Class Page : WR 227

Instructor: Dr. Consuelo Romanski, cromansk@pcc.edu
Librarians: Allie Flanary, Jane Rognlie
Term: Spring, 2009

This page was created for a specific class. Visit Research to see all library-created subject guides and research tools.

Assignment

In short, you are writing a documented recommendation report. Your sources need to be cited in either APA or MLA format.

Related research tools

Check out the Research Tools to the right or try these databases, journals and websites. Your best bet is probably to start with Databases by Subject and explore the tools in the subject most closely associated with your topic.

General
  • How Stuff Works
    Excellent website providing "credible, unbiased, and easy-to-understand explanations of how the world actually works."
Computers & Media
Energy & Sustainability
Finance
 
Google(s)

Handouts & Help

Want more help with a particular database? Lost your handout? Check out the How To topics to the right or try these:

A note on citation...

Why do we cite our sources? The obvious reason is so that you don't plagiarize and wind up expelled from PCC.. The other reasons may seem less obvious but are really important.

  1. Citations tell your reader (who is often your instructor) that you care about your work. You've been thinking critically, evaluating sources, and culling your list of resources from the best there is. Why not get credit for that?
  2. Citations are something you give your reader out of courtesy. How frustrating is it when you read an article that mentions something really cool but doesn't tell you how to find it? Providing your reader with citations is like saying, "Here, I invite you to learn more."
  3. Scholarly writing is about engaging in a conversation with the researchers who came before you as well as those who may come after. Failure to cite your sources is plagiarism, but it's also a lot like cutting yourself off in the middle of speaking. Who wants to be involved in that conversation?
  4. By showing the legacy of thought and research that has gone into your work you help to highlight the quality and validity of your own writing.
  5. People take your writing more seriously. Amongst scholars citations are a sign of authority.
  6. Spend some time with the How to Cite Sources page if you need more help.
Related:
Class Pages, Composition, Subject Guides A to Z