Expert answer:Essay prompt of credible sources in your field
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Engh 302 H_F17
Professor Saad
Authoritative vs Non-Authoritative Sources in Your Field
First draft: Oct. 16th, 2017(Bring an electronic copy with a minimum of 800 words for peer
review. Submit an electronic copy before class on Bb.)
Final draft: Oct. 23rd , 2017. Submit an electronic copy on Bb.
Assignment:
Write a 1000-1200 word report identifying several authoritative sources in your field as well as
one non-authoritative source. The purpose of the assignment is that you become aware of the
criteria that qualify a source and make it a reputable one and be able to discern between
authoritative and non-authoritative sources. This will be your guide as you select sources for
your researched argument for this course, and as you choose respected sources for future
research papers in other courses. Your audience are freshmen who have chosen the same
academic field and will start their major-specific courses next semester.
Choose one leading source in three of the following four categories: scholarly journal, trade
publication, organization ( professional association, government agency, or standardsetting/credentialing organization), and electronic source or database as well as one nonauthoritative source. For each source, describe it and justify your choice. To prove the credibility
of any source, you need to use other external sources that provide evidence and validates it. This
means you cannot use the website of a trade publication, for example, to prove that it is a leading
source in the field. Document all sources using APA citation guidelines.
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
1. Your GMU Resources
What library resources are available? Who is your liaison librarian? Does your major have an
info guide? Are there discipline specific databases the library has access to? Which professors or
professionals in your field reside on campus? What about staff members who have practice in
your field? The potential resources at Mason are boundless.
2. Databases, Scholarly Journals, Trade Publications
Having navigated the GMU library website, what are some core databases arranged by
subject librarians that have a particular significance in your field? Read the description of each
database to determine which is more reputable. Which scholarly journals are most important in
your field? Who is the editor(s) in chief? What are his/her credentials? How long has it been
around? Is it peer reviewed? Is it connected with an organization or institution? What are its
journal impact factors? Which databases have the top journal(s) indexed? What are the
circulation statistics for trade publications? You may need to search the internet to find answers
to some of those questions.
3. Professional Organization
A professional organization can be any group, society, government, agency, or other
organization that offers benefits and membership to practitioners in your field. Find a major
professional organization in your field, and explore: what are their membership requirements and
dues? Does the organization have job banks or offer any scholarships? Does it release any
publications, or keep members in contact with one another through newsletters, forums, blogs, or
member listservs of any kind? Does the organization host any conferences to disseminate new
information? Does it offer any sort of ethical standards or behavioral expectations (like a code of
conduct or licensure)?
Tips for writing the essay:
1. Format your assignment as a report that uses headings. Start your report with an
introduction that describes your field, and provides a brief overview of its importance to
society, education or politics. Then, explain to the reader the criteria used in the selection
of the most authoritative sources. Your introduction should also contain a thesis
statement. Your thesis must have a claim that states which source or source category is
the most authoritative and a reason that states why this is so.
2. For the body of the report, include four sections with headings that indicate the source
type, such as “Scholarly Journal” or “Professional Organization.” For each category,
describe the source as well as explain to the readers how to find it. Then explain the
reasons why this source is the most reputable or the least, in case of the non-authoritative
source. Make sure to cite the source of your evidence using APA style documentation.
3. Provide a conclusion where you give sound advice to your audience based on your
investigation as well as discuss which sources you will use in your researched argument
and which you will avoid.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of the essay, you should be able to
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Identify the major periodicals (scholarly journal and trade publication/conference) in your
field of study
Identify the important professional organizations in your field of study and future
profession
Identify the most credible sources in your field of study and future profession
Explain the criteria by which scholars and professionals in your field determine
credibility
Understand why writers use and cite sources
Know how to write a thesis for an academic essay
Know how to locate, evaluate, cite, and integrate secondary sources into your writing
Know how to use the university library catalog
Know how to use the university databases
Criteria for Evaluation
You will be graded on the following content areas and writing skills:
Content
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Effort expended to discover a variety of resources
Ability to provide a thorough review of these sources
Ability to organize these resources in a logical pattern
Ability to explain the criteria for determining credibility of sources in your field
Ability to synthesize key ideas about the scholarship in your field
Writing Skills
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Essay contains an engaging introduction and clearly worded thesis
Essay defends the thesis
Writer complies with the rules of Standard Written English
Paragraphs are well-developed and tightly focused
Writer uses a variety of sentence structures and lengths
Writer uses a variety of techniques to convey a personal style and voice.
