Choosing the Perfect Primary Source
It's primary source time, y'alll!
Choosing an excellent primary source early in the semester when thinking about the PSA can save you a major impending headache later in the semester when you're working on your SSI or ARP. The image or short video that you select as your primary source will be the basis of each step of the ARP. This source will be the focus of your paper for the entire semester, so if you don't choose wisely, you could be kicking yourself in a couple of months (and we don't want that!)
The Basics
So are you are looking around the interwebs or in magazines for your primary source, ask yourself these questions:
1. When starting out with your search: What different sub-topics that fall under the larger umbrella course theme of Class in America Today interest me? Am I curious about inequality within eduction? Do I want to know more about homelessness? Try thinking about what interests you in general (maybe fashion, real estate, dialects/accents, sports, etc.) and how those could connect to Class in America Today. If you start with topics that you are already interested in, you're much more likely to choose a primary source/topic that won't bore you later on.
2. Once you've found a few options for your primary source: How many different details can I identify within a single source? Think in terms of visual details like a chainlink fence, a boarded up window, an overturned garbarge can, a grey sky, graffiti on the side of a building, etc. If you are looking at a video source or if there are short bits of text written on your image, you can also analyze short words or phrases (i.e. the word "change," the phrase "don't know what to do," etc.) You won't be able to analyze whole scenes or conversations. Think small. Analysis is about breaking a source down into tiny pieces and then making meaning from those little fragments.
3. Looking at different source options: How does this fit into our course theme of Social Class in America Today? (Sometimes students will accidentally choose a source that isn't set in America or that isn't current in representing class as it is now.) Can I make a really specific, narrow connection? (The sub-topics of "homelessness" or "differences in appearance between classes" are still too broad. You will need to find a really focused angle like "the increase in homelessness amongst female veterans." You certainly don't have to know what your exact angle will be starting out, but it's helpful to think ahead because you'll eventually--in the SSI stage and beyond--need to find journal articles that will help you support your analysis of your image/video).
For the comments section: What sorts of subtopics are you interested in that would fit within our course theme? What kinds of sources are you considering for your primary source?
***Either make one original comment or respond to two comments.***
Choosing an excellent primary source early in the semester when thinking about the PSA can save you a major impending headache later in the semester when you're working on your SSI or ARP. The image or short video that you select as your primary source will be the basis of each step of the ARP. This source will be the focus of your paper for the entire semester, so if you don't choose wisely, you could be kicking yourself in a couple of months (and we don't want that!)
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| Don't be like this guy. |
The Basics
- Must be image-based (photograph, advertisement, short video less than 7 minutes like a music video, commercial, or movie trailer)
- Can NOT be text-based (no newspaper articles, journal articles, websites, books. etc.)
- Must fit within our course theme of (Socioeconomic) Class in America Today
- Must have a minimum of 5 different details that you can base analysis paragraphs on
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| Back away from the journal article. Slowly. |
So are you are looking around the interwebs or in magazines for your primary source, ask yourself these questions:
1. When starting out with your search: What different sub-topics that fall under the larger umbrella course theme of Class in America Today interest me? Am I curious about inequality within eduction? Do I want to know more about homelessness? Try thinking about what interests you in general (maybe fashion, real estate, dialects/accents, sports, etc.) and how those could connect to Class in America Today. If you start with topics that you are already interested in, you're much more likely to choose a primary source/topic that won't bore you later on.
 |
| Your HGTV addiction could finally be useful! |
2. Once you've found a few options for your primary source: How many different details can I identify within a single source? Think in terms of visual details like a chainlink fence, a boarded up window, an overturned garbarge can, a grey sky, graffiti on the side of a building, etc. If you are looking at a video source or if there are short bits of text written on your image, you can also analyze short words or phrases (i.e. the word "change," the phrase "don't know what to do," etc.) You won't be able to analyze whole scenes or conversations. Think small. Analysis is about breaking a source down into tiny pieces and then making meaning from those little fragments.
 |
| Example of not enough details. This source could make your life really unfun. |
3. Looking at different source options: How does this fit into our course theme of Social Class in America Today? (Sometimes students will accidentally choose a source that isn't set in America or that isn't current in representing class as it is now.) Can I make a really specific, narrow connection? (The sub-topics of "homelessness" or "differences in appearance between classes" are still too broad. You will need to find a really focused angle like "the increase in homelessness amongst female veterans." You certainly don't have to know what your exact angle will be starting out, but it's helpful to think ahead because you'll eventually--in the SSI stage and beyond--need to find journal articles that will help you support your analysis of your image/video).
For the comments section: What sorts of subtopics are you interested in that would fit within our course theme? What kinds of sources are you considering for your primary source?
