Because global climate change is frequently in the news, we also have a pretty good working knowledge of the topic. We can probably hold our own in a conversation about it.

What happens, though, when your own knowledge isn’t enough, and you need to write a research paper about climate change?

If you guessed that you need to locate credible research sources, you’re exactly right.

Not sure where to start? Check out these 11 smart sources to support your climate change essay.

11 Smart Sources to Support Your Climate Change Essay

I’ve divided this list of climate change sources into categories to help you locate sources about the history, causes and effects, and strategies to reduce climate change.

I’ve also included two websites that cover an array of climate change topics (just in case you’re looking for even more information).

This list also includes both APA (7th edition) and MLA (8th edition) citations for your References page or Works Cited list, respectively. (Need APA 6th edition? Visit this page for the correct formatting.)

2 sources on the background and history of climate change

To help your audience understand the evidence that has led to the current understanding of climate change, consider citing one (or all) of the resources below.

These resources might also be useful in an argument to illustrate the changes in climate throughout the Earth’s history.

1. Historical Overview of Climate Change Science

This is the first chapter of a longer report about climate change. The chapter begins with an overview of earth science but focuses on the history of climate change and the current understanding of the topic.

If you feel like this chapter is so long that you’ll never remember where information is located, don’t forget to brush up on your annotation skills.

APA 7 Citation:

Le Treut, H., Somerville, R., Cubasch. U., Ding, Y.,  Mauritzen, C., Mokssit, A., Peterson, T., & Prather, M. (2007). Historical overview of climate change. In S. Solomon, D. Qin, M. Manning, Z. Chen, M. Marquis, K. B. Averyt, M. Tignor, & H. L. Miller [Eds.], Climate change 2007: The physical science basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (pp. 93–122). Cambridge University Press. https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2018/03/ar4-wg1-chapter1.pdf

MLA 8 Citation:  

Le Treut, Herve, et al. “Historical Overview of Climate Change Science.” Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis, Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, edited by S. Solomon et al., Cambridge University, 2007, pp. 93–122. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2018/03/ar4-wg1-chapter1.pdf.

2. Climate Change by the U.S. Global Change Research Program

This article includes an overview of climate change and additional sections that discuss how climate change occurs, how it affects the planet, and how people can work to combat climate change.

Published by the U.S. Global Change Research Program, this government website easily passes the CRAAP Test.

APA 7 Citation:

Climate change. (n.d.). U.S. Global Change Research Program. https://www.globalchange.gov/climate-change

MLA 8 Citation: 

“Climate Change.” U.S. Global Change Research Program, www.globalchange.gov/climate-change.

4 sources on the causes and effects of climate change

The sources below discuss the causes and effects of climate change, but keep in mind that you can cite these sources for more than just cause and effect essays.

An argumentative essay, for instance, might cite these sources to argue the most significant cause of climate change or argue the most devastating effects of climate change.

The sources might also serve you well if you’re writing a problem-solution essay (or including a discussion of the problem and its solution in the context of another type of essay).

1. What Is Causing Climate to Change?

This brief article lists key causes of climate change and links to other resources about the effects of climate change.

The article is published by the Committee on Climate Change, an advisory committee in the UK. The committee’s purpose is “to advise the UK Government and Devolved Administrations on emissions targets and report to Parliament on progress made in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and preparing for climate change.”

APA 7 Citation: 

What is causing climate change? (n.d.). Committee on Climate Change. https://www.theccc.org.uk/tackling-climate-change/the-science-of-climate-change/climate-variations-natural-and-human-factors/

MLA 8 Citation:

“What Is Causing Climate Change?” Committee on Climate Change, www.theccc.org.uk/tackling-climate-change/the-science-of-climate-change/climate-variations-natural-and-human-factors/.

2. Effects of Climate Change

Covering the areas of causes, impacts, and potential solutions, this article also links to specific discussions of the impacts of climate change on various animal species and their environments.

Even though the World Wildlife Fund could have potential bias as an organization whose goal is to help wildlife, the website does provide credible information.

APA 7 Citation: 

Effects of climate change. (n.d.). World Wildlife Fund. https://www.worldwildlife.org/threats/effects-of-climate-change

MLA 8 Citation: 

“Effects of Climate Change.” World Wildlife Fund, 2019, www.worldwildlife.org/threats/effects-of-climate-change.

3. Climate Change Impacts

This article is published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (part of the U.S. Department of Commerce). It addresses the impact of climate change on water, temperature, ecosystems, and society.

APA 7 Citation:

Climate change impacts. (2019, February). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. https://www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/climate-education-resources/climate-change-impacts

MLA 8 Citation: 

“Climate Change Impacts.” National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Feb. 2019, www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/climate-education-resources/climate-change-impacts.

4. Climate Change Could Raise the Risk of Deadly Fungal Infections in Humans

In this article, the writer reports that scientists are studying fungal infections in humans and examining how fungus, because of warming temperatures on Earth, may now be more tolerant to the human body temperature.

Infections of the fungus C. auris, for instance, can cause blood, brain, and heart infections. These infections could prove to be fatal in at least 30%–60% of cases.

This article is considered credible as it is published by Science News, “an independent, nonprofit source of accurate information on the latest news of science, medicine and technology.”

APA 7 Citation:

Cunningham, A. (2019, July 26). Climate change could raise the risk of deadly fungal infections in humans. Science News. https://www.sciencenews.org/article/climate-change-could-raise-risk-deadly-fungal-infections-humans

MLA Citation:

Cunningham, Aimee. “Climate Change Could Raise the Risk of Deadly Fungal Infections in Humans.” Science News, 26 July 2019, www.sciencenews.org/article/climate-change-could-raise-risk-deadly-fungal-infections-humans.

3 sources on reducing the effects of climate change

Though no one has developed any solutions to climate change, the resources below illustrate potential strategies for reducing its effects.

1. Don’t Burn Trees to Fight Climate Change—Let Them Grow

McKibben, a former New Yorker staff writer and the Schumann Distinguished Scholar in Environmental Studies at Middlebury College, argues that cutting trees and using them (in various forms) as fuel is not a solution to climate change.

This process does not immediately cancel out carbon emissions when trees regrow and thus absorb the carbon. Instead, he argues, the process of absorption happens over time as the trees regrow.

The problem, he states, is that this process is entirely too long, and it will be too late as damage to the climate will have already occurred.

APA 7 Citation:

McKibben, B. (2019, August 15). Don’t burn trees to fight climate change—Let them grow. The New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/dont-burn-trees-to-fight-climate-changelet-them-grow

MLA 8 Citation: 

McKibben, Bill. “Don’t Burn Trees to Fight Climate Change—Let Them Grow.” The New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2019, www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/dont-burn-trees-to-fight-climate-changelet-them-grow.

2. Urban Forests Are Crucial for Combating Climate Change, but Planting More Trees Is Easier Said Than Done

Published by the Boston Globe, this article explains how Boston initially announced in 2007 that it would plant 100,000 new trees by 2020. But the project was abandoned because of the city’s population and officials’ concerns over maintaining current trees.

The author, however, argues that urban forests are essential in order to (among other things) absorb carbon, provide shade, reduce dependence on air conditioning, and prevent stormwater runoff.

APA 7 Citation:

Crawford, A. (2019, August 19). Urban forests are crucial for combating climate change, but planting more trees is easier said than done. Boston Globe. https://www.bostonglobe.com/ideas/2019/08/16/urban-forests-are-crucial-for-combating-climate-change-but-planting-more-trees-easier-said-than-done/Tu48OZUMQnjy0RR8CBma4K/story.html

MLA 8 Citation: 

Crawford, Amy. “Urban Forests Are Crucial for Combating Climate Change, But Planting More Trees Is Easier Said Than Done.” Boston Globe, 19 Aug. 2019, www.bostonglobe.com/ideas/2019/08/16/urban-forests-are-crucial-for-combating-climate-change-but-planting-more-trees-easier-said-than-done/Tu48OZUMQnjy0RR8CBma4K/story.html.

3. Could Wooden Buildings Be a Solution to Climate Change?

Published by the BBC, this article argues that wooden structures are more eco-friendly than other building types as they reduce the amounts of steel and concrete used (which contribute to the amount of carbon dioxide in the air).

The writer even argues that “the best form of carbon sequestration is to chop down trees: to restore our sustainable, managed forests, and use the resulting wood as a building material.”

APA 7 Citation:

Smedley, T. (2019, July 25). Could wooden buildings be a solution to climate change? BBC. http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20190717-climate-change-wooden-architecture-concrete-global-warming

MLA 8 Citation: 

Smedley, Tim. “Could Wooden Buildings Be A Solution to Climate Change?” BBC, 25 July 2019, www.bbc.com/future/story/20190717-climate-change-wooden-architecture-concrete-global-warming.

2 additional climate change resources

If you’re looking for specific data, a topic a bit more narrow than “climate change,” or simply want a few additional sources for your paper, the two websites below offer links to a variety of additional climate change information.

1. NASA—Global Climate Change

This NASA website includes an array of climate change topics, including news stories, evidence, causes, and effects of climate change.

The website also links to a Climate Resource Center, which is “an extensive collection of global warming resources for media, educators, weathercasters and public speakers.”

APA 7 Citation (example page from website):

Vinas, M. (2019, August 13). NASA studies how arctic wildfires change the world. NASA. https://climate.nasa.gov/news/2902/nasa-studies-how-arctic-wildfires-change-the-world/

MLA 8 Citation (example page from website):

Vinas, Maria-Jose. “NASA Studies How Arctic Wildfires Change the World.” NASA, 13 Aug. 2019, climate.nasa.gov/news/2902/nasa-studies-how-arctic-wildfires-change-the-world/.

2. Climate Change Research Group, International Institute for Environment and Development 

The International Institute for Environment and Development is an independent research organization operating globally. One of its four research groups focuses on climate change. Accordingly, the website offers a host of resources, including blogs, projects, and links to additional research.

APA 7 Citation: (example page from website)

Ecosystem-based approaches to climate change adaptation. (n.d.). International Institute for Environment and Development. https://www.iied.org/ecosystem-based-approaches-climate-change-adaptation

MLA 8 Citation: (example page from website)

“Ecosystem-Based Approaches to Climate Change Adaptation.” International Institute for Environment and Development, www.iied.org/ecosystem-based-approaches-climate-change-adaptation.

So You Have a List of Climate Change Sources…Now What?

This list of sources may be all you need to get started with your climate change essay. But there’s a good chance that you’re still looking for additional information.

If you’re looking specifically for information about global warming, read 12 Global Warming Articles to Help Your Next Essay.

Need help with finding additional resources? Check out five sources that can help with writing a research paper.

For a few tips on how to get rolling on your paper, take a look at the following posts:

• 6 Prewriting Strategies to Get Your Essay Rolling
• 7 Essay Outline Templates to Get Your Essay Going
• How to Avoid Plagiarism in Your Essay Writing
• How to Write a Thesis Statement in 5 Simple Steps

Interested in reading a few example papers about climate change before you tackle your own essay? Check out these essays from our library:

• The History of the Climate Change Science and the Potential Effects of Global Warming
• The Solution to Climate Change in Developed Countries
• A Discussion on the Issues of Global Climate Change and Environmental Degradation

Have you completed a draft of your climate change essay but want to ensure it will make the grade? Let a Kibin editor help. We’ve edited tens of thousands of essays and are standing by 24/7 to help you with yours.

Good question.

You, your neighbor, or just about anyone can publish online. In the world of the internet, you could become Allie S. Everson, PhD and write an article titled “The Evolution of String Theory: Are Scientists Stringing Us Along?”

Sounds credible, right? All you need to do is write a really good summary of what you can dig up on Wikipedia and bam—you have an article!

The problems with this are pretty obvious. First, you’re likely plagiarizing another source to write your article. And second, you’re claiming you hold a PhD.

Another problem is that some unsuspecting student might be citing your bogus article in a research paper.

You could easily fall victim to bogus “experts” too, if you don’t carefully choose your sources.

So how exactly do you decide if a source is crap? Simple: Apply the CRAAP Test!

(Yes, really. CRAAP Test. That’s really what it’s called.)

The test helps you determine whether your sources are crap, so keep reading to learn how to use it.

What Is the CRAAP Test?

The CRAAP Test is a series of questions to help you decide whether a source is credible.

It’s like evaluating all the elements that make up a source through a microscope. You need to look at all of its parts to determine whether it’s appropriate for your research essay.

CRAAP stands for “currency, relevance, authority, accuracy, and purpose.” You’ll need to examine each one of these components to decide whether a source is crap or whether it’s worthy of inclusion in your research paper.

Applying the CRAAP Test to Your Essay Sources

When you’re completing research, you don’t want to use every source you find. You also can’t just assume that all sources are created equal.