Essay has a satisfying conclusion
Running head: EVALUATING TYPES OF SOURCES IN THE FIELD OF RHETORIC
1
Evaluating Types of Sources in the Field of Rhetoric
ENGH 302-H19
Professor Saad
21 March 2017
EVALUATING TYPES OF SOURCES IN THE FIELD OF RHETORIC
2
Introducing the Field
Within the English major at George Mason University, there are several concentrations,
one of which is Writing & Rhetoric. Rhetoric is most commonly associated with persuasion,
usually arguing a point using different rhetorical appeals and figures. While this is true, rhetoric
is not only what most people imagine: ancient Greek philosophers giving speeches, or long,
arduous essays. In fact, rhetoric can be found nearly everywhere. In addition to classical rhetoric,
the field works with compositional studies and pedagogy, rhetorical philosophy, technical
communication, and even digital rhetoric which can involve analyzing the rhetoric of video
games or social media platforms. People encounter rhetoric in everyday life and society—most
simply do not realize it. Because rhetoric has been studied since ancient times, there are several
leading sources in the field. However, like all other fields of study, not every source is credible.
The aim of this essay is evaluate different types of sources pertaining to rhetoric to provide
insight for fellow scholars in the field.
There are some key criteria to search for when determining if a source is authoritative or
not. A credible source meets several criteria or expectations, including: peer-review, credentials
of the editor(s), if the publication is released by a professional organization and how frequently,
and if that organization is nationally or internally recognized. In the case of rhetoric, the most
authoritative source in the field is the scholarly journal, Technical Communication Quarterly,
because it is peer-reviewed, it is associated with a major organization, and it has a highly
qualified editor-in-chief.
EVALUATING TYPES OF SOURCES IN THE FIELD OF RHETORIC
3
Scholarly Journal
The journal Technical Communication Quarterly (TCQ) is the most authoritative source
in the field of rhetoric. Because technical communication is such a large part of the field and this
is a major scholarly journal, TCQ can easily be found on the George Mason University library
site within the Writing & Rhetoric research portal where other selected journals are listed. The
entire journal is accessible online for George Mason students.
The journal is published four times a year (hence the title), therefore new information
relevant to the field is frequently made available. Its publishing frequency helps establish its
credibility and relevance in the field, but perhaps the most important criterion for the journal’s
authority is the fact that it is peer reviewed. According the website for the Association of
Teachers of Technical Writing (ATTW), Technical Communication Quarterly is a “refereed
journal,” and it even says under the guidelines for authors that manuscripts are to be peerreviewed (“Technical Communication Quarterly,” n.d.). This means that an article submitted to
be published by a scholar goes through a review process by a panel of experts who specialize in
what the scholar wrote about. The article is then approved to be published (likely after the author
makes some revisions) or denied from the journal. Because articles in TCQ must go through this
process, it ensures that the information published is accurate and significant, making the journal
such an authoritative source.
Technical Communication Quarterly also qualifies as the most authoritative source in the
field because it is linked with a major professional organization: The Association of Teachers in
Technical Writing. According the ATTW website, the organization was established in 1973 and it
currently “has approximately 1,000 members and includes both graduate and undergraduate
students of technical communication as well as professional technical communicators in business
EVALUATING TYPES OF SOURCES IN THE FIELD OF RHETORIC
4
and industry” (“History,” n.d.). This means that the journal circulates to the members of the
ATTW who specialize in technical communication in rhetoric and therefore the journal is
important to a large group of people.
