Using Sources
Saying Hello

Writing your literature review helped you gain the background you need to join the academic conversation. The next step is actually speaking. Just as in a social situation, initially joining an academic conversation can be intimidating. Keep in mind, though, that as a result of your research, you probably found yourself agreeing with some authors, disagreeing with others, and even coming up with new ideas of your own. Whether or not you realize it, the act of thinking about these sources and engaging with them mentally is part of participating in the conversation.

Becoming part of an ongoing discussion, yet ensuring your voice is not lost among the voices of other scholars, can be challenging. Knowing how to integrate and use your sources is important when joining an academic conversation. Let us say that for your dissertation you have developed a strong interest in the use of collaborative learning and virtual lectures in the online classroom. Some of the scholarly material suggests that, overall, virtual lectures are a positive addition to the online classroom. You agree that virtual lectures have many benefits, but you also think one problem with them is that they encourage learners to work alone. You believe collaborative learning is essential to the learning experience and want to argue in your dissertation that to significantly improve learner performance, the instructor needs to build collaborative assignments around the virtual lectures.

How, then, do you become part of the conversation about virtual lectures so that you can make your argument? Begin with your argument, not the ideas of other scholars. Use the work of those scholars to support your ideas, not as the central piece of your argument.

In this example of virtual lectures, you could state,

"The use of virtual lectures is gaining more attention in online education because it seems to be an effective addition to the classroom."

Here you are making a claim in order to establish the context for your discussion.

But one problem with the use of virtual lectures is that learners tend to work alone in the course.

Here you are making a claim of your own, which allows you to enter the conversation.

"Their lack of interaction with their peers affects their learning experience, thus reducing their retention of the material. Virtual lectures would be more effective if collaborative learning assignments were built around the use of lectures, resulting in even more engagement on the part of the learners, which could lead to an improvement in learner performance."

From this point on, you continue to develop your main points about virtual lectures. If you introduce other scholars' voices, it is to support your ideas.