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Part Three: Research and Argumentation 303 Chapter Nine Interacting with Sources Less than one generation ago, the biggest challenge facing research writers like you was tracking down relevant, credible, and useful information. Even the most basic projects required sifting through card catalogues, scrolling through endless microfiche and microfilm slides, and dedicating hours to scouring the stacks of different libraries. But now, there is no dearth of information: indeed, the Internet has connected us to more information than any single person could process in an entire lifetime. Once you have determined which conversation you want to join, it’s time to begin finding sources. Inquiry-based research requires many encounters with a diversity of sources, so the Internet serves us well by enabling faster, more expansive access. But while the Internet makes it much easier to find those sources, it comes with its own host of challenges. The biggest problems with primarily Internet-based research can be boiled down to two issues: • There is too much out there to sift through everything that might be relevant, and • There is an increased prominence of unreliable, biased, or simply untrue information. This chapter focuses on developing strategies and techniques to make your research and research writing processes more efficient, reliable, and meaningful, especially when considering the unique difficulties presented by research writing in the digital age. Specifically, you will learn strategies for discovering, evaluating, and integrating sources. "Card catalog" b y Andy Langager i s licensed unde r CC BY-NC 2.0 "Another Ethernet Switch in the Rack" b y hdaniel is licensed unde r CC BY-SA 2.0