Finally, TCQ has a highly credible editor-in-chief, Donna Kain. She has a PhD from Iowa
State University and teaches as an associate professor in the English department at East Carolina
University, and she has taught classes on technical communication, rhetoric, and writing,
amongst other topics (“Donna Kain,” n.d.). This shows that she has expertise in the subject of the
journal she edits. Additionally, searching her name on the GMU Library website turns up with
several results showing she has published works in the field, revealing that she is active in
scholarly discourse. The credibility of TCQ’s editor, Donna Kain, helps make it the most
authoritative source.
Professional Organization
The second most authoritative source in the field of rhetoric is the professional
organization, Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC), because it
releases its own publication and it hold an annual conference to keep new information available
to its members. The organization is aimed towards teachers of English composition (writing
studies) and rhetoric at the college level. It can be found easily by entering its name into a search
engine like Google; likewise, it is also listed under “Professional Organizations” on the George
Mason research portal for Writing & Rhetoric.
As stated on their website, the CCCC was founded in 1949, and their mission statement
claims they “[promote] the teaching and study of college composition and communication” and
describes in detail several ways they do so (“Newcomers,” n.d.). In order to become a member,
one must join the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) first because the fees include
EVALUATING TYPES OF SOURCES IN THE FIELD OF RHETORIC
5
a subscription to the CCCC’s publication, and membership for the CCCC and NCTE. The
Conference on College Composition and Communication also hosts a convention yearly. The
purpose of the conference is to hold information sessions and presentations to spread new
information to its members. This shows that the organization is directly involved with its
members and remains having a significant impact in the field because of its circulation of
information, making it an authoritative source.
Trade Publication
The next most authoritative source is the trade publication, College Composition and
Communication, because it is published by the previous source, the CCCC, and it has a credible
editor. This trade publication can be found under the “publications” menu on the CCCC website,
as well as—once again—the GMU Writing & Rhetoric research portal with other selected
journals. Like the organization that publishes it, this journal contains articles that address
compositional studies for college writing professors.
Part of what makes this trade publication credible is that it is sponsored by the
Conference on College Composition and Communication. As shown in the previous section, the
organization itself is an authoritative source. Another reason it is authoritative is because of its
editor’s credentials. It is edited by Jonathan Alexander, the Chancellor’s Professor of English,
Education, and Gender & Sexuality Studies at the University of California Irvine (“Jonathan
Alexander,” n.d.). Alexander has the proper background and expertise in subject relevant to the
publication, which shows he is qualified and therefore augments the quality and credibility of
CCC. This journal is unlike the scholarly journal Technical Communication Quarterly in that it is
not peer-reviewed, which is why it is less authoritative, but it meets other criteria for still
standing as a relatively credible source in rhetorical studies.
EVALUATING TYPES OF SOURCES IN THE FIELD OF RHETORIC
6
Non-Authoritative Source
Not all sources in the field of rhetoric are authoritative. One source that is not credible is
a magazine titled Intercom because its articles lack the rigorous review processes that ensure
accuracy and credibility. This magazine is published for the Society of Technical Communication
(STC). One might think that this source is authoritative because it is released for a public
organization, but other factors prove otherwise. According to a page about the magazine on the
STC website, because the magazine is not an academic journal, their articles do not include
footnotes for sources (“About Intercom,” n.d.). This lack of readily available sources indicates
that it would be difficult for readers and scholars to check the accuracy of the information
written, which automatically makes this source non-credible. Additionally, that same web page
does not mention peer-review for the articles. This means that the submissions undergo a more
relaxed editing process—likely just for mechanical errors, not done by an expert on the topic.
