Comparative Source Analysis: Difference between revisions

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=='''Weekly Structure'''==
=='''Weekly Structure'''==
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=== Week 1: Primary Research ===   
=== Week 1: Knowledge/Literacy ===   
Overview: Develop primary research tools by designing surveys and interview questions, preparing transcripts, and gathering direct quotes to support their claims.
Overview: Focus on media literacy and knowledge, produces and values knowledge, why knowledge matters.
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*'''Key Sources on Primary Research'''
*'''Key Sources on Knowledge/Literacy'''


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! Name !! Description
! Name !! Description
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| Read: [[Primary Research Methods Explained]]|| This article introduces key types of primary research—like surveys, interviews, observations, and focus groups—offering practical guidance for collecting original data in academic and professional contexts.
| Watch: [[Media Literacy - The Power (and Responsibility) of Information]]||  
|-
|-
| Watch: [[Whose knowledge is good knowledge?]]||
|}
|}


*'''Alternative Materials on Primary Research'''
*'''Alternative Materials on Knowledge/Literacy'''


Some videos and texts might be useful for your class depending on your needs.
Some videos and texts might be useful for your class depending on your needs.
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! Name !! Description
! Name !! Description
|-
|-
| Watch: [[What are primary and secondary sources?]] || This short video introduces primary and secondary sources by explaining their key differences and how they are identified, evaluated, and used in academic research and writing.
| Watch: [[What is Media Literacy?]] ||
|-
|-
| Read: [[What is Primary Research and How do I get Started?]] || This video compares four primary research methods—focus groups, interviews, questionnaires, and online surveys—explaining their strengths and limitations to help students choose the most effective approach for their data collection.
| Watch: [[How to choose your news - Damon Brown]] ||
|-
|-
| Read: [[Primary Research: Definition, Types, & Examples]] || This reading explains what primary research is, when it is used, and outlines common types and examples relevant to academic research.
| Read: [[The importance of media literacy]] ||
|-
|-
| Watch: [[Primary vs. Secondary Sources: The Differences Explained]] || This video introduces primary and secondary sources by explaining their roles in academic research, source evaluation, and argument development.
| Read: [[What is Media Literacy?]] ||
|-
|-
| Watch: [[Understanding Primary & Secondary Sources]] || This video explains the difference between primary and secondary sources and demonstrates how each can be used to support academic research projects.
| Watch: [[Media Literacy]] ||
|-
| Watch: [[What is Media Literacy??]] ||
|-
| Read: [[Media Literacy (Explained in 3 Minutes)]] ||
|-
|-
|}
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=== Week 2: Discourse Community ===
=== Week 2: Information Literacy ===
Overview: Discussion of Discourse Communities; Choosing a Discourse Community; Class Discourse Community; Good Collaboration Groups; Making Arguments
Overview: Focus on in-class library module, information literacy, research skills and takeaways, revisiting the Research Narrative.
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*'''Key Source on Discourse Communities'''
*'''Key Source on Information Literacy'''
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{| class="wikitable"
|-
|-
! Name !! Description
! Name !! Description
|-
|-
| Read: [[Discourse Communities]] || This article introduces discourse communities as groups with shared goals, conventions, and communication practices — a useful concept for assignments that ask students to analyze how writing works in real-world settings.
| Watch: [[Information Literacy]] ||  
|}
|}


