Notes on Sources Essay
Complete a 1,500-word narrative “Notes on Sources” essay, explaining the research, writing, ethical and other issues and challenges related to the development of your project.
As nonfiction writers, we sometimes reconstruct scenes and/or incorporate dialogue we didn’t personally witness. Unlike daily journalists, we don’t always attribute every fact or source of information within our text since, to do so, would slow down the narrative. And, unlike academics, we also prefer not to footnote every scrap of information within the text.
So how can readers decide whether to trust that the information we have presented as nonfiction is as accurate as we can make it? Many nonfiction writers use a “Notes on Sources” essay at the end of their book to explain how they’ve handled their research and attribution.Was that scene reconstructed from participants’ journals or contemporary news accounts? In cases where recollections of events differ, how did the writer decide which view was more credible? Are you basing dialogue on available transcripts, a report in the newspaper, interviews with the participants, or your own recollections? Is material in quotation marks reproduced verbatim from interviews, court records or other documentation?
A Notes on Sources essay is usually placed before specific endnotes (if used) that document, in detail, the sources used within the manuscript. The essay allows you to focus on the narrative flow in your storytelling while still providing readers with insights into how and why you did what you did, with transparency about your sources of information and the choices you made.
What we’re looking for in this assignment is that overview — 1,500 words explaining your effort to tell the truth as best you can. Your manuscript isn’t complete, of course, so work with what you’ve done. You’ll likely incorporate some or all of this assignment into the Sources/Endnotes section of your book.
Due midnight Nov. 15. Submit as a MS Word file uploaded to DropBox (submission details to follow)
Sample Sources Essays
Notes on Sources Assignment Rubric (Mark: 40 %)
Criteria | Exceptional “A” | Acceptable B | Failure <B- |
Content (60) | Provides the reader with clear, comprehensive, detailed information on the sources of all facts and information not otherwise obvious from the text itself. | Provides the reader with information on the sources of most facts and information not otherwise obvious from the text itself. | Fails to provide the reader with useful information on the sources of all facts and information not otherwise obvious from the text itself. |
Writing style (30) | Despite the fact-heavy content, the writing is compelling. It hooks the reader and sustains interest throughout. | The writing is generally engaging, but has some dry spots. In general, it is focused and keeps the reader's attention. | The writing has little personality. The reader quickly loses interest and stops reading. |
Grammar, Spelling, Writing Mechanics (10) | The writing is free or almost free of errors. Follows Chicago Manual of Style | There are occasional errors, but they don't represent a major distraction or obscure meaning. Style inconsistent. | There are so many errors that meaning is obscured. The reader is confused and stops reading. |
Responses to Notes on Sources Essays (Pass/Fail)
Read five of the essays submitted by your fellow students, then respond to each one in 300 words, primarily as a reader. Address the following questions:
- Does the essay make clear how the writer gathered and evaluated key information used in the book and/or the writer’s approach to any factual issues raised by the book?
- Is the essay written in an engaging way that goes beyond simply providing information about sources?
- Does reading the essay intrigue you enough that you’d like to read more?
Given that most readers come to Sources and Endnotes sections after they’ve read the book, we’re at a disadvantage reading these as standalone essays. There’s nothing to be done about that, except to acknowledge reality and do our best to be helpful to you, the writer, by raising any questions we think readers might have. DropBox submission details to follow.
Due midnight Nov. 29. Submit a list to Stephen.E.Kimber@gmail.com of the students whose work you have responded to (names only – I’ll access and review the responses online)