Because the articles are published without being checked by experts, this shows that almost
anyone could potentially publish something in Intercom whether they are credible or not. This is
why Intercom is a non-authoritative source.
Conclusion
Within the field of rhetoric, there is so much scholarly discourse to cover its wide range
of topics, and the most authoritative source is the peer-reviewed scholarly journal. The sources in
this essay are not an exhaustive list for rhetoric by any means, but there is something to be
gained from this small scope: the best sources are backed by credible organizations, they have
qualified editors, and the sources are ideally reviewed by experts in the field. For others studying
rhetoric, some good advice would be to find a source that meets these criteria but is also specific
to the topic undergoing research. Logically thinking, it would probably not be best to use
EVALUATING TYPES OF SOURCES IN THE FIELD OF RHETORIC
7
Technical Communication Quarterly for researching ancient rhetoric, but using the same criteria
that makes TCQ authoritative to find another scholarly journal more suited to the student’s topic
will help the student discover other pertinent and credible sources.
EVALUATING TYPES OF SOURCES IN THE FIELD OF RHETORIC
References
About Intercom. (n.d.). Retrieved March 08, 2017, from https://www.stc.org/intercom/aboutintercom/.
Donna Kain. (n.d.). Retrieved March 08, 2017, from http://www.ecu.edu/cs-cas/engl/kain.cfm.
History. (n.d.) Retrieved March 08, 2017, from http://www.attw.org/about-attw/history.
Jonathan Alexander. (n.d.). Retrieved March 19, 2017, from
http://www.faculty.uci.edu/profile.cfm?faculty_id=5456.
Newcomers—learn more! (n.d.). Retrieved March 08, 2017, from
http://www.ncte.org/cccc/newcomers.
Technical Communication Quarterly. (n.d.). Retrieved March 08, 2017, from
http://attw.org/publications/tcq.
8
Running head: Authoritative vs. Non-authoritative
Sources
1
Authoritative vs. Non-authoritative Sources in Economics
ENGH 302-S15
Professor Randa Saad
03/15/2016
Authoritative vs. Non-authoritative Sources
2
Introduction to Economics:
My field of study is Economics. Economics is basically the study of how people
choose to use resources that are scarce and the results of these choices (American
Economic Association, 2016). The field is divided accordingly into two branches of
study: microeconomics and macroeconomics. Microeconomics is the study of how
individuals make decisions given scarce resources. Macroeconomics considers the
aggregate outcomes of these individual decisions. Within these two subfields, economists
study a range of topics including “labor, land, and investments, money, income,
production, taxes and government expenditures (AEA, 2016).” The field of Economics is
highly relevant in politics, education, and business, and there are even specific economic
disciplines dedicated to the study of each. Economics can be thought of as the science
and study of human decisions on an individual basis and human outcomes in the larger
context of society. It is arguably the most influential field in our daily lives in terms of its
relevance to the individual and to the economy as a whole.
`
The field of Economics has a vast network of researchers, trade and scholarly
journals, professional organizations, and online databases. Students who study economics
will find no shortage of original research in the field nor peer reviewed publications in
which to read it. A credible source will meet specific criteria that identify it is an
authoritative source. These criteria include: whether or not it is peer reviewed; whether it
is a primary or secondary source; how extensive are the citations; the credentials of the
author; how is the information presented, fact or opinion. Within the field of economics,
scholarly journals are the most credible sources because each article undergoes a rigorous
Authoritative vs. Non-authoritative Sources
3
and comprehensive peer review process and the integrity and reputation of the author as
well as the journal depend on the quality of the research published. In addition to the peer
review process, scholarly journal articles tend to be primary sources, i.e. the article
presents original research. Research professionals that specialize in their field write the
articles with extensive citations and present the information in an unbiased factual
manner. Other types of sources may meet some of these criteria, but only scholarly
journals are peer reviewed for quality and accuracy, making them the most authoritative
sources.
Professional organization:
The leading professional organization in the field of economics is the …
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