Sure, you’ll save a lot of time by choosing the first five or ten sources that appear in your search results. But it’s not likely that they’ll be the best (or most appropriate) sources for your paper.

Why?

Because when you research, you’ll encounter many sources that are, in fact, crap (especially if you’re doing all of your research online using only websites).

To determine what’s useful and what’s not, test your sources by asking the questions listed under each of the following categories.

CRAAP Test: Currency

In this case, currency has nothing to do with money. Here, currency refers to the timeliness of the source. In other words, when was it written?

Unless you’re critiquing a specific source or you’re using it for a historical overview, you’ll want to find the most recent information possible.

If you’re citing a website, it might not be that easy to find the date the source was originally written. But you should be able to find the date the information was last updated. Check the bottom of the webpage for a date when the information was created or last updated.

Think the date of a source can’t really mean that much? Think again.

Let’s say you find a source online (written five years ago) about a breakthrough cancer treatment. A five-year-old source may not be that old for some topics. But in the world of science and technology, five years might as well be a lifetime.

That breakthrough cancer treatment of five years ago might have already been deemed unsafe, and several new breakthrough treatments might now be in place.

CRAAP Test: Relevance

This may sound a bit too obvious, but you’ll need to ask yourself whether the source is relevant to your research.

Just because you’re writing a paper about minimum-wage laws and the title of the article includes the words “minimum-wage laws,” you can’t automatically assume the content of the article meets your needs.

The article might explain the reasons that minimum-wage laws were created. But if you’ve already located a source about the history of the law to use as background information, the article may not provide any new or useful information for your paper.

You’ll also need to think about the intended audience and whether the source is written at an appropriate level.

If, for example, the source is written for middle school students and you’re writing a college research essay, you can pretty much assume your professor won’t be too happy seeing the source on your Works Cited or References page.

Don’t assume that scholarly resources will always be written for the appropriate audience, either.

If you’re writing a paper about mental illness and you’ve located a research paper written by doctors for doctors, you might become a bit lost. If the paper is written for other doctors, the authors have likely used terms and explanations that you simply won’t understand.

You should skip these types of articles too. If you can’t make sense of the information, you certainly can’t use it as a source in your paper.

CRAAP Test: Authority

I have it on good authority that evaluating the authority of a website means more than simply locating the author of the article or site.

Knowing the name of the author doesn’t do you much good if that’s all you know.

Start your review of the site’s authority by looking at the author’s credentials.

Does the author have a degree in the field? Does he or she work in the field? Has the author written other articles or books about the subject?

NOTE: Someone having written about a subject or published a book about a subject doesn’t automatically mean that he or she is credible.

A self-proclaimed “healer,” for instance, isn’t as credible as an MD (doctor of medicine) if you’re researching new medical treatments.

Next, consider the type of source you’re reviewing and whether it’s appropriate for your needs.

If you’re researching opinions about the newest iPhone, reading blogs and forums written by just about anyone might be useful.

On the other hand, if you’re researching the topic of global warming for your essay, reading sources written by just about anyone is definitely not recommended.

When you’re evaluating the authority of a web source, remember to look at the URL. A .com site is more likely to simply want to sell you something. A .gov or .edu site will likely present more in-depth and balanced information. A .org site may contain detailed information, but it may have an agenda and may be biased.

You’re looking for clear, accurate, unbiased, and well-documented sources. Usually, this means avoiding .com sites. (News websites, such as CNN.com, NYTimes.com, or NPR.com are generally exceptions to this rule.)

Looking for help finding credible sources online? Read 5 Best Sources to Help With Writing a Research Paper.

CRAAP Test: Accuracy

Does this source hit the mark? Is the information correct?

Before you decide whether you want to use the source in your essay, check to see whether you can verify the information.

If one source states 75% of college students don’t bother to purchase the required textbooks for their courses and another source states roughly 10% of students don’t purchase textbooks, look to see how the statistics were gathered and try to verify which source is correct. (Keep in mind, you may find a third source that presents yet another statistic, so you may need to continue to research to verify accuracy.)

Next, read carefully to make sure the author uses ample evidence to support claims.

If a source claims 50% of all teens with valid driver’s licenses receive at least one speeding ticket before they reach the age of 20, does the author support this claim with verifiable, statistical evidence? Or does the author just make up random statistics to support that argument?

The final step in checking accuracy is to examine the author’s arguments. Is the information balanced, or is it biased? A biased source contains only one side of the argument, likely with little evidence to support claims.

A Note About Appearances: If you’re reading an anonymous source with multiple spelling and typographical errors, it’s pretty easy to figure out that the source might not be credible and that the information might not be accurate. But sometimes non-credible websites appear to be professional. Don’t be fooled by a slick-looking website.

To learn more, take a look at Evaluating Websites: What You Need to Know to Find Great Sources.

CRAAP Test: Purpose

No, don’t spend your time now asking what’s the purpose of writing a research paper. (That’s a conversation for another time.)

Now is the time to ask why your potential essay source was published.

Was it written to inform readers? Does it use fair, unbiased language? Or is the purpose to persuade? Does the author use persuasive or manipulative language to convince readers?

Again, this is especially important when evaluating websites. Does the website exist solely to sell you something? Is it trying to promote a political or religious agenda?

If the source is biased and attempts to promote a specific agenda, it’s probably not your best bet for a research essay (unless, of course, your paper intends to evaluate the article and examine the bias and propaganda in the source).

Now that you know what the CRAAP Test is, let’s apply it to an example assignment.

A Sample CRAAP Test

For the purposes of this CRAAP Test, pretend you’re writing an argumentative essay about animal abuse and testing.

Should you cite the website People for the Ethical Treatment for Animals (PETA) in a formal, research-based argumentative essay?

Let’s put PETA to the test. (Don’t worry—no animals will be harmed in this experiment.)

Currency

When you check the bottom of the homepage, you’ll notice that the page lists the current year as a copyright date.

Feature stories as well as news stories are current, with publication times as recent as 23 hours ago.

Clearly, PETA keeps its site up to date and provides current information.

Relevance

PETA’s entire focus is animal welfare, as pointed out by the following mission statement: “Animals are not ours to experiment on, eat, wear, or abuse in any other way.”

If you’re arguing that animal abuse and testing needs to stop, PETA provides plenty of information to review. It’s safe to say that PETA is a relevant source.

Authority

PETA includes a “PETA People” section that lists various staff members and executive board members.

Listing employees’ credentials helps to increase the credibility of the site as this illustrates that writers are capable and qualified to write about the topic of animal welfare.

Accuracy

Though PETA contains a number of news articles, most of these articles are written only in support of PETA’s activities, making much of the information biased.

While the articles may appear to contain credible information about world events (like the UK banning wild animals in circuses), there are few (if any) links to additional outside sources to help verify information.

Because PETA rarely links to outside sources, the information is presented only from PETA’s point of view. This makes it difficult for the average reader to know how much of the information is accurate.

If you’re not sure that a source is presenting accurate information, your next step in evaluating the source is to see if the information is published elsewhere.

In the case of the UK banning wild animals in circuses, you can easily find a government website to verify that such legislation has been introduced.

But what about the accuracy of the other information presented on PETA’s website?

A quick online search about PETA uncovers a slew of negative articles and websites that attempt to highlight the supposed inaccuracies and lies promoted by PETA.

Search results contain a number of opinion pieces (like this one from Vassar College) and websites (like this one) that are in favor of abolishing PETA and attempt to expose “the truth.” (Remember, not all sources are credible, and some of these sources will likely fail the CRAAP Test.)

Within the search results, however, you’ll also find credible blogs, op-eds, and articles from respected sources, such as HuffPost and The Atlantic. And it’s those credible sources that will make almost any reader question the authority of PETA and its usefulness as a research source.

Purpose

The purpose of PETA is abundantly clear: to persuade.

PETA’s goal is to convince readers to support its cause and get every reader to contribute to the organization. For instance, PETA heavily promotes its agenda through continued pop-ups asking readers to donate.

PETA also favors emotional appeals as it attempts to persuade readers through graphic pictures of testing, sad animals in cages, and happy, adopted animals. PETA also uses persuasive and manipulative language in an effort to convince readers.

The final evaluation of PETA

While PETA is a widely known organization whose website contains a great deal of information against animal testing and abuse, the site fails the CRAAP Test and is not a strong source for a research source.

Due to its biased content, questionable reputation, emotional appeals, and overall purpose (to persuade, rather than to inform), skip PETA as a source. Instead, look to more scholarly sources to support your arguments.

If your research consists of only online sources, here are a few resource ideas to get you started on your research about animal testing.

Want to further practice applying the CRAAP Test but don’t have any of your own sources yet? Grab an example research essay from our essay library and assess its sources.

Enough of This CRAAP

If you use crappy sources, you’ll end up with a crappy paper (and most likely a crappy grade). Apply the CRAAP Test to ensure you’re using credible sources for all of your assignments.

Have you evaluated all of your sources and have a ton of useful resources but aren’t sure what to do now?

Check out these posts to help you with the next steps of the writing process:

• How to Annotate a Text (and Why It’s Helpful)
• How to Use Graphic Organizers for Writing Better Essays
• Rough Draft Mishaps: 5 Painful Mistakes to Avoid

Tired of all this serious evaluation of sources? Looking for a catchy way to remember what CRAAP stands for? Watch this light-hearted video:

If you’re ready to put the finishing touches on your paper, don’t forget to have one of our Kibin editors review it . We’re here 24/7 and can provide constructive feedback to help you write an awesome paper—and if your sources are crap, we’ll let you know.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published on July 13, 2015, but has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and relevancy. 

The images are so similar that it’s nearly impossible to find even the most minute change.

If you paraphrase incorrectly, you’ll end up with the written version of these images, and your paraphrase could very well end up looking indistinguishable from the original text–a near-quotation, but without quotation marks.

This is definitely not the result you want.

You know you need to put your research in your own words. But which words? And how, exactly?

We know you have questions. So without further ado, here’s how to paraphrase the right way.

A Brief Definition of Paraphrasing

Put simply, paraphrasing means that you’ll express the meaning of a given text by rewriting it with your own sentence structure and word choices.

You might believe that you should quote everything when writing a research paper, but paraphrases should actually be used more frequently.

By explaining and analyzing the research and putting the information into your own words (as opposed to directly restating the words of a source), you’re demonstrating that you understand what you’ve read and what you’re writing about.

Remember, when you’re restating the words and/or ideas of someone else, you still need to give credit to the source through citation. (Read The Stress Free-Guide to APA Essay Format and The Stress-Free Guide to MLA Format (8th Edition) to learn more about proper citation.)

How Not to Paraphrase

Do not, I repeat, DO NOT simply change a few words and call it a paraphrase.

Changing a few words is plagiarism, not paraphrasing.

Here’s a quick example of paraphrasing gone wrong.

Take a look at the following original quote about spotting the differences in images:

“Dan Simons, a psychologist at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, says that’s because if we spotted everything, we’d be unable to focus our attention. So our brain fails to log details it deems ­unimportant. When we flip back and forth trying to find them, we can’t because we never noticed them in the first place” (Airhart).

Here’s an example of a plagiarized paraphrase:

Dan Simons, a University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign psychologist, states that’s because, if people noticed most things, they couldn’t focus their attention. People’s brains don’t remember details they think are ­unimportant. Thus, when they flip back and forth between pictures, they can’t find them because they never noticed them in the first place (Airhart).

This is an example of plagiarism because the writer simply changed or omitted a few words and changed the instances of first person to third person. The ideas aren’t expressed in a different style or sentence structure. (I’ve placed the new wording in bold to help you identify the changes.)

Here’s an example of a correct paraphrase:

Psychologist Dan Simon asserts that people cannot spot the differences between images because their brains simply do not notice every detail. People look at the big picture in order to focus their attention. Thus, when they try to spot the differences in images, they cannot because they did not originally see them (Airhart).

Notice that this example correctly paraphrases the original quote. It expresses the same meaning as the original but does so by using the writer’s own wording and style.

If you’re looking for a few more samples to help you see what correct paraphrasing looks like, check out these examples of paraphrasing.

If you’re thinking that this is all well and good but you need a few tips on how you can paraphrase anything for your own paper, keep reading.

How to Paraphrase The Right Way

Now you know that you shouldn’t just change a few words and call it a paraphrase. So what exactly can you do to avoid plagiarism and paraphrase the right way?

Here are three proven strategies.

Strategy #1: Consider how you would explain the text to someone who hasn’t read it

Let’s say you’re writing a paper about how your brain processes images.

Now let’s say that your audience (which might be a general reader, your teacher, or even your mom) hasn’t read the article you’re citing in your paper. How would you explain the information to that person? What core ideas would you need to include in order to paraphrase the ideas expressed in the article?

