2.8 – Where to Find Written Sources

Below is a list of sources you could use for your research assignment. Remember, you can use any visual, oral or written text so long as it has words in it. It is not exhaustive – there are probably other ones you can think of!

They are under the following headings
- Library resources
- Resources you can create
- Resources you can find all around you
- Resources from the internet

2.8 - Library Resources
Use the school or town libraries to find written sources.

1) Books
Either directly about your topic or which may include something relevant
eg - a fiction book set during the war could have 'the language of war'
eg - a fiction book in which the main character is a surfer could have 'the language of surfing'
eg - a biography on somebody to do with your area would be relevanteg - an instructional book on how to play chess could help with 'the language of chess'

2) Periodicals
There are back-copies of newspapers, magazines and year books.
eg - the Woman's Weekly could have beauty ads or astrology items

3) Vertical File
Do not overlook the vertical file!!!! The librarians have already done the job of sorting out articles on key topics
eg - beauty, anorexia, texting

4) ERIC
There is also a search engine where you might find articles on your topic. This is on the computers.

5) Encyclopedia
There is the Encarta programme on the library computers.

2.8 - Creating your own Source

1) Conduct interviews
Oral sources have been underrated for years, but are now gaining respect in research circles.- this could help with primary data (see what slang/jargon they use to describe things)- it could also help with finding explanations as to why they use them (ask them!)
eg - interview a teacher about ways they've been advised to speak in class
eg - ask a skater what kind of terms average people don't understand
eg - ask someone who listens to heavy metal music why they think there're heaps of images of death or darkness in the lyrics

2) Observe
Go to an event or place associated with your topic
eg - jot down things your teacher says
eg – write down what a coach says at a game
eg - write down what fans are yelling out
eg - eavesdrop on a typical 'teenager' conversation between friends

2.8 - Sources in your homes and on the street

1) Labels and Instructions
Look at the labels on things associated with your subject.
eg - look at a food package if you're doing 'food'
eg - look at a CD cover if you're doing 'heavy metal'
eg - look on a clothing label if you're doing 'fashion'
eg - look at a list of ingredients

2) Communications
You can use your own personal letters, emails, texts as sources.
eg - your texts can be used for 'text language'
eg - your school reports could be samples of 'education language'
eg - a valentine's card could be used for 'the language of love'

3) Periodicals
Use magazines or newspapers.
eg - an article on a rugby game could help with 'sport'
eg - there could be advertisements you can use
eg - the cover of a Dolly magazine could help with the language of 'teens'

4) Movies and TV
Get quotes off of ads/programmes/movies
eg - a music video could have good 'rap lyrics'
eg - an interview with George Bush could be good the 'war language'
eg - 'Bring it On' could be good for 'the language of cheerleading'
eg - a coach's speech in a movie could be used for 'the language of basketball'

5) Books
Use books around your house.
eg - the bible is a source of 'religious language'
eg - a recipe book is a source of 'food' or 'instructional' language
eg - a children's book could be used for 'the language of children's literature'
eg - a joke book could be used for 'the language of humour'
eg - a text book could be used for 'the language of maths'

6) Billboards and Posters and brochures
Keep your eyes open when you're in town and you can see verbal sources all over the place
eg - a warning sign on the street could help with 'the language of fear or safety'
eg - an ad on a bus could help with the 'language of food'
eg – the road code could help with 'the language of cars or driving'
eg - a piece of graffiti could be used for 'the language of hate'
eg - you could pick up a brochure from a beauty clinic to help with 'the language of beauty'

2.8 - Finding sources on the internet
One source of primary and secondary resources for you is the internet. Here are some suggestions on how you can use it effectively for your assignment.

1) If you're still unsure of what some language terms mean....

- Comprehensive list of poetic devices in alphabetical order
- Another list, focussing on devices that can be used in persuasive writing.

2) Look for a list of terms used in your subject area, pick a few to discuss and see patterns in. Also try to find examples of them being used in another text.

- Try typing your keywords into google plus 'online dictionary'
eg - this is an online dictionary of skateboarding terms
- Go to a page that has lots of general glosseries and search for your subject- See what patterns you can find (eg - are the words all to do with really specialised moves, are there a lot borrowed from another sport or French, is there a lot of phonetic spelling)
- Make conclusions about why specialised words (jargon) need to be created for your subject area

3) Look for Galleries of Old and New Advertisements (posters, TV ads etc)

- Look for a group of advertisements by putting 'advertising gallery' or 'advertisements gallery'
eg - here is one for tobacco ads- Look at the words used in the ads. Have they changed over time? Can you find language techniques used in them (alliteration, metaphors, diction, use of pronouns), is advertising aimed at different races/sexes/age-groups slightly different?

4) Do a Very General Search to see if anyone has already researched this subject....

- Try typing 'language of ______' [insert your topic] into Google
- eg - this is a website on the language of hate- Look up a site that already analyses how language is used in an area
- eg - a site set up to help you write ads or obituaries
- eg this site looks at what works in advertising and why (eg - alliteration) and has examples
- Can you find examples of these techniques being used in your primary sources? Can you think of the reasons behind why they're used in this area?

5) Look for Oral Texts on your topic (lyrics, songs, speeches etc)

- Look for lyrics or songs on your topic
eg - this is a site that turned up for a search on 'love song lyrics'
- Use the word 'transcript' or 'speech' or 'interview' to look up an oral text
eg - for the language of rap I looked up 'eminem interview'
- Look at the words and how they're used. Can you find metaphors or other language devices? Is there vocabulary that keeps coming up?

6) Use an online encycolpedia to get initial info

- Try starting with an online ontology like wikipedia
eg - I did a wikipedia search on 'text language'
- This information might give you a good starting point for what you're looking for in your primary sources

7) Find video clips to do with your topic and pay attention to the words used

- For visual texts you can use the myspace video section (best if you have broad-band!)
eg - I found a selection of acne videos

8) Figure out what language devices are probably used a lot in your area and add that to the search topic or look up a particular language device and see if there's anything relevant

- go to a site that is about a specific language device and see if your subject is mentionedeg - this site has 'slang' and has topics of 'NZ', 'rap', 'drug related'
eg - this is a site that has euphemisms for death
eg - this site talks about how war metaphors are used in basketball
eg - this is a site on neologisms and you can search by subjecteg- this site looks at allusions to Mary Queen of Scots in nursery rhymes

9) Look up where words originated from (the history of them)

- Look up the origins of words by using the word 'etymology' in your search
eg - etymology of jazz words
- Can you make conclusions about why these words needed to be invented or what kind of trends you can see? What particular things needed new words? Is there metaphoric meaning?

10) Blogs or message boards (like Bebo) can be used as primary sources

-eg here are the search results on www.blogger.com for 'rap'