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English Composition Research: Primary Texts

The content in this LibGuide is provided for students taking English 101.

Establishing a Primary Text

Some projects will require that we locate primary texts which we use to create claims and arguments in our essays. For example, in a lab report, we should cite the data that comes out of an experiment and base our claims on that data. Similarly, in a history paper, we may be asked to review a book we read or analyze a letter from a specific time period.
We should establish early on what primary text we will be working with in a writing assignment. If we are expected to analyze a movie, advertisement, or song, then we should locate that text and be sure to cite it in our work. When we have our primary text established, we are then able to make credible, documented claims expected in academic writing.

Using a Primary Text

In an essay, the primary text serves as a focal point of the essay. If we are writing a book review, for example, then the focus of our essay should be the book that we are reviewing. If we are analyzing a movie, then the majority of our essay should cite information from that particular movie.

It is important to keep in mind that, when writing about a primary text, our audience is mostly concerned with the claims we make based off of our own observations. For this reason, we should be sure to thoroughly read and engage our primary texts. Highlight and annotate specific parts that seem important, in some way, especially in regards to your topic and assignment. These specific parts of your primary text should guide how we develop our essays.

Finding a Primary Text

If we are asked to locate our own primary texts, then there are several resources that we could access. We may already personally own a primary text that we wish to work with on a project. Popular streaming services that we may have subscriptions to could house desirable primary texts such as movies, music albums, and television shows. We might also be able to locate a primary text through a free streaming service such as YouTube.

Regardless of where we locate our primary text, we must be able to document and cite it within our essay. This includes new media texts, such as video games and blogs. We should be sure that any information borrowed within an assignment is properly attributed.
The library is subscribed to services that could house a primary source relevant to your assignment.  These services are featured on the tabs in this section.

Hoopla is a service that allows students to instantly borrow eBooks, audiobooks, movies, music, and TV. Using our student id numbers (or C#), we have access to recent digital releases. If you need a primary text for a type of analysis, hoopla is a great starting point.

Films on Demand contains a variety of videos that you could reference as a primary text. Films on demand mostly houses nonfiction work, such as documentaries and interviews. These resources could be particularly helpful in humanities-centered research projects.