In order to paraphrase the article (or its key ideas), you need to read the article thoroughly to understand the big picture and to understand the writer’s focus. (Don’t skim to pick out a phrase or sentence that you can paraphrase just to paraphrase something and prove to your prof that you used sources when writing your paper.)

Once you have a clear understanding of the article, you can restate the information in your own words.

Keep in mind that it’s okay to use some of the same terminology. For instance, say you’re writing about the brain and processing images. You’ll need to use words like “retina,” “cornea,” and “lens,” even if the original author used them too.

Using these types of words is acceptable (and not plagiarism). Why? It’s wording that’s specific to the discussion of the eyes and brain and how people process images.

Strategy #2: Take notes, set them aside, then write the paraphrase based on your notes

Taking notes is an excellent strategy. It will not only help you remember information but also help you understand it more completely. After all, if you have to write it in your own words, you have to understand what you’re writing about.

Keep in mind that the purpose of this type of note-taking is to be able to paraphrase information. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll never need to refer back to the original piece for clarification.

Thus, while you take notes, it’s always a good idea to include page numbers (or time stamps if you’re paraphrasing a video). Those notes will help you find the information again if you need it.

If you’re paraphrasing a professional journal article:

If you’re writing a research paper, chances are you’re using lots of lengthy articles. You know the type: professional journal articles with 15 (or more) pages, 12-word titles, and lots of scholarly, 10-letter words.

It can be hard (even impossible) to remember everything in such a detailed and complex article, so as you read, annotate the article or take notes on a separate page.

This process will enable you to remember the main points and identify the sections you want to incorporate into your paper. That will then allow you to paraphrase using your own sentence structure and vocabulary. Without the article right in front of you, you won’t be tempted to use the writer’s language or style.

If you’re paraphrasing literature:

If you’re assigned to read a piece of literature for a class but you don’t yet know what you’ll be writing about in your analysis, take notes on significant components of the story. (Literary elements, such as character development, theme, symbolism, and imagery are usually good choices.)

If you already know what you’ll be writing about before you start reading, keep in mind the purpose of your essay as you read.

If your goal is to write about the theme(s) or motif of a novel or short story, your notes should, of course, focus on points that reflect the theme or motif. The same is true if you’re writing about character, symbolism, imagery, or any other literary element.

You might also want to use this strategy to take notes on long passages of dialogue. This will help you capture the conversation (or monologue) without needing to refer back to the text.

If you’re paraphrasing a video:

If you’re watching a video in class, you may have no choice but to take a ton of notes. You likely won’t be able to watch the video again. But if you’re watching it outside of class, you can stop the video to take notes as needed.

Watching a documentary or educational video is much like reading a professional journal article. These videos are often packed with facts, figures, and technical terms. When taking notes, look for key points and arguments, just as you would when writing about an article.

Watching a movie is essentially watching a story or novel. So take notes on the same types of things (plot, character, imagery, theme, etc.) that you would when reading literature. Your notes will make it much easier to later write about or analyze the movie.

Strategy #3: Read the original, set it aside, then write the paraphrase

Should you need to paraphrase something shorter—such as a brief article, conversation, or advertisement—first read it a few times. Then set it aside to paraphrase the content.

This strategy also works well if you want to paraphrase a shorter section of a longer piece.

Don’t cheat and actually look at the original as you write the paraphrase, though.

The whole point is to write the paraphrase without the temptation of the original staring back at you. If the original is out of sight, you’ll be forced to use your own wording and style to express the ideas (and that’s the whole point of a paraphrase, right?).

Paraphrasing Practice Makes Perfect

If paraphrasing isn’t your thing and you’re struggling to effectively incorporate paraphrases into your writing, try a few practice runs before actually doing it in a graded assignment.

You might try picking random passages from articles or books, or try paraphrasing another essay (like these in our essay library). You can also review these essays as examples of how to paraphrase. (Have some extra time on your hands? You could even look up the sources cited in the example papers. Then you could compare the original quotes to the paraphrased text.)

When you’re putting something in your own words, there’s always the risk of introducing unintended grammar or punctuation errors. And sometimes the transitions into and out of paraphrasing are a little bumpy at first—that’s okay, and we can help.

Kibin editors are available 24/7 to help you polish your paraphrasing and any other concerns in your writing.

You know the type: one that requires you to fill in the blanks by finding the correct word from a course reading or one that asks you to do nothing more than underline vocabulary words.

While this type of assignment keeps you busy for an hour or so, in the end, you walk away learning nothing (except how to waste time).

If you don’t know how to annotate a text properly and just start writing and highlighting for the sake of completing a task, annotation can be one of those great time-wasters.

If you know how to annotate a text correctly, though, annotation can be an amazing tool that will not only help you understand information but also be useful when researching.

Need a little convincing of the value of annotation? Here’s what you need to know in order to annotate a text properly.

What Is Annotation?

In the simplest of terms, annotation is another term for note-taking.

In the simplest of terms, annotation is another term for note-taking.
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Most students are used to taking notes while listening to a lecture and jotting down a few notes when reading a course assignment.

Annotation, however, means that you’re more involved in the text itself.

You’re writing (or typing) directly on the document to help you remember (and better understand) important information.

Basic annotations can involve a variety of different strategies:

• Underlining, circling, or highlighting key terms or concepts.
• Asking questions. (These questions might be questions about concepts or arguments that you don’t understand, or questions about the topic itself.)
• Summarizing main ideas, arguments, or counterarguments.

If you’re a little more creative, you might find that drawing images, graphs, or charts can also help you visualize and remember key points.

While annotation can involve any or all of the strategies mentioned above, you don’t always have to use each strategy every time you annotate. How you annotate depends on your purpose for annotation.

Why Annotation Is Helpful

You may be thinking that all that circling, underlining, and writing of notes is more of a waste of time than anything. You might be thinking that you’d have lots more time to actually write your paper if you didn’t spend time annotating.

Yes and no. While it’s true that you may have more time to write your paper, it may not be as well-written as if you had annotated your sources.

And if you fail to annotate, you may end up taking a lot longer to write your paper than you might think.

Below are two reasons that annotation is helpful (and how it can actually save you time).

Annotation can help you understand (and therefore remember) information

If you read through something quickly, you tend to skip over words and miss key ideas. You might get to the end of an entire piece without really understanding what you’ve read.

If you annotate, however, you can note key points, summarize ideas, and ask questions. This interaction with the text forces you to slow down and think about what you just read.

Annotation can help you write a better research paper (and help you write it faster)

Though you might think that taking notes on all of your resources isn’t necessary and takes up too much time, it can actually be very beneficial and a time-saver.

When you read through sources, taking notes on the information helps you not only understand the information more completely, but also remember where the information is located.

Here’s a quick example. Let’s say you have seven journal articles as sources for your paper. If you’re using articles from professional journals, each article could easily range from 10-20 pages.

If you read the information but don’t annotate the articles, how will you remember where that perfect quote was? How will you remember what the key point of the article was that you wanted to include in your paper?

Annotation helps you keep track of the information you want to use in your paper. Then when it comes time to writing, you can locate it quickly and avoid wasting time searching through pages and pages of text.

How to Annotate a Text With Purpose

Many students only annotate when it’s a required course assignment. While this is certainly a good reason, there are other reasons you should annotate. For instance, you might annotate to understand content, respond to a prompt, or examine literary or rhetorical strategies.

Your purpose for annotating will inevitably change how and what you annotate, so understand your purpose before you begin reading AND have a goal in mind while you annotate.

Here are a few annotation strategies (based on your purpose for annotating):

• Annotate to understand the content and/or learn key vocabulary. Highlight thesis statements, summarize main ideas, and circle or highlight important terms. (Writing definitions in the margins can also be a useful way to remember more challenging terms.)

• Annotate to respond to a specific question or assignment prompt. If you’re asked to include personal reactions or relate the writing to your own life, look for those sections that you react to most strongly. If you’re asked to evaluate, analyze, or simply summarize, then you’ll annotate to answer the prompt. In other words, if you’re asked to analyze an argument, don’t simply include whether you agree or disagree—focus on analysis.

• Annotate to examine a text for literary or rhetorical strategies. While you may not be able to identify some literary or rhetorical strategies on the first read, it’s important that you keep them in mind and jot down points if you notice them. On your second and third reads, take note of the specific strategies you’re examining. If, for instance, your focus is character analysis, look for physical descriptions, comments, and actions that reveal character. If you’re looking for effectiveness of arguments, look for examples, statistics, and other evidence that supports the writer’s claims.

Example Annotations

Like the idea of annotating and think you can make it work for you but aren’t sure what actual annotations might look like? Here are two examples showing how to annotate a text for inspiration.

Example #1: Nonfiction annotations

Article excerpt from: Social Connection Makes a Better Brain by Emily Esfahani Smith

Purpose of annotation: To understand the content of the article. Annotations consist of highlighting key points and summarizing main ideas in the margins.

Take Note:

• Keep highlighted text to a minimum. Notice that in this example only a few key points are highlighted. Don’t go highlighter crazy just because you can. Huge numbers of highlighted sections just change the color of the text. If everything is highlighted, nothing stands out.

• Keep summaries brief. Notice that this example summarizes paragraphs in one or two sentences. Don’t paraphrase the entire paragraph. Hit only the key points. This will help you get the basics down and help you refresh your memory when you review the source again.

Download this nonfiction annotation as a PDF.

Example #2: Literary annotations

Short story excerpt from: Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? by Joyce Carol Oates

Purpose of annotation: Character analysis. Annotations consist of a few key highlights and summarizing and analyzing the protagonist’s thoughts, feelings, and actions.

Take Note:

• Annotations should not only summarize but should also make connections. Remember, when analyzing literature, it’s not enough to simply identify information. You’re trying to figure out what it all means. In this sample annotation, comments examine Connie’s words and actions in an attempt to further understand her as a character.

Download this literary annotation as a PDF.

What to Do Once You’ve Annotated

Now that you’ve learned how to annotate a text properly and have a whole bunch of notes, what do you do next? Take those notes, and turn them into an essay!

Need help managing your time in the essay-writing process? Read How to Manage Time Better When Writing (and Living Your Life).

If you’re in need of a little help with the finer points of various types of essays, try reading some example essays that other students have written on the same topic. Here are a few posts that can also help you get on the right track:

• Six Popular Types of Essays: Your Survival Guide
• How to Write a Literary Analysis That Works
• How to Write a Research Paper: A Step-by-Step Guide

If you’re struggling with turning your annotations into a draft, let the experts at Kibin add a few annotations of their own to provide some useful writing and revising advice.

You might recognize this quote as part of the poem on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty. It has almost become synonymous with immigrants coming to the United States in pursuit of the American Dream. If you decide to invest or even live in Portugal, you may need to apply for a golden visa portugal.

But if this quote and the Statue of Liberty are where your knowledge of immigration ends, you’ll need a little help supporting your immigration essay.

Here are 12 sources to get you started.

12 Helpful Sources to Support Your Immigration Essay

I’ve divided the list of 12 sources into categories covering the basics of immigration, facts and statistics, news, anti-immigration, and proponents of immigration.

I’ve included a brief summary of each source, an APA and MLA 8 citation*, and a few example essays to help get your brain waves in motion.

*For sources for whole websites, the APA and MLA 8 citations provided are for one resource item from the website rather than a citation for the whole website.

Immigration Websites

These two websites focus solely on immigration and provide a variety of facts and resources for both the general public and immigrants.

Even if you don’t end up citing one of these websites in your final paper, because the sites cover so many subtopics related to immigration, you may find them extremely helpful in narrowing your topic.

#1: American Immigration Council

The American Immigration Council is a non-profit organization designed to assist immigrants by providing resources and legal counsel.

The website covers a wide array of informational topics, including immigration and the workforce, the impact of immigration, and humanitarian protection.

This website could prove to be an excellent resource if you wish to explore the steps immigrants must take to work in the United States or to become U.S. citizens.

MLA 8 Citation (example page from website)

Feliz, Wendy. “How the Diversity Visa Lottery Honors American Values.” American Immigration Council, 1 Nov. 2017, immigrationimpact.com/2017/11/01/immigrant-visa-lottery-honors-american-values/.

APA Citation (example page from website)

Feliz, W. (2017). How the diversity visa lottery honors American values. Retrieved from http://immigrationimpact.com/2017/11/01/immigrant-visa-lottery-honors-american-values/

#2: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

This government website is part of the Department of Homeland Security and offers tools for immigrants, including information about working in the United States, obtaining a U.S. Green Card, and obtaining U.S. citizenship.

The Tools section of the site also contains immigration and citizenship data.

MLA 8 Citation (example page from website)

“Path to U.S. Citizenship.” U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, www.uscis.gov/us-citizenship/citizenship-through-naturalization/path-us-citizenship.

