Assessing the Assessing the Credibility of SourcesCredibility of Sources

5 Aspects5 Aspects

1. Source of Publication1. Source of Publication

Books Books (University & Scholarly Presses vs. Popular (University & Scholarly Presses vs. Popular Presses)Presses)

Journal Articles Journal Articles (Peer Reviewed vs. other)(Peer Reviewed vs. other)

Chapters in BooksChapters in Books Conference Books Conference Books (Selected papers that are (Selected papers that are

peer reviewed)peer reviewed)

Conference Proceedings Conference Proceedings (All or selected that (All or selected that aren’t peer reviewed)aren’t peer reviewed)

Final and Technical ReportsFinal and Technical Reports

Additional ConsiderationsAdditional Considerations

2. Reputation of Author2. Reputation of Author

3. Landmark Works3. Landmark Works

4. Recentness of Publication4. Recentness of Publication

5. Type of Research in Relation 5. Type of Research in Relation to Questions Askedto Questions Asked

EmpiricalEmpirical HistoricalHistorical TheoreticalTheoretical Textual AnalysisTextual Analysis Personal or AnecdotalPersonal or Anecdotal

Reading/Writing Scholarly Reading/Writing Scholarly IntroductionsIntroductions

John Swales “Create a Research John Swales “Create a Research Space” (CARS) Model*Space” (CARS) Model*

Three Common Moves Three Common Moves

in scholarly introductionsin scholarly introductions

*John Swales, *John Swales, Genre Analysis: English in Academic and Research SettingsGenre Analysis: English in Academic and Research Settings. Cambridge UP, . Cambridge UP, 1990.1990.

Move 1: Establishing the Move 1: Establishing the TerritoryTerritory

Step 1 Claiming Centrality of Research Step 1 Claiming Centrality of Research AreaArea [and/or the following][and/or the following]

Step 2 Making topic generalizations Step 2 Making topic generalizations about current state of knowledge in the about current state of knowledge in the areaarea

Step 3 Reviewing prior research (review Step 3 Reviewing prior research (review of literature)of literature)

Move 2: Establishing a Move 2: Establishing a NicheNiche

Step 2 A Indicating a Gap (in Step 2 A Indicating a Gap (in topic/methods/ theories)topic/methods/ theories)

OROR Step 2B Continuing a tradition (extending Step 2B Continuing a tradition (extending

knowledge)knowledge)OROR

Step 2C Raising QuestionsStep 2C Raising QuestionsOROR

Step 2D Counter-Claiming (challenging or Step 2D Counter-Claiming (challenging or problematizing research)problematizing research)

Move 3: Occupying the Move 3: Occupying the NicheNiche

Step 3A Outlining Purposes or Announcing Step 3A Outlining Purposes or Announcing main feature of present research main feature of present research [obligatory][obligatory]

Step 3B Announcing principle findings Step 3B Announcing principle findings [optional][optional]

Step 3C Indicating or Forecasting Step 3C Indicating or Forecasting organization of the essay [not always organization of the essay [not always present but a good idea]present but a good idea]

Using Theoretical Using Theoretical FramesFrames

--to guide research questions--to guide research questions

--to guide methodology--to guide methodology

Moving from Questions to Moving from Questions to Review of Literature and Review of Literature and

Research ProjectResearch ProjectInitial Research QuestionInitial Research Question

How might How might needleworkneedlework be be understood as a understood as a literate literate practicepractice??

Background reading on scholarship of needlework, Background reading on scholarship of needlework, literate practice, rhetorical, literary, cultural, and literate practice, rhetorical, literary, cultural, and textile scholarship on needlework art/craft textile scholarship on needlework art/craft scholarship, current discussions about scholarship, current discussions about needlework, museum holdings of needleworkneedlework, museum holdings of needlework

1717thth-Century Samplers-Century Samplers

British British circacirca 1600-1630 (V&A) 1600-1630 (V&A) British British circacirca 1630-1699 (V&A) 1630-1699 (V&A)

1818thth-Century Samplers-Century Samplers

Jenny Beaman 1736 Sampler Jenny Beaman 1736 Sampler (Montague)(Montague)

