Home

Module 1

Module 2

Module 3

Backing it Up: Using Evidence to Support a Rhetorical Argument

This semester, you will create a research assignment that will advance a rhetorical argument. However, if you want your audience to pay attention to the claims you make in your assignment, and to take your argument seriously, you will need to support your claims by using evidence. To find that evidence, you'll have to engage in rigorous research. At its core, research is the process of choosing a topic, finding evidence related to that topic, and then using that evidence to advance your rhetorical argument.

The University Libraries are here to help you successfully conduct your research. The University Libraries are committed to providing students with access to high quality evidence for creating research assignments, as well as teaching students how to discover and use evidence effectively and ethically in research.

The following pages in ELMS will offer you an overview of the research process, and will provide plenty of tips and tricks for success when conducting your own research. By completing these modules, you'll learn:

How to determine if a piece of evidence is valid and worth using as a source.
How the academic community decides what constitutes quality scholarship.
How to use research assignments as an opportunity to learn more about a topic that is actually interesting to you.
How to create a research topic that is appropriate and relevant to your assignment.
How to design precise searches that will retrieve relevant results in a variety of databases.
How to read scholarly articles efficiently and effectively.
Why citations are important, and how you can use them to find additional evidence.
How to craft your argument for a specific audience.

Conclusion

The role of the University Libraries is to help support students' research. Research is the process of choosing a topic, finding evidence related to that topic, and then using that evidence to advance your rhetorical argument. Click Next to continue onto the next page - What is a "Good" Source? Determining the Validity of Evidence!