APA Citation (example page from website)

Path to U.S. citizenship. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.uscis.gov/us-citizenship/citizenship-through-naturalization/path-us-citizenship

Immigration History, Facts, and Statistics

These three articles offer background information to help discuss the history of immigration both in the United States and in other parts of the world.

They also offer the facts and statistics you’ll need to help your audience understand just how many immigrants and migrants leave their homeland for another country.

#3: U.S. Immigration Before 1965

Part of A&E Networks, this article includes, as the title suggests, an overview of U.S. immigration before 1965. This article also links to several videos about Ellis Island that document U.S. immigration.

Looking for ideas on how to incorporate the history of immigration into your essay? Check out the example essay The Outstanding Effects of Immigration and Its Contribution to the History of America.

MLA 8 Citation

“U.S. Immigration Before 1965.” History.com, 2009, www.history.com/topics/u-s-immigration-before-1965.

APA Citation

U.S. immigration before 1965. (2009). Retrieved from http://www.history.com/topics/u-s-immigration-before-1965

Stuck on Your Essay?

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#4: Immigration Data & Statistics

This page from the Department of Homeland Security provides ample facts and a number of reports regarding immigration data.

MLA 8 Citation

“Immigration Data & Statistics.” Department of Homeland Security, 9 Jan. 2018, www.dhs.gov/immigration-statistics.

APA Citation

Immigration data & statistics. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.dhs.gov/immigration-statistics

#5: International Migration: Key Findings From the U.S., Europe and the World

Published by the PEW Research Center, this source passes the CRAAP Test with flying colors. The article is clear, specific, and objective. It also includes data from as recently as 2016 regarding migration patterns in the United States, Europe, and other parts of the world.

Migration takes many different forms, so if you want to focus on specific types of immigration as they relate to various countries, read The Migration Types in Different Countries for a little writing inspiration.

MLA 8 Citation

Connor, Phillip. “International Migration: Key Findings From the U.S., Europe, and the World.” Pew Research Center, 15 Dec. 2016, www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/12/15/international-migration-key-findings-from-the-u-s-europe-and-the-world/.

APA Citation

Connor, P. (2015). International migration: Key findings from the U.S., Europe, and the world. Retrieved from http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/12/15/international-migration-key-findings-from-the-u-s-europe-and-the-world/

Immigration in the News

These two news websites offer the latest updates (and archived articles) about immigration.

Remember that news changes quickly, so if you’re reading a breaking news story (or perhaps an archived story), the details can change within hours or even minutes.

While it’s of course important to include current information in your paper, it’s also important that you review stories to make sure that you’re including the most accurate, up-to-date information.

Also, keep in mind that most news sources are not completely non-partisan and therefore contain some bias. Thus, you should always carefully review information by checking the facts in an article with other information you’ve located through your research.

#6: Politico

Launched in 2007, Politico claims to offer a non-partisan perspective of current news. The ability to remain non-partisan increases this site’s credibility, so it’s certainly an acceptable research source.

This site also links to a selection of political cartoons. If you’re looking for a way to start a conversation about a specific topic on immigration, try basing your discussion on one of these cartoons. It’s a great way to analyze current topics and argue policy.

MLA 8 Citation (example news article, web only) 

Marinucci, Carla. “Sessions Lashes Out at California Officials for Resisting Immigration Orders.” Politico, 7 Mar. 2018, www.politico.com/story/2018/03/07/jeff-sessions-california-immigration-444387.

APA Citation (example news article, web only) 

Marinucci, C. (2018). Sessions lashes out at California officials for resisting immigration orders. Retrieved from https://www.politico.com/story/2018/03/07/jeff-sessions-california-immigration-444387

#7: Los Angeles Times—Immigration

Like most news sources, the Los Angeles Times has done its fair share of reporting on immigration. A search of LA Times articles will produce not only a list of current topics but also a lengthy history of articles.

This can be extremely useful if you’re attempting to create a timeline of specific immigration policies.

MLA 8 Citation (example news article, print/web publication)

Hennessey-Fiske, Molly. “U.S. Is Separating Immigrant Parents and Children to Discourage Others, Activists Say.” Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2018, www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-immigrant-family-separations-2018-story.html.

APA Citation (example news article, print/web publication)

Hennessey-Fiske, M. (2018, February 20). U.S. is separating immigrant parents and children to discourage others, activists say. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-immigrant-family-separations-2018-story.html

Anti-Immigration Groups

These two websites focus on anti-immigration efforts in the United States. Such groups have been known to be radical and biased—and thus sometimes skew data in their favor. So it’s important to use caution when reviewing information.

If you’re in favor of immigration, you might use these sites to illustrate the opposing view in your counterargument. If you’re against immigration, you can certainly consider these sources as part of your argument, but do so carefully.

In either case, make sure to fact-check information before using it in your own paper.

Make sure to fact-check information before using it in your own paper.
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#8: FAIR

FAIR was established by John H. Tanton in 1978, so it’s a well-established anti-immigration group in the United States.

The site offers specific resources geared toward individual groups, such as students, media, and the general public.

As you review this website, remember the group focuses on anti-immigration. This means that all information you’ll read on this site is intended to convince readers of the negative aspects of immigration. Given that, it fails to illustrate any positive aspects of immigration.

MLA 8 Citation (example page from website)

O’Brien, Matthew, and Spencer Raley. “The Fiscal Cost of Resettling Refugees in the United States.” Federation for American Immigration Reform, 5 Feb. 2018, fairus.org/issue/legal-immigration/fiscal-cost-resettling-refugees-united-states.

APA Citation (example page from website)

O’Brien, M., & Raley, S. (2018). The fiscal cost of resettling refugees in the United States. Retrieved from https://fairus.org/issue/legal-immigration/fiscal-cost-resettling-refugees-united-states

#9: Americans for Immigration Control

On its website, Americans for Immigration Control states that it is a “non-partisan grassroots activist organization” with a goal of stopping illegal immigration, limiting legal immigration, and securing the nation’s borders.

Though this website claims to have members from many races and creeds, the site also links to more radical anti-immigrant websites.

Once again, it’s important to mention that the data presented on this site works to convince readers that immigrants are harming the country and that immigration should be stopped. It does not present any information to support immigration.

Thus, carefully review the information to determine how you might best incorporate this type of site into your research paper.

MLA 8 Citation (example page from website)

“The Wall Can Pay for Itself.” Americans for Immigration Control, 13 Mar. 2018, www.aicfoundation.com/the-wall-can-pay-for-itself/.

APA Citation (example page from website)

The wall can pay for itself. (2018). Retrieved from http://www.aicfoundation.com/the-wall-can-pay-for-itself/

Immigration Proponents

These three resources support immigration and acknowledge both the struggles and contributions of immigrants.

Though some may argue that these types of sites only illustrate the positive aspects of immigration, their purpose is not necessarily to convince readers. Given that, they are far less likely to skew data or information.

Thus, using these sources means you don’t need to be as concerned about bias as you might be when reviewing anti-immigration sites.

#10: Immigration Advocates Network

This organization provides free services to connect immigrants and partners with law firms to help immigrants with legal matters. Its goal is to “…increase access to justice for immigrants and strengthen the capacity of organizations serving them.”

Most of the non-news content is restricted to members only, but the website includes links to recent news updates and links to a number of immigration organizations. That makes it a great place to look for relevant research sources.

If you’re writing about the network itself, though, the About page provides some useful information.

MLA 8 Citation (example page from website)

“About.” Immigration Advocates Network, Pro Bono Net, www.immigrationadvocates.org/nonprofit/about/.

APA Citation (example page from website)

About. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.immigrationadvocates.org/nonprofit/about/

#11: United We Dream

United We Dream is the self-proclaimed “largest immigrant youth-led community in the country.” Its goal is to help people find their voices and empower youth to fight for justice.

The website offers a variety of articles, tools, reports, and resources for immigrants. It even provides some tools in multiple languages.

If your immigration essay focuses on youth, this website could be an excellent resource to help explain the specific struggles young immigrants face. The site could also be used as a resource for a larger discussion about how immigration affects all age groups.

Writing an essay about the positive contributions of immigrants? Read The Benefits of Employing Immigrants in the Workplace to see how one writer tackled the topic.

MLA 8 Citation (example for report from website)

Pérez, Zenén  Jaimes, et al. Immigration Raids: The Real Impact. United We Dream, Jan. 2016, unitedwedream.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Report-Hotline-raids-1.pdf.

APA Citation (example for report from website)

Pérez, Z. J.,  Canizales, C., & Ochoa, R. A. (2016). Immigration raids: The real impact. Washington, DC: United We Dream. Retrieved from https://unitedwedream.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Report-Hotline-raids-1.pdf

#12: Immigrants (We Get the Job Done)

Looking for something other than a standard news article or organization website to cite in your immigration essay? Check out this video that brings attention to immigration using hip-hop to send a powerful message.

Lin-Manuel Miranda (the creator of the hit musical Hamilton) is one of the executive producers of the mini-film. This video is posted on NPR’s website and includes a brief article that provides a bit of background information about the video.

Interested in incorporating Lin-Manuel Miranda or the story of Alexander Hamilton—who was an immigrant—in your paper? Check out this sample essay for ideas.

Do you want to tell the story of one immigrant who got the job done, or are you writing a case study? Look no further! This sample essay contains both and may be just the inspiration you need for your own paper.

MLA 8 Citation

Flanagan, Andrew. “Watch Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Stunning New Video For ‘Immigrants (We Get the Job Done).’” NPR, 28 June 2017, www.npr.org/event/music/534746532/watch-lin-manuel-mirandas-stunning-new-video-for-immigrants-we-get-the-job-done.

APA Citation

Flanagan, A. (2017). Watch Lin-Manuel Miranda’s stunning new video for ‘Immigrants (we get the job done).’ Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/event/music/534746532/watch-lin-manuel-mirandas-stunning-new-video-for-immigrants-we-get-the-job-done

Look How Far You’ve Come

You started reading this post looking for sources for your immigration essay. At this point, hopefully, you’ve found at least a few that are suitable for your paper.

If you’re looking for even more ideas for sources, check out 5 Best Resources to Help With Writing a Research Paper.

If you have plenty of sources but need help putting it all together, here are a few posts to help:

• 6 Prewriting Strategies to Get Your Essay Rolling
• How to Craft a Research Paper Outline
• How to Write a Term Paper Without Losing Your Mind
• Contemporary and Controversial: How to Write a Powerful Social Issues Essay 

Have a draft and ready to get the job (of revising) done? Let a Kibin editor help!

Some people may automatically think Reefer Madness and see the film as an extreme exaggeration of users. Others may see it as a film with some underlying bit of truth to the dangers of marijuana.

Still others may think of a marijuana user as an average person, one who smokes marijuana and who’s no different than the average cigarette smoker. If you are also a cannabis enthusiast, consider visiting Island Now to learn how can you pass a drug test.

What about the other type of marijuana user, though? How might you classify the person who doesn’t smoke marijuana for recreational use but instead smokes it for medicinal purposes?

Should marijuana be legal for both recreational use and medicinal use? Should only medical marijuana be legalized? Should all forms of marijuana be illegal?

No matter your stance on the topic, if you’re going to write a medical marijuana essay, it’s a good idea to gather some credible sources to support your paper. Learn more at Exhale Wellness. Visit http://www.bulkcannabis.cc/ if you want to explore cannabis products that you can order in Canada.

Here are 12 sources to help you get started with the research process.

12 Smart Sources to Support Your Medical Marijuana Essay

The broad topic of medical marijuana lends itself to all types of papers.

You don’t, however, have stick with the argument of whether medical marijuana should be legalized or the pros and cons of medical marijuana legalization (unless that’s actually your required assignment).

Consider different angles on the topic, such as whether children should use marijuana for medicinal purposes. Try writing about stories about marijuana use and how it has affected people (either positively or negatively).

In this type of paper, be sure to use examples from your research—unless, of course, you’re writing a narrative essay. Or you might look at medical marijuana from a scientific angle to examine its properties and varied uses for medicinal purposes.

No matter how you decide to narrow your topic for a medical marijuana essay, it helps to have a broad base of understanding.

In this post, I’ve included 12 marijuana legalization articles that provide some basic facts about the subject, discuss personal stories, examine medical marijuana for kids, and argue against legalization.

I’ve included a brief summary of each article and both an MLA 8 and APA citation to help you with documentation if you decide to use any of these sources in your medical marijuana essay. If you are looking for some of the best delta 8 brands, US Magazine will share their knowledge of the best delta-8 brands they finalized after doing extensive research.

Facts and Background Information About Medical Marijuana

Article #1: Medical Marijuana FAQ

WebMD publishes relatively basic, yet credible medical information, and this article provides an overview of medical marijuana. It includes information about how to obtain medical marijuana, where it’s legal, and how it can be used to treat various medical problems.

