Writing Your Research Papers

Let's face it — there's a lot of information out there.  It can be difficult to determine how to evaluate and appropriately use information. 

When evaluating a resource, consider the assumptions of the author:

• What is the perspective of the author; is it supported by evidence?
• What type(s) of expertise does the author assume that the reader will have? 
• Does the author's writing style persuade the reader to adopt a certain perspective on the topic?
• Does the author use inflammatory language and/or have an agenda?
• Is the author associated with commercial or organizational interests?

Let's look at an example.  You are interested in writing a paper on the growing popularity of vegetarianism and its impact on the agricultural industry.  

To make the process of evaluating authors' assumptions easier, please refer to this example of the kind of publications that might be helpful for this topic.