On illuminating source context (by SuperGroup--Ti's name, not mine.)

Jen, Ti, Beth, and I discussed strategies for illuminating source context in the classroom, and here are some of our suggestions:

• In their work on the research paper, Ti has her students arrange themselves into groups based on similar topics, but with different sources, and discuss their sources and write an annotated bibliography as a group. This shows that they can use sources in a variety of ways and helps situate themselves inside a larger conversation on one topic.
• Reading sources in class with a consistent framework (asking the same questions) and drawing connections between in-class readings can be helpful.
• Providing information about the author, their work in their field/how their reputation might affect critical responses to their work, historical/geographical context helps ground scholarly articles in concrete information.
• Collaborative work helps students contextualize their sources/their work.
• Narrowing down from a broader topic helps students understand that everything has a larger context/is part of a bigger conversation.
• Activities in which students take one source and find and read the sources cited by that source helps students understand the way in which scholarly conversations unfold.