MLA 8 Citation

“Medical Marijuana FAQ.” WebMD, www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/medical-marijuana-faq#1.

APA Citation

Medical marijuana FAQ. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/medical-marijuana-faq#1

Article #2: Marijuana as Medicine

This article states that the marijuana plant is not considered medicine and isn’t legal. However, chemicals in the plant (called cannabinoids) are permitted in two FDA-approved medicines.

Because this article is published on a government website, it’s a credible website for a research essay.

MLA 8 Citation

“Marijuana as Medicine.” National Institute on Drug Abuse, www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana-medicine.

APA Citation

Marijuana as medicine. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana-medicine

Article #3: Medical Marijuana in the U.S. – Statistics & Facts

Published by Statista, “…one of the leading statistics companies on the internet,” this resource includes a brief overview of medical marijuana. It includes a variety of statistics, such as the number of cannabis businesses in the United States, the average price of marijuana per gram, and in which states it’s legal to smoke marijuana.

MLA 8 Citation

“Medical Marijuana in the U.S. – Statistics & Facts.” Statista.com. www.statista.com/topics/3064/medical-marijuana-in-the-us/.

APA Citation

Medical marijuana in the U.S. – Statistics & facts.” (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.statista.com/topics/3064/medical-marijuana-in-the-us/

Personal Stories and Opinions About Marijuana Legalization

Article #4: Medical Marijuana: Planting Green to Make Green?

This editorial, written by the Bristol Herald Courier staff, encourages readers to consider whether marijuana legalization might be good for the Bristol, Virginia, area.

The writers suggest that legalization could bring new jobs to the area (while other manufacturing jobs are disappearing) and that legalization could also lead to a decrease in opioid-related deaths and overdoses.

MLA 8 Citation

“Medical Marijuana: Planting Green to Make Green?” Bristol Herald Courier, 21 Sep. 2017, www.heraldcourier.com/opinion/medical-marijuana-planting-green-to-make-green/article_2118a5c8-c1f7-5a3d-882d-9cadd2ca08d3.html.

APA Citation

Medical marijuana: Planting green to make green? (2017, September 21). Bristol Herald Courier. Retrieved from http://www.heraldcourier.com/opinion/medical-marijuana-planting-green-to-make-green/article_2118a5c8-c1f7-5a3d-882d-9cadd2ca08d3.html

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Article #5: Adventures in Medical Marijuana With My 80-Year-Old Mother

Page Barnes is keeping a journal to chronicle the journey that she and her mother travel as her mother faces a terminal lung cancer diagnosis. This article is Part II of the journal.

In the article, the writer talks about how she and her mother visit a dispensary seeking the cannabidiol recommended by her mother’s doctor. The article doesn’t advocate for or against marijuana legalization. It also doesn’t state whether her mother has been helped by the drug. This article merely describes their journey.

MLA 8 Citation

Barnes, Page. “Adventures in Medical Marijuana with My 80-Year-Old Mother.” HuffPost.com, Oath Inc., 19 Oct. 2017, www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/adventures-in-medical-marijuana-with-my-80-year-old_us_59e8e14fe4b077c789918b5e.

APA Citation

Barnes, P. (2017). Adventures in medical marijuana with my 80-year-old mother. Retrieved from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/adventures-in-medical-marijuana-with-my-80-year-old_us_59e8e14fe4b077c789918b5e

Article #6: Medical Marijuana: A Personal Story, a Personal Tragedy

The writer of this article tells the story of Daryl Bertrand. Bertrand was diagnosed with degenerative disc disease in 2003.

After 18 months of continued suffering with traditional painkillers (which led to liver failure), Bertrand began growing cannabis to help with pain. After breaking his back in 2008 and having two surgeries, Bertrand continued his use of cannabis.

When Bertrand took his computer in for repairs after it contracted a virus, the computer repair company alerted the police about pictures of Bertrand’s marijuana plants found on the computer.

Police obtained a warrant and thought they would seize plants and shut down an illegal business. Bertrand and his wife eventually pleaded guilty to growing (not selling) marijuana, paid a fine, and were put on probation.

Both Bertrand and his wife struggled to find work, and he’s no longer able to grow or use cannabis. He argues that use of marijuana, for him, is not about recreation but about survival. He feels that the laws surrounding marijuana and its legalization are unjust.

MLA 8 Citation

Ventimiglia, Jack. “Medical Marijuana: A Personal Story, A Personal Tragedy.” Daily Star-Journal, NPG Printing, 18 Sep. 2014, www.dailystarjournal.com/news/local/medical-marijuana-a-personal-story-a-personal-tragedy/article_dd44543f-53ed-5f77-9b17-cb3151eacc64.html.

APA Citation

Ventimiglia, J. (2014, September 18). Medical marijuana: A personal story, a personal tragedy. Daily Star-Journal. Retrieved from http://www.dailystarjournal.com/news/local/medical-marijuana-a-personal-story-a-personal-tragedy/article_dd44543f-53ed-5f77-9b17-cb3151eacc64.html

Children and Medical Marijuana

Article #7: Pot Kids

Published by the respected news magazine Time, this article tells the story of several families who use medical marijuana to treat their children’s illnesses (generally epileptic seizures).

Though some doctors agree on the potential benefits of the drug, many are concerned that not all children are helped by the drug. Many doctors also worry that, because marijuana sales often aren’t strictly regulated, parents could be putting their children in danger.

This article also links to a short documentary about children and medical marijuana.

MLA 8 Citation

Pickert, Kate. “Pot Kids.” Time, 2017, www.time.com/pot-kids/.

APA Citation

Pickert, K. (2017). Pot kids. Time. Retrieved from http://www.time.com/pot-kids/

Article #8: Medical Marijuana for Kids?

This article highlights the cases of several children and their parents who have turned to marijuana when all other more conventional medicines have failed.

Even though some states allow medical marijuana, the federal government still doesn’t recognize marijuana as a legal drug. Some doctors, however, feel that the drug should be considered (on a case-by-case basis) to determine whether it would be not only safe but also beneficial for minors.

MLA 8 Citation

Swartz, Aimee. “Medical Marijuana for Kids?” The Scientist, 17 July 2013. www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/36576/title/Medical-Marijuana-for-Kids-/.

APA Citation

Swartz, A. (2013, July 17). Medical marijuana for kids? The Scientist. Retrieved from http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/36576/title/Medical-Marijuana-for-Kids-/

Article #9: Parents Demand Medical Marijuana for Epileptic Kids

Children who are using medical marijuana to help alleviate seizures are the focus of this article. Medical professionals aren’t in agreement as to whether cannabidiol (CBD) is safe and effective for children. But parents who have treated their epileptic children with medical marijuana advocate for legalization.

This article also links to several short videos and articles about the subject.

MLA 8 Citation

Talamo, Lex, Calah Kelley, and Nick Swyter. “Parents Demand Medical Marijuana for Epileptic Kids.” NBC.com, 18 Aug. 2015,  www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/parents-demand-medical-marijuana-epileptic-kids-n411186.

APA Citation

Talamo, L., Kelley, C., & Swyter, N. (2015). Parents demand medical marijuana for epileptic kids. Retrieved from https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/parents-demand-medical-marijuana-epileptic-kids-n411186

Articles Against Medical Marijuana Legalization

Article #10: An Argument Against Legalizing Marijuana

Though the author of this opinion piece acknowledges that marijuana legalization would regulate the drug and possibly increase federal revenues, he ultimately argues against legalization.

His reasons for opposing legalization include the possibility of increased human costs, which include dependency and increased marijuana consumption.

MLA 8 Citation

Chapman, Robert J. “An Argument Against Legalizing Marijuana.” Higher Education Center, 18 Feb. 2016, www.hecaod.osu.edu/an-argument-against-legalizing-marijuana/.

APA Citation

Chapman, R. J. (2016). An argument against legalizing marijuana. Retrieved from http://www.hecaod.osu.edu/an-argument-against-legalizing-marijuana/

Article #11: Ten Reasons to Vote Against Medical Marijuana in Florida

This article explains 10 reasons that Kevin Sabet believes medical marijuana should not be legalized. Sabet is a University of Florida professor and the director of the drug policy institute at the university. Sabet is also co-founder and director of Smarter Approaches to Marijuana (SAM).

Among Sabet’s reasons for arguing against legalization are the potential risks to children as attitudes toward marijuana soften, the idea that other medical alternatives exist, and the fact that the petition (in Florida) wasn’t crafted by medical professionals.

MLA 8 Citation

Swanson, Jess. “Ten Reasons to Vote Against Medical Marijuana in Florida.” Broward Palm Beach New Times, 1 Apr. 2014, www.browardpalmbeach.com/news/ten-reasons-to-vote-against-medical-marijuana-in-florida-6448172.

APA Citation

Swanson, J. (2014, April 1). Ten reasons to vote against medical marijuana in Florida. Broward Palm Beach New Times. Retrieved from http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/news/ten-reasons-to-vote-against-medical-marijuana-in-florida-6448172

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Article #12: Pediatricians Oppose Medical Marijuana, With Some Exceptions

This article explains the stance of leading pediatricians regarding medical marijuana. They believe that, overall, the drug should not be legalized due to its potential risks.

The pediatricians do acknowledge, however, that in some instances the chemical compounds in marijuana may be used to successfully treat patients. They emphasize that further studies must be done.

MLA 8 Citation

Rettner, Rachael. “Pediatricians Oppose Medical Marijuana, with Some Exceptions.” LiveScience.com, 26 Jan. 2015, www.livescience.com/49565-marijuana-legalization-aap.html.

APA Citation

Rettner, R. (2015). Pediatricians oppose medical marijuana, with some exceptions. Retrieved from https://www.livescience.com/49565-marijuana-legalization-aap.html

Writing the Essay

Once you’ve narrowed your topic and have located sufficient sources to support your medical marijuana essay, it’s time to write your paper.

Here are two resources to help you put your ideas together.

• 6 Prewriting Strategies to Get Your Essay Rolling
• 7 Essay Outline Templates to Get Your Essay Going

Looking for a completed essay for inspiration? Check out these example medical marijuana essays from the Kibin database.

Finished with your essay but need a little more help with the finishing touches? Let the editors at Kibin review your work to help make sure it’s the best it can be.

No matter how many hours you work on your discrimination essay, if it isn’t good, your prof will let you know about it (no matter who you are).

How do you make sure your paper will make the grade?

Of course there are lots of ways to make your paper stand out, but two key aspects of any “A” paper are 1) a clear, narrowed focus and 2) solid evidence to support your claims.

First, consider your focus. Discrimination is a pretty broad topic. What aspect of discrimination will you focus on? You might write about age, pregnancy/maternity, sexual orientation, gender, religion, race, or disability discrimination.

Once you’ve decided on a focus, you’ll need solid evidence to support your ideas.

That’s where I come in. If you need a little help getting started with your research, here are 12 sources to support your discrimination essay.

Two keys parts of an “A” paper: 1) clear, narrowed focus and 2) evidence to support claims.
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12 Smart Sources to Support Your Discrimination Essay

I’ve divided this list of 12 sources into three categories: age discrimination, gender discrimination, and racial discrimination.

I’ve also included a brief description of each article, an MLA 8 and an APA citation for each source, a few writing suggestions, and several links to example papers.

4 Age Discrimination Sources

Article #1: The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967

This page is the text of the 1967 act against age discrimination.

Fair warning: this is a government website with lots of technical and legal wording, so it’s not exactly a quick read. It is, however, a nice choice if you want to provide background information to help readers understand the law itself.

This is a government website, so it easily passes the CRAAP Test.

MLA 8 Citation

“The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967.” U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/adea.cfm.

APA Citation

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967. (n.d.). U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Retrieved from https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/adea.cfm

Article #2: The Ugly Truth About Age Discrimination

The writer of this article tells her own story of being denied a job interview simply because of her age. She also explains that age discrimination is even more prevalent today because the employment process quickly makes one’s work history evident.

To reduce age discrimination, the writer suggests going into interviews with confidence and discussing business with interviewers rather than simply answering questions. This means that, as a candidate, you become a trusted friend rather than simply a candidate.

Thinking that this would make a great narrowed topic but aren’t sure how to organize your ideas? Try writing a compare and contrast essay about different types of interview strategies and whether they will affect age discrimination.

MLA 8 Citation

Ryan, Liz. “The Ugly Truth About Age Discrimination.” Forbes, 30 Jan. 2014, www.forbes.com/sites/lizryan/2014/01/31/the-ugly-truth-about-age-discrimination/#65c16cae44e7.