*'''Alternative Sources on Discourse Communities'''
*'''Alternative Sources on Information Literacy'''
Here are some materials that you can use as an alternative to the main article.
Some materials that you can use as an alternative to the main article.
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|-
! Name !! Description
! Name !! Description
|-
|-
| Watch: [[The Concept of Discourse Community Visual]] || This video introduces students to discourse communities as socio-rhetorical groups defined by shared goals, genres, communication methods, and specialized language—making it an excellent primer for teaching disciplinary writing and audience awareness.
| Read: [[What Is Information Literacy and Why Does It Matter?]] ||
|-
| Watch: [[importance of information literacy]] ||
|-
| Watch: [[What is Information Literacy?]] ||  
|-
| Watch: [[Information Literacy]] ||
|-
|-
| Read: [[Discourse Communities: Overview + Objectives]] || This chapter introduces discourse communities as groups defined by shared goals, communication practices, and specialized language, helping students understand how writing functions within social and rhetorical contexts.
| Watch: [[Information Literacy Skills]] ||
|-
|-
| Read: [[Discourse Communities and Conventions]] || This article introduces academic discourse communities, which are typically defined by specific fields and disciplines. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the conventions of your academic community as a key step toward success in college. Using the example of a first-year English class, it illustrates how engaging with peers, instructors, and shared writing practices forms a distinct discourse community.
| Read: [[For Students: Information Literacy]] ||  
|}
|}
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=== Week 3: Argument/Evidence ===
=== Week 3: Rubric/Credibility ===
Overview: Finding Evidence; Incorporating Evidence; Curating Data; Responding to Different Audiences
Overview:Focus on understanding reliable and verifiable sources, evaluating source credibility, drafting and testing a credibility rubric.
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*'''Key Source on Argument/Evidence'''
*'''Key Source on Rubric/Credibility'''
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|-
! Name !! Description
! Name !! Description
|-
|-
| Watch:[[Writing Claims]] || This short video introduces the basics of making and evaluating claims, emphasizing how strong evidence supports persuasive, debatable statements in academic writing.
| Read:[[Wikipedia: Reliable sources]] ||
|-
| Read:[[Wikipedia: Verifiability]] ||
|-
| Read:[[Evaluating Sources: Introduction]] ||  
|}
|}


* '''Alternative Sources on Argument/Evidence'''
* '''Alternative Sources on Rubric/Credibility'''
Here are alternative sources that can be used as an alternative or as complementary parts to the key source.
Here are alternative sources that can be used as an alternative or as complementary parts to the key source.
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"

Revision as of 13:59, 7 February 2026

This project has students collaboratively create a source-credibility rubric and apply it in an individual comparison to demonstrate how credibility varies across contexts.

See details

Comparative Source Analysis is a collaborative process where students use prior experience with academic, popular, and digital sources to justify their credibility rubric. The project concludes with a reflection on collaboration, rubric design, source selection, and audience awareness, which makes up 50% of the final grade in the First-Year Composition curriculum at Northern Illinois University (NIU).

Comparative Source Analysis Objectives

  • Identify and apply criteria for evaluating source credibility.
  • Practice collaborative decision-making in rubric development.
  • Analyze credibility as part of the research process.
  • Compare how different sources establish trustworthiness.


This project is connected to the Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) through:

Genres & Formats

  • Comparative source analysis with reflection.
  • Group rubric, individual comparison paper, and written or multimodal reflection.

Rubric

  • Comparative Source Analysis
Grading Criteria: CSA
Criterion Exceptional Met Not Met
Introduction Your introduction clearly explains the importance of evaluating source credibility. Your introduction mentions source credibility. Your introduction does not mention credibility.
Rubric Your paper clearly discusses each criterion and illustrates with examples. Your paper mentions different criteria used in source evaluation. The paper does not include the rubric or does so with no explanation.
Sources Sources clearly demonstrate a range of topics and concerns regarding source credibility. At least 3 sources are used to illustrate source credibility. The paper has insufficient or inappropriate sources.
Process Discussion clearly and effectively centers on the process by which a given evaluation was made. Discussion of sources mentions processes as well as conclusions. Discussion of sources does not include discussion of evaluative processes.
Responding to Feedback You have revised your CSA substantially and/or thoughtfully based on both your peers’ and your instructor’s feedback. You have revised your CSA based on both your peers’ and your instructor’s feedback. No revisions to the CSA have been made or only minor changes have been made that do not adequately respond to feedback.
A copy of CSA Grading rubric:File:CSA Grading Criteria.pdf
  • Reflection Piece
Grading Criteria: CSA Reflection
Grading Criteria: Reflection Exceptional Met Not Met
Reflecting on Your Group You have clearly explained what methods your group used to successfully work together and have included things you would do differently next time based on your experience. You explain what methods your group used to successfully work together. The methods used to work together are not included or are unclear.
Reflecting on Your Rubric Choices You have clearly identified choices in your reflection that you made in your rubric that explain why you designed your criteria as you did. You have mentioned rubric choices in your reflection related to design choices. Rubric choices are not mentioned in the reflection.
Reflecting on Appealing to Your Audience You have identified specific things that you have done in your CSA to help your audience understand the process better. You have mentioned things that you have done in your CSA to help your audience. Audience reception not mentioned in the reflection.
Reflecting on Your Examples and Arrangement You clearly explain why you chose the examples you did, and clearly explain the specific order in which you discussed them. You mention the examples you chose and the way you arranged them. The arrangement of the examples is not mentioned in the reflection.
Meeting Requirements You have met or exceeded all the requirements for the reflection. You have met all the requirements for the reflection. One or more of the requirements for the reflection has not been met.
A copy of the Comparative Source Analysis Reflection rubric:File:CSA Reflection Grading Criteria.pdf

Assignment Focus

This section outlines a range of tasks an instructor may assign to support students’ development of evaluative research practices throughout the Comparative Source Analysis project.