Ann Smith 1767 Sampler Ann Smith 1767 Sampler (FW (FW Museum)Museum)

Operationalizing Foucault’s Operationalizing Foucault’s Theory and MethodTheory and Method

Definition of History: “History is the descriptive Definition of History: “History is the descriptive analysis and theory of [various] transformations” analysis and theory of [various] transformations” (“Politics” 59)(“Politics” 59)

Method: “I do not question discourses about their Method: “I do not question discourses about their silently intended meanings, but about silently intended meanings, but about the fact and the fact and conditions of their manifest appearanceconditions of their manifest appearance; not about ; not about the contents which they may conceal, but about the contents which they may conceal, but about the the transformations which they have effectedtransformations which they have effected; not ; not about the sense preserved within them like a about the sense preserved within them like a perpetual origin, but about perpetual origin, but about the field where they the field where they coexist, reside and disappearcoexist, reside and disappear” (“Politics 60)” (“Politics 60)

Foucault, M. “Politics and the Study of Discourse.” Foucault, M. “Politics and the Study of Discourse.” The Foucault Effect.The Foucault Effect.

What transformations should What transformations should be attended to?be attended to?

1.1. ““Within a given discursive formation, Within a given discursive formation, detect the changes which can affect detect the changes which can affect its objects, operations, concepts and its objects, operations, concepts and theoretical options”theoretical options”

What objects, operations (practices), concepts, What objects, operations (practices), concepts, and theoretical options can be identified in and theoretical options can be identified in the discursive formation of needlework the discursive formation of needlework samplers?samplers?

What changes in these do I detect?What changes in these do I detect?

What transformations should What transformations should be attended tobe attended to

2. Detect changes which affect the 2. Detect changes which affect the discursive formations themselves.discursive formations themselves.

– Displacement of boundaries which define the Displacement of boundaries which define the field of possible objects field of possible objects

– New position and role occupied by speaking New position and role occupied by speaking subject in the discoursesubject in the discourse

– New mode of functioning of language with New mode of functioning of language with respect to objectsrespect to objects

– New form of localization and circulation of New form of localization and circulation of discourse within a societydiscourse within a society

Questions of transformationQuestions of transformation

Displacement of boundaries which Displacement of boundaries which define the field of possible objectsdefine the field of possible objects

– What are the boundaries within which this What are the boundaries within which this discursive formation (needlework discursive formation (needlework samplers) take place? Where, under what samplers) take place? Where, under what circumstances, etc.circumstances, etc.

– How have the boundaries changed over How have the boundaries changed over time?time?

– What, if anything, has been displaced for What, if anything, has been displaced for what?what?

Questions of transformationQuestions of transformation

New position and role occupied by New position and role occupied by speaking subject in the discoursespeaking subject in the discourse

– Who are the speaking subjects Who are the speaking subjects (needlework sampler makers)?(needlework sampler makers)?

– What position(s) and role(s) have they What position(s) and role(s) have they occupied? occupied?

– In what ways, if any, have these In what ways, if any, have these positions and roles changed? positions and roles changed?

What transformations should What transformations should be attended tobe attended to

New mode of functioning of language New mode of functioning of language with respect to objectswith respect to objects

– In what ways has the functioning of In what ways has the functioning of discourse (or samplers) changed discourse (or samplers) changed regarding the discursive formation of regarding the discursive formation of samplers?samplers?

What transformations should What transformations should be attended tobe attended to

New form of localization and New form of localization and circulation of discourse within a circulation of discourse within a societysociety

– Where have samplers been located and Where have samplers been located and circulated?circulated?

– Have changes in these occurred? What?Have changes in these occurred? What?

What transformations should What transformations should be attended tobe attended to

3. Changes which simultaneously affect 3. Changes which simultaneously affect several discursive formations.several discursive formations.

– Inversion of a diagram hierarchyInversion of a diagram hierarchy What hierarchical relationships have existed within What hierarchical relationships have existed within

which sampler making has participated? (e.g., in which sampler making has participated? (e.g., in art/craft, word/image)art/craft, word/image)

– Change in nature of directing principleChange in nature of directing principle What change in the nature of directing principle What change in the nature of directing principle

(creativity) has occurred?(creativity) has occurred?