APA Citation

Ryan, L. (2014, January 30). The ugly truth about age discrimination. Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/lizryan/2014/01/31/the-ugly-truth-about-age-discrimination/#65c16cae44e7

Article #3: 10 Things You Should Know About Age Discrimination

Published by AARP, this article includes an overview of 10 things people should know about discrimination, such as the legalities involved in age discrimination, people’s views on age discrimination, and how to file charges if you’re a victim of discrimination.

MLA 8 Citation

Palmer, Kimberly. “10 Things You Should Know About Age Discrimination.” AARP, www.aarp.org/work/on-the-job/info-2017/age-discrimination-facts.html.

APA Citation

Palmer, Kimberly. (n.d.). 10 things you should know about age discrimination. Retrieved from https://www.aarp.org/work/on-the-job/info-2017/age-discrimination-facts.html

Article #4: Nearly 300 Have Joined Google Age Case

In short, this timely article discusses the fact that almost 300 people have joined a class action lawsuit against Google, claiming they faced age discrimination at work.

The article also contains the full text of the complete complaint. (Yes, this is another dry, wordy legal document, but don’t let that deter you. This can be an excellent resource when examining current cases and perhaps comparing and contrasting their merits.)

Want to read one writer’s analysis of age discrimination in the workplace? Read An Introduction to the Issue of Age Discrimination in Employment.

MLA 8 Citation

Elias, Jennifer. “Nearly 300 Have Joined Google Age Case.” Bizwomen, American City Business Journals, 9 Aug. 2017, www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/bizwomen/news/latest-news/2017/08/nearly-300-have-joined-google-age-case.html.

APA Citation

Elias, J. (2017, August 9). Nearly 300 have joined Google age case. Bizwomen. Retrieved from https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/bizwomen/news/latest-news/2017/08/nearly-300-have-joined-google-age-case.html

4 Gender Discrimination Sources 

Article #5: Sex Discrimination at Work

“Equal Rights Advocates (ERA) is a national civil rights organization dedicated to protecting and expanding economic and educational access and opportunities for women and girls.”

This article defines and offers examples of sex discrimination. It also provides information for those who feel that their rights have been violated.

This resource might be the perfect fit if you’re writing a process analysis essay as you can integrate the tips provided to illustrate the steps someone might take when facing discrimination.

MLA 8 Citation

“Sex Discrimination at Work.” Equal Rights Advocates,  www.equalrights.org/legal-help/know-your-rights/sex-discrimination-at-work/.

APA Citation

Equal Rights Advocates. (2015). Sex discrimination at work. Retrieved from https://www.equalrights.org/legal-help/know-your-rights/sex-discrimination-at-work/

Article #6: Could an Increase in Lawsuits End Sexism in Tech? Anita Hill Thinks So

Originally published by Business Insider, this article explains that famed lawyer Anita Hill feels the best way to end sexism in technology fields is for women to file class-action lawsuits if they face discrimination.

While Hill acknowledges the risks and barriers present in filing such suits, she also states that it’s important to bring the problem into the public eye.

Though this article focuses on sexism in US-based businesses, you may also consider writing about sexism in other countries. Check out An Introduction to the Issue of Sexism in the Workplace to learn more about sexism in the UK.

MLA 8 Citation

Peterson, Becky. “Could an Increase in Lawsuits End Sexism in Tech? Anita Hill Thinks So.” Yahoo! Finance, 10 Aug. 2017, finance.yahoo.com/news/could-increase-lawsuits-end-sexism-214100007.html.

APA Citation

Peterson, B. (2017). Could an increase in lawsuits end sexism in tech? Anita Hill thinks so. Retrieved from https://finance.yahoo.com/news/could-increase-lawsuits-end-sexism-214100007.html

Article #7: Google May Face Lawsuit Alleging Gender Discrimination

This Fox News article discusses a lawsuit filed by 60 women, both current and former employees of Google, who are claiming gender discrimination.

“The interviewed women told the attorney that they make roughly $40,000 less than their male counterparts working in the same position. One woman said her salary was two-thirds of a male colleague’s pay.”

If you’ve already done a fair amount of research on these types of lawsuits and want to argue the validity of the cases, brush up on your argument skills by reading How to Write a Winning Argument Essay.

MLA 8 Citation

Mikelionis, Lukas. “Google May Face Lawsuit Alleging Gender Discrimination.” Fox News, 9 Aug. 2017, www.foxnews.com/tech/2017/08/09/google-may-face-lawsuit-alleging-gender-discrimination.html.

APA Citation

Mikelionis, L. (2017). Google may face lawsuit alleging gender discrimination. Retrieved from http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2017/08/09/google-may-face-lawsuit-alleging-gender-discrimination.html

Article #8: Gender Discrimination: U.S. Supreme Court Cases

If you’re writing about gender discrimination and are looking for background information to establish the fact that many lawsuits have been filed over the years, this site is for you. The initial list includes a case from 1974.

The information presented in this brief article is published by Find Law, which provides free legal information. The website also provides legal assistance and legal forms, and allows users to research basic legal information.

MLA 8 Citation

“Gender Discrimination: U.S. Supreme Court Cases.” Find Law, Thomson Reuters, civilrights.findlaw.com/discrimination/gender-discrimination-u-s-supreme-court-cases.html.

APA Citation

Gender discrimination: U.S. supreme court cases. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.civilrights.findlaw.com/discrimination/gender-discrimination-u-s-supreme-court-cases.html

4 Racial Discrimination Sources

Article #9: Racial Discrimination Case Against Annapolis Dismissed

Though people most often think of racial discrimination against minorities, this article, published by Capital Gazette of Annapolis, focuses on a white man’s claim of racial profiling and discrimination.

The case claims that the man who filed the lawsuit “…was stopped multiple times for being white and driving through or near predominately African-American and Hispanic neighborhoods.” His case was ultimately dismissed.

Interested in reading another opinion regarding reverse discrimination? Read this example essay about affirmative action.

MLA 8 Citation

Cook, Chase. “Racial Discrimination Case Against Annapolis Dismissed.” Capital Gazette, 10 Aug. 2017, www.capitalgazette.com/news/annapolis/ph-ac-cn-discrimination-case-0811-20170810-story.html.

APA Citation

Cook, C. (2017, August 10). Racial discrimination case against Annapolis dismissed. Capital Gazette. Retrieved from http://www.capitalgazette.com/news/annapolis/ph-ac-cn-discrimination-case-0811-20170810-story.html

Article #10: My Mexican Husband Was Accused of Trafficking Our Daughter on a United Flight

Published by the popular (and credible) news source HuffPost, this article explains one family’s ordeal after the father of a young girl was accused of trafficking his own daughter.

Because the father is Mexican and the mother is of Irish descent, the three-year-old has lighter skin. Sadly, the incident stemmed from an intoxicated passenger who originally made the claim.

The father, of course, was ultimately cleared of any wrongdoing (but only after a long, trying process that involved airline staff and police).

Trying to figure out a way to incorporate this source? You might consider explaining how a well-meaning comment can lead to a false accusation.

MLA 8 Citation

Furfey, Maura. “My Mexican Husband Was Accused of Trafficking Our Daughter on a United Flight.” HuffPost, 17 April 2017, www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/my-mexican-husband-was-accused-of-trafficking-our-daughter_us_58f4adade4b01566972250cf”margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;”>Furfey, M. (2017). My Mexican husband was accused of trafficking our daughter on a united flight. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/my-mexican-husband-was-accused-of-trafficking-our-daughter_us_58f4adade4b01566972250cf”http://nypost.com/2017/04/26/mainstream-media-outlets-sued-for-racial-discrimination/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>Lawyer Sues Times, CNN, Fox News for Racial Discrimination

Like some of the previous articles in this list, this article discusses current discrimination cases.

“A half-dozen people have filed suits against the New York Times and Fox News, while as many as 175 current and former employees have contacted lawyers about joining a class-action suit against CNN.”

Are you thinking that your discrimination essay might discuss a variety of cases, but you’re struggling to put it all together? Try an outline or another form of prewriting.

MLA 8 Citation

Jaeger, Max. “Lawyers Sue Times, Fox, CNN News for Racial Discrimination.” New York Post, 26 April 2017, www.nypost.com/2017/04/26/mainstream-media-outlets-sued-for-racial-discrimination/.

APA Citation

Jaeger, M. (2017, April 26). Lawyers sue Times, Fox, CNN news for racial discrimination. New York Post. Retrieved from http://www.nypost.com/2017/04/26/mainstream-media-outlets-sued-for-racial-discrimination/.

Article #12: Charlottesville Mayor Largely Blames Trump for White Supremacist Violence

This Yahoo! News article explains that the mayor of Charlottesville essentially blames Donald Trump for the violence that erupted in Charlottesville because of Trump’s presidential campaign.

The mayor claims that Trump courted white supremacists and anti-Semitic groups and failed to condemn their beliefs and violent acts.

This source is related to the larger discussion of discrimination and how violence against (and hatred of) other racial groups affects not only individuals, but society as a whole.

If you’d like to read more about white supremacists’ influence, take a look at An Analysis of the Effect of Racism Since Early Development of Society in the United States.

MLA 8 Citation

Stableford, Dylan. “Charlottesville Mayor Largely Blames Trump for White Supremacist Violence.” Yahoo! News, 13 Aug. 2017, www.yahoo.com/news/charlottesville-mayor-largely-blames-trump-white-supremacist-violence-175055166.html.

APA Citation

Stableford, D. (2017). Charlottesville mayor largely blames Trump for white supremacist violence.” Retrieved from https://www.yahoo.com/news/charlottesville-mayor-largely-blames-trump-white-supremacist-violence-175055166.html

Still Not Sure If Your Paper Stands Out?

We’ve all been there. We’ve researched and outlined and sweated our way to a draft of an essay, but when it’s done, we look at it in despair, knowing something just isn’t quite right.

If you’re feeling that way now, follow these suggestions to help improve your discrimination essay:

• Try a reverse outline. This can help you see whether your paragraphs contain enough support and whether your arguments are well-organized.
• Read 15 Ways to Improve Your Academic Writing. Sometimes it’s the little things that can hurt a paper in a big way. Review this article to review the conventions of academic writing.
• Make sure your writing isn’t biased. A biased paper can ruin your credibility. So re-read your draft, and eliminate any bias.
• Get help from a professional. There’s no shame in getting help from professional Kibin editors. After all, they are experts in their field and can help make your paper stand above the rest.

]]> https://www.kibin.com/essay-writing-blog/sources-support-discrimination-essay/feed/ 0 https://www.kibin.com/essay-writing-blog/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-technology/ https://www.kibin.com/essay-writing-blog/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-technology/#respond Thu, 25 Jan 2018 01:00:52 +0000 https://www.kibin.com/blog/?post_type=essay-writing-blog&p=5817 Read more "10 Sources on the Advantages and Disadvantages of Technology to Support Your Essay"]]> Most of us think technology is pretty awesome—that is, until you go on a late-night fast food run and the drive-thru voice tells you that the credit card machine is down (and of course you have no cash to pay for your burger and fries).

Or maybe technology is great because you can take an online class, but it isn’t so great when none of your devices will connect to the internet, you can’t turn in your final exam, and your prof doesn’t accept computer or internet problems as an excuse for missed exams

In other words, technology is fabulous when everything runs smoothly but sucks when it doesn’t work the way you want it to.

Personal stories of tech fails might be perfect examples to help support a personal blog or an opinion essay about the advantages and disadvantages of technology. But if you’re writing a research paper, you’ll need more than personal anecdotes as support for your essay.

So if you’re ready to tackle the topic, here are 10 articles to get you started.

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In a research paper, you’ll need more than personal anecdotes as support for your essay.
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10 Sources on the Advantages and Disadvantages of Technology to Support Your Essay

If you’re writing about advantages and disadvantages of tech, don’t start writing about the first thing that pops into your mind. While this might be an excellent prewriting strategy, it’s not the smartest strategy to begin your actual paper.

Why? Because the topic is too broad.

Think about how long your list might be if you start writing about all the advantages and disadvantages you can think of. (That was a hint: start prewriting by making a list!)

Once you have a list, try grouping ideas together to focus and narrow your topic. Do you have several points about school, music, medicine, transportation, or commerce? If so, one of these might be the perfect topic for your paper.

In my list below, I’ve divided the articles into three categories: education, the workplace, and health care. Even if you’ve chosen to write about a different focus, don’t automatically dismiss these resources.

Remember, topics can overlap, so health care and the workplace might overlap with each other and with commerce.

Within this list, I’ve also included lots of other useful resources, such as summaries, essay suggestions, links to example papers, and entries for APA reference lists and MLA 8 Works Cited pages.

4 Articles on the Advantages and Disadvantages of Technology in Education

Article #1: The Disadvantages of Computers in Education

Published by an online-only Seattle newspaper, this article highlights disadvantages of computers in education and learning, including technology problems, handwriting and spelling skills, cheating, and financial concerns.