***Either make one original comment or respond to two comments.***
one topic that I am extremely interested in regarding social class in america is the importance of showing wealth in America today. Most times we see this with athletes and music artists when they buy things that are not needed but is cool to be able to say that you have. one example of this that i can think of off the top of my mind is how Mike Tyson owns a Bengal tiger and a 2.2 million dollar golden bath tub. To be able to show something like this i think a music video would be a good primary source to use.
ReplyDeleteWealth in america is an issues that deserves all the discussion it gets and more.
DeleteOne topic im interested in tying into social class in america is race. I feel like social class is often affected by race and vice versa so I would really love to focus on that in my paper. I'm considering sources of actual videos of minorities speaking of their current social class as well as pictures, charts, etc.
ReplyDeleteI would certainly be interested to see the results on this.
DeleteA topic that interests me is income inequality in America. I have previously studied this before and what I learned is that the trend of the rich gets richer and the poor gets poorer is still going on even after industrialization. At this point in time I feel like political cartoons that show this issue might be a good primary source.
ReplyDeleteOne topic that I am interested in is how income has an effect on social classes in America, and more narrowly, how it relates to athletics that kids want to participate in. I think that a social class can have a large impact on young kid’s athletic career. There are plenty of short videos or detailed pictures that I think I could use as a primary source.
ReplyDeleteI think I want to dive into the effect of social class on education. I believe education is the most important thing someone can have in their life and the inability to attain it can be directly impacted by one's social class. There are most definitely some pictures or even a short commercial I can use to as a primary source.
ReplyDeleteNot all people are created equal, I hope we can remedy that in my lifetime.
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ReplyDeleteI am really interested in music so I may choose to do something with that. I'll have to figure out out this ties in with class in our country today but I know that it must some how. I may want look in to see if music programs in school are still on the decline or back on the rise. I have a guess but no actual facts yet.
Personally, I love music and I think this would be a very unique thing to write about!
DeleteI think learning and writing about the education differences across the social classes. I think it would really be interesting to see the differences in the environment of schools and the educational quality between the different classes.
ReplyDeleteThough I want to focus more on homelessness, I still want to say education mist be one of the significant reason which triggers social diversity and bias.
DeleteI am extremely interested in the topics of marketing, modern American consumerism, and the minimalist movement. If possible, I would love to tie some or all of these topics into my ARP, but I still haven’t figured out how to do so and stay focused on the topic of Socioeconomic Classes in America.
ReplyDeleteI'd be interested in finding more about how each class views the other classes. It would be interesting to find the overlapping areas that each class has and how they compare.
ReplyDeleteI have a few ideas running for my primary source. I'd like to address the way that college is sold to high school students. I think that it's interesting we simultaneously have a push toward higher education and a large class of struggling families. I'm currently looking for student recruitment and higher ed related posters and ads.
ReplyDeleteI will do something relating to business. I am interested in marketing. Or something else that interesting is whats the level of education they have done and whats their class now.
ReplyDeleteThe quality of healthcare in America varies between social class to social class. Looking somewhere within this sphere of thought could be a strong investigative tool in looking at the disadvantages certain classes have in our healthcare system. I think I might search for a primary source that revolves around a speech or an advertisement for some type of policy on healthcare.
ReplyDeleteI think this is such a good and interesting idea! I am also interested in looking into the healthcare system and how it varies from each class. Good luck with your topic!
DeleteOne subtopic that I’m interested in is homelessness. After reading the Invisible Child, I have become very intrigued to find out more about their ways of life. I am also interested in maybe looking at the psychological aspects of social class and how each class affects the mentality of someone. I am considering looking into short videos or images that have many meaning behind them. I might also look into a short song that has meaningful lyrics. Once I find a good primary source I believe it will be easy to describe the subtopics I plan to write about.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteYes! I am also interested in homelessness! Homelessness can reflect tons of social issues which can help us find the basic problem which causes all of these.
DeleteOne topic that I am interested in writing about is what the upper class does to help the homeless population. I am curious to see what percentage of the upper class actually cares about the homeless population and in what ways are they helping. For my primary source, I will try to find pictures or videos that showcase some foundations set up by upper class people to help homeless people in need.
ReplyDeleteLearning about the homeless class is always interesting and thought provoking.
DeleteOne sub-topic that interests me is progression through social classes (or lack thereof). In this topic, I would be able to look into just how many lower class citizens work their way out. I could also look at what the upper class citizens do with their wealth once they have acquired more than they can use. Do they put the money back into the communities, such as donating to charities? Or do they buy materialistic things that only benefit themselves (and the upper class economy).
