate the quality of sources on a topic is a primary purpose of this assignment, so you will read and evaluate many sources, and, after careful consideration, identify the six best sources you find.  You will describe the quality of the six best sources in an essay that identifies each entry in your attached bibliography. Use APA format. The library tour will give you a good start. 

Format: After you have selected and identified the best sources on your topic, write a 500 – 750 word essay, typed, double-spaced, that critically evaluates the sources you find.  Be sure your essay includes:

• An introduction that clearly explains the topic
• A detailed evaluation of each of the six sources according to the following criteria (put in paragraph form):
• Authority -- Who is the author and what are his or her credentials?  Is the writer an expert on the topic? 
• Reliability – Where was the article published?  What qualifies it or makes it a trustworthy publication or internet site?
• Credibility – Is the text free of surface errors? Is the purpose of the article clear?  Is the presentation of the evidence fair and objective in tone?  Is the research current or historically significant?
• Usefulness – How might you use the information presented in the article?
• A conclusion drawn from the research

 

Select your topic from this list: 
 
 
 

Working draft for peer review due _________________ 

Final draft due                                 __________________