This article is brief and includes a list of items without a lot of detail. Because there isn’t a lot of detail provided, you might use this source for some basic information to help you focus more specifically on how technology affects education.

Both “education” and “technology” are pretty broad terms, but this article mentions low-income students and computer problems.

Thus, you might focus your paper solely on the problems low-income students might face or on how students might be forced to grapple with computer problems inside and outside of the classroom.

Think you won’t have enough to say about the topic if you narrow it? Check out Pearson, Amy. “The Disadvantages of Computers in Education.” Seattle Pi, Hearst Seattle Media, education.seattlepi.com/disadvantages-computers-education-1390.html.

APA Citation

Pearson, A. (n.d.). The disadvantages of computers in education. Retrieved from http://education.seattlepi.com/disadvantages-computers-education-1390.html

Article #2: Does Technology Belong in Classroom Instruction?

Published in the widely respected and credible Wall Street Journal, this article explores the role of technology in the classroom through two opposing views. The opposing viewpoints laid out could help you form a strong thesis for an argumentative essay.

In favor of tech in the classroom, published author Lisa Nielson works for the NYC Department of Education as its director of digital engagement and professional learning.

Nielson argues that technology improves education and lets student learn more creatively and in ways that aren’t possible without technology.

On the opposing side is José Antonio Bowen, the president of Goucher College and author of a book about taking technology out of the classroom. He argues against having too much tech in the classroom.

He thinks too much tech in the classroom makes it harder for students to focus, turns them into lazy thinkers, and effectively makes them less smart. He says, “Computers can teach us much about human knowledge, but they can’t teach us how to be human. Our phones are not really smart, and they can’t teach us how to be smart.”

This article includes a lot of information and opinion on both sides of the issue, so you could also use it to help narrow your focus. Since it highlights both positives and negatives, you might even decide that a pros and cons essay works best for your assignment.

MLA 8 Citation

“Does Technology Belong in Classroom Instruction?” Wall Street Journal, 10 May 2015, www.wsj.com/articles/does-technology-belong-in-classroom-instruction-1431100454.

APA Citation

Does technology belong in classroom instruction? (2015, May 10). Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from https://www.wsj.com/articles/does-technology-belong-in-classroom-instruction-1431100454

Article #3: Technology in Education: An Overview

Published by the journal Education Week, this article includes a discussion of how technology is being used in the classroom and how it’s evolving. This article also links to a set of videos about the subject (also created by Education Week).

Because technology permeates seemingly every part of education today, this article can provide some solid background for your paper to help your audience understand the prominence (and importance) of technology in our school systems.

Want even more ideas about how technology is used in the classroom? Read the example essay The Impact of Technology on the Evolution of Education.

MLA 8 Citation

Herold, Benjamin. Editorial Projects in Education Research Center. Issues A-Z: Technology in Education: An Overview. Education Week, Editorial Projects in Education, 5 Feb. 2016, www.edweek.org/ew/issues/technology-in-education/.

APA Citation

Herold, B. (2016, February 5).Technology in education: An overview. Education Week. Retrieved from http://www.edweek.org/ew/issues/technology-in-education/

Article #4: The Effects of Integrating Mobile Devices With Teaching and Learning on Students’ Learning Performance: A Meta-analysis and Research Synthesis

You can tell by the title of this article that it means business. This is a scholarly article originally published in the journal Computers & Education. 

The article examines the advantages and disadvantages of using mobile devices in learning. The authors conclude that individuals learned more effectively using laptops rather than the smaller, hand-held mobile devices.

If you’re looking for more scholarly articles like this one, check out 5 Best Resources to Help with Writing a Research Paper.

MLA 8 Citation

Sung,Yao-Ting, et al. “The Effects of Integrating Mobile Devices with Teaching and Learning on Students’ Learning Performance: A Meta-Analysis and Research Synthesis.” Computers & Education, vol. 94, 2016, pp. 252–75, doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2015.11.008.

APA Citation

Sung, Y., Chang, K., & Liu, T. (2016). The effects of integrating mobile devices with teaching and learning on students’ learning performance: A meta-analysis and research synthesis. Computers & Education, 94, 252–275. doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2015.11.008

3 Articles on the Advantages and Disadvantages of Technology in the Workplace

Article #5: 4 Ways to Use Technology in the Workplace to Motivate Employees

Directed at business managers, this article provides four ways to motivate workers. Tech in the workplace can increase collaboration, help managers review performance, provide feedback, and facilitate mobile learning.

If you’re focusing on motivating employees, you might argue why a specific type of tech motivation is the most effective. You might also examine various types of tech motivation techniques to compare and contrast the most effective strategies.

MLA 8 Citation

Straz, Matt. “4 Ways to Use Technology in the Workplace to Motivate Employees.” Entrepreneur, 23 Feb. 2015, www.entrepreneur.com/article/242961.

APA Citation

Straz, M. (2015, February 23). 4 ways to use technology in the workplace to motivate employees. Entrepreneur. Retrieved from http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/242961

Article #6: The Advantages and Disadvantages of Technology in the Workplace

Included in this article are five advantages and five disadvantages of tech on the job. One of the more unique disadvantages mentioned in this article is the idea that technology can make employees lazy.

Remember what I mentioned earlier about overlapping topics? (Hint: see Article #2.) You might use this source to support the idea that technology can make people lazy in various aspects of their lives: at work, at school, or in relationships.

MLA 8 Citation

Ramey, Karehka. “The Advantages and Disadvantages of Technology in the Workplace.” Use of Technology, 25 Feb. 2013, www.useoftechnology.com/technology-workplace-2/.

APA Citation

Ramey, K. (2013). The advantages and disadvantages of technology in the workplace. Use of Technology. Retrieved from http://www.useoftechnology.com/technology-workplace-2/

Stuck on Your Essay?

Check out thousands of example essays.

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Article #7: Technology’s Impact on Workers

Published by the respected Pew Research Center, this article reports the result of a study indicating that, although employers often fear technology will create distractions in the workplace, employees generally feel that they’re more productive with technology.

Workers also report that cellphones and the internet are the top technology tools needed to effectively do their jobs and that they often feel like they’re working more because of these tools.

Looking for another viewpoint on technology in the workplace? Check out this example essay.

MLA 8 Citation

Purcell, Kristen, and Lee Rainie. “Technology’s Impact on Workers.” Pew Research Center, 30 Dec. 2014, www.pewinternet.org/2014/12/30/technologys-impact-on-workers/.

APA Citation

Purcell, K., & Rainie, L. (2014). Technology’s impact on workers. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2014/12/30/technologys-impact-on-workers/

3 Articles on the Advantages and Disadvantages of Technology in Health Care

Article #8: Technology and the Future of Mental Health Treatment

This article focuses on mobile technology and the benefits and drawbacks on mental health treatment. A few of the listed benefits include convenience, anonymity, and 24-hour care. A few of the listed drawbacks include questions of effectiveness, privacy, and regulations.

A discussion of various health-related apps and links to additional resources are also included.

This article is published by The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This government website easily passes the CRAAP Test.

MLA 8 Citation

“Technology and the Future of Mental Health Treatment.” National Institute of Mental Health, Feb. 2017, www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/technology-and-the-future-of-mental-health-treatment/index.shtml.

APA Citation

Technology and the future of mental health treatment. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/technology-and-the-future-of-mental-health-treatment/index.shtml

Article #9: Online Counseling: Pros and Cons

This article provides a list of benefits and drawbacks to online counseling and is geared toward young people, who are more likely to turn to technology to get help with mental health concerns.

Benefits include accessibility, affordability, and anonymity. Drawbacks include effectiveness, ethical concerns, and lack of verbal and nonverbal cues.

This article also lists national services—such as Lifeline, Kids Helpline, Suicide Call Back Service, and Headspace—that have included online counseling in their services.

If you’re focusing on online counseling, here are just a few potential options:

• A compare and contrast essay to compare the effectiveness of various online services.
• A pros and cons essay to discusses various key points about online counseling.
• An opinion essay about online counseling if you’ve ever used the services.

(Need help with making an outline? Read 7 Essay Outline Templates to Get Your Essay Going.)

MLA 8 Citation

“Online Counseling: Pros and Cons.” ReachOut.com schools.au.reachout.com/articles/online-counselling-pros-and-cons.

APA Citation

Online counseling: Pros and cons. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://schools.au.reachout.com/articles/online-counselling-pros-and-cons

Article #10: Health IT Poses Advantages and Disadvantages to Underserved Populations

This article states that, while health IT can assist underserved populations by creating cheaper, more efficient services, it can also be a barrier for some populations, such as immigrants who fear giving out their personal information.

The article also includes links to additional articles about health and technology.

Read more about health IT applications in this example essay.

MLA 8 Citation

“Health IT Poses Advantages and Disadvantages to Underserved Populations.” TeraMedica, FUJIFILM Medical Systems, 26 Feb. 2013, www.teramedica.com/news/industry-news/emrs/health-it-poses-advantages-and-disadvantages-to-underserved-populations.

APA Citation

Health IT poses advantages and disadvantages to underserved populations. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.teramedica.com/news/industry-news/emrs/health-it-poses-advantages-and-disadvantages-to-underserved-populations

Use Technology to Your Advantage

If these 10 articles don’t provide all the evidence you need to support your essay, check out these additional resources:

• 20 Technology Addiction Articles to Support Your Persuasive Essay
• Effects of Video Games: 15 Articles for a Compelling Essay

For help with the basics of essay writing, check out these articles:

• How to Write an Essay Introduction in 3 Easy Steps
• How to Write a Thesis Statement in 5 Simple Steps
• How to Write a Killer Essay Conclusion

Finally, be sure to take advantage of one important advantage of technology and education: online editing. Submit your paper to let Kibin editors help you revise.

• How many social media sites do you use regularly?
• How many times per week do you log in to a social media site?
• How many hours per week do you spend on social media?

I’m guessing that, for some of you, the numbers are pretty high.

If you’re writing an argument paper about social media, you might be inclined to argue the positive aspects of social media.

If you’re one of those people who shuns social media and can’t stand the thought of another political Tweet, you might be more inclined to argue its negative aspects.

No matter how you feel about social media, if you’re writing an argumentative essay, you’ll need evidence (from sources) to support your claims.

Writing an argumentative essay? You’ll need evidence (from sources) to support your claims.
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Here are 12 social media articles to get you started with your research.

For each of the 12 articles, I’ve included a brief summary as well as citations for both MLA 8 and APA documentation. I’ve even included a few sample essays to inspire your own writing.

3 Social Media Articles About Teens and Social Media

1. Teens: This Is How Social Media Affects Your Brain

Published by CNN, this article explains that reward centers in teens’ brains were activated when they saw “likes” associated with their photos. Because teens are social and more likely to be influenced by peers, they are more susceptible to influences of social media.

Research also indicates that both teens and adults who use social media learn new skills—thus, their brains change. The article reports that the change is neither good nor bad. It’s simply an adaptation.

MLA 8 Citation

East, Susie. “Teens: This is How Social Media Affects Your Brain.” CNN, 1 Aug. 2016, www.cnn.com/2016/07/12/health/social-media-brain/index.html.

APA Citation

East, S. (2016). Teens: This is how social media affects your brain. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/12/health/social-media-brain/index.html

2. February 2016: Teens’ Social Media Use: How They Connect & What It Means for Health

This article is filled with statistics that illustrate how teens participate in social media. For instance, 94% of teens who go online use a mobile device to access the Internet, and 71% of teens use social media sites.

The article also mentions risks of social media use and includes links to help teens use social media more responsibly.

This article is published by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and easily passes the CRAAP Test.

Interested in seeing how one writer examined the positive and negative effects of social media? Check out The Direct Positive and Negative Influence of Online Social Networks on Their Users.

MLA 8 Citation

“February 2016: Teens’ Social Media Use: How They Connect & What It Means for Health.” HHS.gov, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Feb. 2016, www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/news/e-updates/february-2016-teens-social-media-use/index.html.

APA Citation

February 2016: Teens’ social media use: How they connect & what it means for health. (2016). Retrieved from https://www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/news/e-updates/february-2016-teens-social-media-use/index.html

3. Study Examines Suicides Publicized on Social Media and Teens’ ER Visits

The results of this study suggest “…that despite provincial funding initiatives and anti-bullying campaigns, ER visits for suicidal behavior in Ontario, Canada have been increasing among adolescents for the last five years. However, this increase should not necessarily be attributed to social media and future research should focus on elucidating other reasons for this worrisome trend.”

In other words, this study couldn’t establish a direct link between publicized deaths on social media and teens’ suicidal thoughts or visits to the ER.