ReplyDeleteIn terms of myself, I would be more concerned about the racial class during the current American socioeconomic society. I also wondering the thoughts of different generation as well. Accordingly, I believe that interviews and data analysis are the best primary sources if I will write the article
ReplyDeleteI am interested in education for different social classes as this is one of few ways in class change, and I personally want to know how is it different from my own country. I'm considering to find photos and short videos about this.
ReplyDeleteA topic that very much interests me is homelessness. Specifically, how people fall into homelessness and how people to come out of homelessness and succeed in whichever field they are in. As a very big percentage of this country, I feel the homeless are neglected and people need to understand them more.
ReplyDeleteI am really interested in how to change one's class in current America. I have always thought the classes in America have been solidified. So I really want to find out if a person can change his/her class by working hard, marriage, good education or something else. I think some examples are needed and some good ways to show them can be photos and videos.
ReplyDeleteI am interested in the subtopic of sports and introducing that into the differences in social classes today in America. I have always been interested in sports, especially basketball and as of lately there’s been a lot of issues that basketball players have been talking about. Some examples I can use is possibly statements from interviews or things players have said to the media.
ReplyDeleteI am interested in how and what can a class influence another class. Just like will some rich people help the poor people and give enough help to the poor people, and help them to be rich. And i think that there will be some video and pictures to help support my idea.
ReplyDeleteI'm interested in the inequality of education in America. My roommate is major in education, and recently she plays a roles as a tutor in a local primary school. She always tell me some fancy things that she met in school and I consider it's quite different with that in China, my hometown. So I become interest in such topic. I can search information such as video like documentaries, and other pictures or interviews to support my idea.
ReplyDeleteAs of right now I am interested in how social classes in America relate to location. It is no secret that certain parts of the country contain more people in poverty than others. There are also neighborhoods and areas where everyone is part of a higher social class. I am interested in the underlying reasons as to why one neighborhood became the place for lower class citizens to reside and a neighborhood right next door could be the complete opposite. it would be interesting to find a picture looking down a neighborhood road where every house is very clearly in poverty.
ReplyDeleteI am now very interested in the way the lower classes of the United States can achieve class advancement. Because I have always believed that the degree of development of the country is positively correlated with the degree of class solidification. So I would like to know how the United States, as the most powerful country in the world, has solved the problem of class solidification.
ReplyDeleteThe topic I really interested is the employment issues between different social classes in United States. I have read some reports about people's work problem like low salary, work overtime, and too much work due to their backgrounds and social classes. I believe there are many videos about this issue updated to the internet for people to consider more. Another primary source I want to use is the daily journal because the author could record their feelings in the first time.
ReplyDeleteI think that doing research on a topic about big advertisements agencies that targets specific social class and how it has its negative and positive effects on rest of the social classes. I feel that there are so many marketing companies that use social class and race as a part of their promotion. For example, a luxury watchmaker can boast that these watches are only for the rich class but in reality it creates a backlash that other social classes can't afford these and creates inequality and differences among different classes of people.
ReplyDeleteOne topic I am interested in is the uneven distribution of resource in America. Although current government and society are trying to balance such issue, the inequality is still hard to solve. What we should care of probably should be the fundamental institution. The business chain between the upper class is firm and lucrative, the profit behind surface is unimaginable for ordinary people. So, i really want to figure out how the rich people can become richer and richer and the poor are getting poorer.
ReplyDeleteI am interested in looking at how technology is used between social classes, or perhaps how the advertising is managed. It would be interesting to see what devices different classes use, price ranges, etc. Another potential topic would be how companies advertise to different classes, such as Apple with its stores.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I am interested in is "How Social Media can decrease the amount of homeless people in the US", Social Media is by far the most powerful and influential tool in the current age. A lot of people go on Social Media and come up with these challenges for people, usually resulting in dumb outcomes and a plethora of people will take these challenges on. If social media can perform that, then we should be able to generate enough interest to actually help the people in need around the US.
ReplyDeleteA subtopic that interests me is determining how differently people in separate classes think. Just how large is the mental toll of living, or even growing up, in a difficult environment?Perhaps people in higher classes fill their heads with different problems, such as social anxiety? Maybe there is no mental difference between the classes? It would be interesting to see how they compare to one another.
ReplyDeleteI would like to do some research on what resources the poor currently have and what can be done in the future to help the poor. I would like to study the ways of the rich and what they do to help the poor. So, in short, I would like to know more about the homelessness situation in America currently.
ReplyDeleteA sub-genre of our main course theme that I want to explore more is the world of college applications and how they effect young adults for years to come. I want to take a look at how students demographics effect their admissions. Is the application process abnormally unfair because well-off students can afford tutoring and taking the standardized tests multiple times? I also want to look at how race and other factors effect admissions too. Then from here I want to see how going or not going to college effects lives after the admission point.
ReplyDelete