  • Rubric Development
Students work in small groups to create a rubric that defines criteria and metrics for evaluating source credibility.
  • Group Participation and Evaluation
Students contribute to group discussion and document design; participation is assessed through individual group evaluations.
  • Source Selection
Students select multiple sources that represent a range of credibility, such as highly credible, weak, or mixed sources.
  • Comparative Analysis Paper (Individual)
In the individual paper, the shared rubric is used to compare sources, with emphasis placed on evaluative process and reasoning.
  • Reflection Piece
Students reflect on group collaboration, rubric choices, source selection, and strategies for communicating credibility to an audience.

Weekly Structure

Week 1: Knowledge/Literacy

Overview: Focus on media literacy and knowledge, produces and values knowledge, why knowledge matters.

  • Key Sources on Knowledge/Literacy
Name Description
Watch: Media Literacy - The Power (and Responsibility) of Information
Watch: Whose knowledge is good knowledge?
  • Alternative Materials on Knowledge/Literacy

Some videos and texts might be useful for your class depending on your needs.

Name Description
Watch: What is Media Literacy?
Watch: How to choose your news - Damon Brown
Read: The importance of media literacy
Read: What is Media Literacy?
Watch: Media Literacy
Watch: What is Media Literacy??
Read: Media Literacy (Explained in 3 Minutes)

Week 2: Information Literacy

Overview: Focus on in-class library module, information literacy, research skills and takeaways, revisiting the Research Narrative.

  • Key Source on Information Literacy
Name Description
Watch: Information Literacy
  • Alternative Sources on Information Literacy

Some materials that you can use as an alternative to the main article.

Name Description
Read: What Is Information Literacy and Why Does It Matter?
Watch: importance of information literacy
Watch: What is Information Literacy?
Watch: Information Literacy
Watch: Information Literacy Skills
Read: For Students: Information Literacy

Week 3: Rubric/Credibility

Overview:Focus on understanding reliable and verifiable sources, evaluating source credibility, drafting and testing a credibility rubric.

  • Key Source on Rubric/Credibility
Name Description
Read:Wikipedia: Reliable sources
Read:Wikipedia: Verifiability
Read:Evaluating Sources: Introduction
  • Alternative Sources on Rubric/Credibility

Here are alternative sources that can be used as an alternative or as complementary parts to the key source.

Name Description
Watch: What is an argument? Defines academic argument as a process of reasoning supported by evidence and critical thinking, offering practical tips to help students structure persuasive, analytical writing.
Read: Argument This is a list of materials on academic argument.
Read: Using Evidence This guide helps students understand how to select, integrate, and explain evidence effectively in academic writing, making it a valuable tool for building strong, well-supported arguments.
Read: How to Develop an Academic Argument This article introduces academic argument as a process of developing a position through reasoning and evidence, guiding students to write clearly, critically, and persuasively.
Read: Bring Together Evidence and Reasoning This article explains how to build a strong academic argument by bringing together clear claims, supporting evidence, and logical reasoning in a cohesive and persuasive way.

Week 4: Audience

Overview: Persuade specific audiences using rhetorical appeals, Persuasion modes, argument changes depending on audience and context.

  • Key Source on Writing for an Audience
Name Description
Read: Writing for an Audience This article helps writers adapt their content to different audiences by addressing tone, expectations, and background knowledge—making it a strong teaching tool for instructors introducing rhetorical awareness and a practical guide for students developing audience-focused writing.
  • Alternative Sources on Writing for an Audience
Name Description
Read: Writing for an Audience This guide helps writers understand how to identify and address their target audience by adjusting tone, content, and purpose—making it a useful tool for students practicing rhetorical awareness and for instructors teaching audience-focused writing.
Read: Audience Analysis and Persuasion
Watch:Write with Your Audience in Mind
Watch: Four Types of Audience for your Speech
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