MLA 8 Citation

American Academy of Pediatrics. “Study Examines Suicides Publicized on Social Media and Teens’ ER Visits.” MedicalXPress, 21 Oct. 2016, medicalxpress.com/news/2016-10-suicides-social-media-teens-er.html.

APA Citation

American Academy of Pediatrics. (2016). Study examines suicides publicized on social media and teens’ ER visits. Retrieved from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2016-10-suicides-social-media-teens-er.html

3 Social Media Articles About Politics and Social Media

4. The Political Environment on Social Media

According to a 2016 PEW Research Center study, most people were “worn out” by political news on social media and often felt frustrated with social media discussions about politics with friends and family.

The article contains numerous statistics. It also includes information about political content, tone, and political engagement on social media.

MLA 8 Citation

Duggan, Maeve and Aaron Smith. “The Political Environment on Social Media.” Pew Research Center, 25 Oct. 2016, www.pewinternet.org/2016/10/25/the-political-environment-on-social-media/.

APA Citation

Duggan, M., & Smith, A. (2016). The political environment on social media. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2016/10/25/the-political-environment-on-social-media/

5. Is Social Media to Blame for Political Polarization in America?

Published by the well-respected U.S. News & World Report, this article summarizes several research studies.

The study indicates that, although people are likely to seek out those with similar political ideologies, social media is not the sole reason for political polarization and extreme beliefs.

MLA 8 Citation

Soergel, Andrew. “Is Social Media to Blame for Political Polarization in America?” U.S. News & World Report, 20 March 2017, www.usnews.com/news/articles/2017-03-20/is-social-media-to-blame-for-political-polarization-in-america.

APA Citation

Soergel, A. (2017). Is social media to blame for political polarization in America? Retrieved from https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2017-03-20/is-social-media-to-blame-for-political-polarization-in-america

6. Did Social Media Ruin Election 2016?

This NPR article examines social media’s influence on the 2016 presidential election.

The author notes that the inherent way in which people (the general public, politicians, and those creating automated responses) use social media can create concern as it can be difficult to sort out real messages from fake ones.

Social media platforms can also focus on scandals rather than policy.

Check out An Argument Against the Notion That Social Media Can Cause Political Change to read one writer’s argument surrounding social media’s political influence.

MLA 8 Citation

Sanders, Sam. “Did Social Media Ruin Election 2016?” NPR, 8 Nov. 2016, www.npr.org/2016/11/08/500686320/did-social-media-ruin-election-2016.

APA Citation

Sanders, S. (2016). Did social media ruin election 2016? Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/2016/11/08/500686320/did-social-media-ruin-election-2016

3 Social Media Articles About Health and Social Media

7. Social Media: How Does It Affect Our Mental Health and Well-Being?

This article examines why people use social media and why they might become addicted.

It also discusses the results of a survey. Fifty-one percent of those surveyed felt that social media has negatively changed their behavior, and 55% felt worried or anxious if they were unable to log into their accounts.

Additionally, the article suggests that there may also be positive effects of social media, such as sharing positive and happy emotions with others.

Looking for another view on this topic? The sample essay A Discussion on Social Media as a Tool for Connecting People but Also Causing the Spread of Social Anxiety highlights negative health effects of social media.

MLA 8 Citation

Whiteman, Honor. “Social Media: How Does it Affect Our Mental Health and Well-being?” Medical News Today, Healthline Media, 10 June 2015, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/275361.php.

APA Citation

Whiteman, H. (2015). Social media: How does it affect our mental health and well-being? Retrieved from  http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/275361.php

8. Why Instagram Is the Worst Social Media for Mental Health

Published by Time, this article reports the results of a survey of 1,500 teens and adults.

The survey revealed that Instagram is “the worst social media for mental health” because it is “…associated with high levels of anxiety, depression, bullying and FOMO, or the ‘fear of missing out.’”

MLA 8 Citation

MacMillan, Amanda. “Why Instagram Is the Worst Social Media for Mental Health.” Time, 25 May 2017, time.com/4793331/instagram-social-media-mental-health/.

APA Citation

MacMillan, A. (2017, May 25). Why Instagram is the worst social media for mental health. Time. Retrieved from http://time.com/4793331/instagram-social-media-mental-health/

Stuck on Your Argumentative Essay?

Check Out These Example Arguments

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9. Social Media and Mental Health: “We Are More Than Our Profile Pictures”

When posting photos on social media, people usually include only photos that show them in the most positive light. Thus, as highlighted in this article, social media is often simply an illusion.

This illusion results from people who pretend to be one person online but may be very different in person. The illusion can also result from people who highlight only one aspect of their lives or personality on social media.

MLA 8 Citation

O’Brien, Sara Ashley. “Social Media and Mental Health: ‘We Are More Than Our Profile Pictures,’” CNN, 14 April 2016, money.cnn.com/2016/04/13/technology/amber-smith-pete-laws-social-media-anxiety/index.html.

APA Citation

O’Brien, S. A. (2016). Social media and mental health: “We are more than our profile pictures.” Retrieved from http://money.cnn.com/2016/04/13/technology/amber-smith-pete-laws-social-media-anxiety/index.html

3 Social Media Articles About Social Skills and Social Media

10. Social Media Is Actually Making You Socially Awkward

This brief article highlights our changing communications via social media.

The author argues that “speaking” primarily online not only can make it difficult to interpret people’s meanings through text but also can make people socially awkward. They no longer know how to communicate face-to-face.

MLA 8 Citation

Hall, Alena. “Social Media Is Actually Making You Socially Awkward.” HuffPost, 19 June 2014, www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/19/social-media-makes-you-socially-awkward_n_5512749.html.

APA Citation

Hall, A. (2014). Social media is actually making you socially awkward. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/19/social-media-makes-you-socially-awkward_n_5512749.html

11. The Impact of Social Media Use on Social Skills

This article highlights positive impacts of social media, such as staying in contact with family, enhancing learning skills, and collaborating online.

The article also discusses negative impacts of social media, such as cyberbullying, sexting, depression, and an increased risk of hindering social skills.

If you’re evaluating the credibility of this article, notice that it cites a number of credible sources. This makes it easy to verify the article’s content.

Bonus Tip: If you need more evidence to support your arguments, check the references listed in your sources. You may be able to use one of their references as a source for your own paper.

Read the sample essay “The Impact of Social Media Use on Social Skills.” New York Behavioral Health, newyorkbehavioralhealth.com/the-impact-of-social-media-use-on-social-skills.

12. Feeling Lonely? Too Much Time On Social Media May Be Why

Published by NPR, this article references a study that indicates, “while face-to-face social connectedness is strongly associated with well-being, it’s not clear what happens when those interactions happen virtually.”

Essentially, the more time you spend on social media sites (being virtually connected), the less likely you are to feel socially connected in real life.

MLA 8 Citation

Hobson, Katherine. “Feeling Lonely? Too Much Time On Social Media May Be Why.” NPR, 6 March 2017, www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/03/06/518362255/feeling-lonely-too-much-time-on-social-media-may-be-why.

APA Citation

Hobson, K. (2017). Feeling lonely? Too much time on social media may be why. Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/03/06/518362255/feeling-lonely-too-much-time-on-social-media-may-be-why

Writing and Revision Are Social Processes

If you’ve posted pictures of yourself on Instagram working on your paper or Tweeted that you could use a little help from your friends but still haven’t gotten the support you need, here are a few additional resources to help you put it all together.

If you need a few more social media articles or other sources for your argumentative essay, read 5 Best Resources to Help With Writing a Research Paper.

If you need a little help getting your paper started after narrowing down what articles will work for your paper, check out these outline templates.

Once you’ve drafted your paper, spend some time on revision. You can certainly revise your own paper, and I recommend you do, but it’s always a good idea to let someone else read your paper too.

While your friend or roommate might be a fine choice, another great suggestion is to let a trained professional (like a Kibin editor) provide feedback.

Stuck on Your Argumentative Essay?

Check Out These Example Arguments

Yes! Show Me Examples.

Another strange anomaly of researching in the dark ages? There was almost no need to evaluate sources because they were generally written and published by well-respected authors and outlets.

Not so today. Anyone can publish a website about anything, regardless of whether the information is true. (Think fake news.)

If you’ve decided to skip the visit to the library in favor of completing your research online, how do you know whether the information you’re reading is credible?

Let me provide a little insight on evaluating websites.

Evaluating Websites: What You Need to Know to Find Great Sources

Sure, it’s really quick to just use the first websites the pop up on your Google search, but there’s no guarantee that you’ll be citing appropriate sources for your paper.

If you want to use better sources (and get a better grade on your essay), here are a few tips for evaluating websites.

Decide whether the website is CRAAP

The CRAAP test is a simple test that evaluates the currency, relevance, authority, accuracy, and purpose of a website.

Here’s a quick run-down of each component:

• Currency: The website should be updated regularly. If the site isn’t maintained, the information is likely outdated and not useful for your paper.

• Relevance: The information should be relevant to your research.

• Authority: The website’s content should be written by people with appropriate credentials, such as academic degrees or other related experience in the subject.

• Accuracy: The website should be accurate. This refers to content as well as spelling or grammar errors. (If writers can’t pay attention to grammar, they may not pay attention to the accuracy of their information.)

• Purpose: Think about the website’s purpose. If the site is a commercial website (.com), its purpose is to sell something. Thus, the language and content might be biased. Look for more reliable research-appropriate websites, such as .edu or .org sites instead, as these sites are designed to inform and educate rather than persuade.

Want to know more? Read How to Apply the CRAAP Test to Your Essay Sources.

Watch out for these 3 red flags

Let’s say you’re doing some research, and you come across a few websites that you know nothing about. How can you really know if the information is legit?

1. Look out for wording that just doesn’t sound right

Ever read something and think to yourself, “That can’t be true, can it?” If you’re asking this question, chances are you’re probably right. It’s not true.

Check out this website for a drug called Havidol.

When you first land on the homepage, it looks real…that is until you really start to think about the name of the drug: Havidol. Sounds a little too much like “have it all,” doesn’t it?

If you didn’t pay much attention to the drug name and simply cited information, you’d be citing fake content about a fake drug. This site is nothing more than a spoof website meant to look like a website for a real prescription drug.

2. Look out for satirical “news” websites

Satirical “news” websites aren’t trying to write fake news to get people to believe lies. They’re writing satire. The website’s content, though, is designed to look real, and the articles may fool people if they aren’t paying attention (or are a little bit gullible).

Take The Onion for example. This website is comprised entirely of satire, yet you might mistake some information for truth.

Here’s a sample headline: Cackling Trump Reveals to Dinner Guests They’ve All Just Eaten Single Piece of His Tax Returns. This brief article is just as the title suggests. It explains that dinner guests ate pieces of President Trump’s tax returns.

Clearly, this is a bogus article, but those not familiar with the fact the Trump refuses to release his taxes may not understand the humor in the article.

3. Look out for biased websites

While it’s virtually impossible to eliminate all bias, look out for websites that have an agenda and websites that only present one side of the story.

BeefNutrition.org is an example of a potentially biased website.

The entire focus of the website is the nutritional benefits of beef. While the information on the site may be accurate, it’s likely that the content only supports one side of the argument: that beef is healthy and should be consumed by most everyone.

Don’t just rely on the name of the organization alone, however, to determine potential bias. Take a look at the “about us” section. If you know something about the sponsoring organization, you’ll know more about the purpose of the site.

For instance, the “about us” section of Beef Nutrition reads as follows:

“BeefNutrition.org is funded by the Beef Checkoff Program and managed by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, (a contractor to the Beef Checkoff). Registered dietitians and nutrition communication experts at NCBA work on behalf of America’s farmers and ranchers to provide the latest in beef research and resources to help you and your clients live better with lean beef.”

It’s clear from this description that the website is “pro beef” and is doing everything it can to promote beef consumption. This site isn’t likely to contain any potential negative information about beef.

The takeaway: Just because a source is a .org doesn’t mean it’s automatically an acceptable research source.

Just because a source is a .org doesn’t mean it’s automatically an acceptable research source.
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Now that you’re a pro at evaluating websites…

Where to Find Great Online Sources

With all this talk about what types of sources you shouldn’t use, there have to be at least a few good online sources, right? Of course!

Here are a few suggestions:

• Recent news: CNN, the NY Times, or NPR.
• Documentaries/educational programming: PBS, NatGeo, or Ted Talks.
• Scholarly sources: Read 5 Best Resources to Help With Writing a Research Paper.

You can also get more help with your research paper by reading these posts:

• How to Write a Research Paper: A Step-by-Step Guide
• How to Craft a Research Paper Outline

If, by chance, you’re reading this post because you need to write a paper about evaluating websites or other online information, you might want to read this example essay: Understanding Online Articles and Research Papers.

Not sure if you cited all your sources correctly? Let a Kibin editor check your essay (and your references).

Let the surfing (and researching) begin!