BEAMing Sustainability

Nicole BranchSanta Clara University Library

Please sit with your debate teams!

Lesson adapted from Woodward & Ganski, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee; Engaging Ideas by John C. Bean, and Joseph Bizup, Boston University. Image courtesy of Flickr user Rum Bucolic Ape..

Objectives

• Plan & execute a search strategy

• Evaluate sources for relevance & purpose

• Discuss potential value of sources

• Select sources for purposes of your assignment

Ways of Categorizing Sources

• Scholarly -------------------------- Popular

• Primary --------------------------- Secondary

• Good -------------------------------- Bad

Bizup’s “BEAM”

• Background

• Exhibit/Evidence

• Argument

• Method

Background

“Any source, assumed to be noncontroversial, used to provide context… facts and information”

Examples: • Encyclopedia articles• Historical background/facts• News anecdotes

Exhibit/Evidence

Sources you analyze or use as evidence.

Examples: • Data you collect (interviews, surveys, field

observations)• Data you analyze (statistics, raw data)• Cultural documents you use for analysis

Argument

“The conversation of critical views and relevant scholarship” related to the topic.

Examples: • Scholarly or popular articles about your topic• Scholarly articles that trace the “conversation”

as well as the gaps in the conversation

Method

“References to the theories or methods the writer is employing”

Examples: • Articles about particular research

methodologies• Articles about particular theorists or theories

What can you do with these sources for your writing?

• Provide context• Used in the introduction to orient your reader to your topic and

your paperBackground• Used for the basis of your original analysis• The basis of your “voice” in the conversation• Used as debate evidenceExhibit• Understand how your topic has been treated by others• Identify gaps in current understanding of your topic• Place your own analysis in the context of the larger conversationArgument• Provides information to conduct your own analysis or fieldwork• Provides validity for your methodsMethod

BEAM

ing

Your

Deb

ate

Topi

c

Where will you find these sources?• Look for encyclopedia entries , statistics, and cultural artifacts in:

• Reference sources (CREDO, CQ Researcher)• Newspaper & Magazine Databases (New York Times; Newspaper

Source)Background

•Look for exhibit sources in:•Your own fieldwork•Statistics Sources (Statista, American Community Survey)•Newspapers & Magazine

Exhibit• Look for scholarly articles related to your topic in:

• OSCAR (Library Catalog)• OmniFile• Subject specific databases

Argument• Look for scholarly articles about methods and theories in:

• OmniFile• Subject specific databasesMethod

BEAM Treasure Hunt

• Break into debate teams• Create a Google doc to record your work• Working together throughout, find and

document each item requested• Please number each item• Return to the classroom on time!

BEAM Your Experiment Topic

• Use the mind map to brainstorm topics and sources for each BEAM element

BEAM

ing

Your

Exp

erim

ent

Find Sources

• Go to the research guide for this class• Using the suggested databases, find sources

for either your debate topic or your experiment topic

• Try to find at least one source for each BEAM element

Questions?

Nicole Branchnbranch@scu.edux5436