Differences between scholarly resources and popular resources

Instructions:-

Using Microsoft Word: What Does the Library Have to Offer?

Write a one- to two-page essay that describes the benefits of using the Ashford University Library. Your paper should:

Explain the differences between scholarly resources and popular resources.
Describe the key things to remember when searching for sources within the Ashford University Library (e.g., databases, FindIt@AU search tool).
Detail how you will be most effective and efficient in finding resources that fit your research needs.

Please watch the required video tutorial Quick ‘n’ Dirty by clicking on the video below. Runtime: 4:15 min.

Click here for the Quick ‘n’ Dirty Transcript.

Format your paper according to APA style guidelines as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.

Your paper should demonstrate your ability to use the functions within MS Word to create a document with the following elements:

A title page (see below for specific information to include on this page)
Page numbers located in the top, right corner of the page (header page number function)
Paragraphs that are double spaced with the first line indented by .5 inch (line spacing function)
Page margins set to one inch on all four sides (margins function)
Spelling and grammar check (spelling & grammar function)

The Paper:

Must be one to two pages in length (excluding title page and reference page) and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
Must include a title page with the following:

Title of paper
Student’s name
Course name and number
Instructor’s name
Date submitted
Must begin with an introductory paragraph that has a succinct thesis statement. Statements such as “This paper is about…” or “I am going to tell you…” are not acceptable in college-level writing.
Must address the topic of this paper with critical thought.
Must end with a conclusion that reaffirms your thesis.

Solution

Differences between scholarly resources and popular resources

There are quite a few differences between scholarly resources and popular resources.  Scholarly resources are legitimate bodies of work that are full of specific language about the subject.  Most scholarly resources are targeted to specific individuals or groups.  Most of these resources are books, though sometimes they are articles or other forms of published work, carried out by professionals in their field of study.  These resources are meant to be used for educational purposes.  These resources always cite from where the information is obtained for the topic.  For scholarly resources, the library is the best place to go to search their books or databases for information.

Popular resources are often articles and blogs meant to give attention to a subject or entertain the readers.  Popular resources are usually pointed at a much broader audience.  These are often articles and blogs written by reporters, journalists or other writing professionals.  They often have opinions or other viewpoints added into the piece.  There are usually no cited works listed in popular resources.  These types of resources are so kept short and sweet so to speak.  Though they can be beneficial to some types of research. 

There are a couple of things to remember when searching for sources in the Ashford library; first, know what type of information you need.  The more you can narrow down your search, the faster you will find what you need.  You need to use keywords or tags.  Using a database is very different from using a search engine to find a resource.  You can usually put a word or two together, and in quotations so the database will find those two words together.  The database doesn’t have the ability to fill in what you might mean as general search engines do.  Typing in an entire sequence of words will yield way more listings than you want.  You can also flag certain boxes to select a certain type of resource such as a book or article, year of publication, author, etc. 

To ensure that the best resources are utilized for any written assignment is to critically read the directives.   Depending on what type of paper or essay is being written, is how you decide which resources would be most applicable to you.  Writing about facts and other technical writing would require a stronger use of scholarly resources.  Writing a creative essay on cultural festivals or some other kind of entertainment would require a little of both.

Both types of resources serve a benefit to you, but there are some significant differences.  Using the proper resources are critical to the success of the assignment.  The Ashford Library offers a myriad of scholarly resources, from several different databases.  Most of the future assignments will require the use of these since scholarly resources are so much more dependable than popular resources.