Skip to main content
It looks like you're using Internet Explorer 11 or older. This website works best with modern browsers such as the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. If you continue with this browser, you may see unexpected results.

ENG 151: Social Security: Home

ENG 151 Why are we doing this?

INFORMATION LITERACY is one of MCC's four general education goals. Part of Information Literacy is the ability to evaluate information for QUALITY and to select sources that are SUITABLE for the information need! We're here today to help you develop these skills in ENG 151. Following this session (and with some practice), you should be able to: 

  1. Evaluate the quality of a resource using multiple criteria including authority, objectivity, and accuracy.
  2. Judge the suitability of a resource to the information need by assessing  such characteristics as its purpose, scope, intended audience, point of view, timeliness, publication format, and relevance.
  3. Select appropriate search tools to identify and locate information sources for argumentative papers.
  4. Recognize that information issues are becoming increasingly important in our society.
  5. Recognize different information formats, such as journal articles, newspaper articles, blogs, etc.

Format Matters

Wikipedia is Awesome

Social Security

Credit: www.epictop10.com

 

Directions

 Mock Assignment

You've been asked to write a paper
on the following topic:

Is Social Security sustainable?

 

Today we are evaluating several sources to potentially use in writing the above research paper.

Once you've looked at all of the sources on the right, we'll discuss them together to determine if they are quality sources
to use for a college-level research paper.

 

Evaluation Criteria

S.C.A.R.A.B.

S.ubstance

C.urrency

A.uthority

R.elevance

A.ccuracy

B.ias

 

Source #1 - Wikipedia

  1. Go to http://www.wikipedia.org/ and search for social security.
  2. Skim this source. We will use the rubric and evaluate it together as a class.

Source #2 - Database (scholarly article)

  1. Go to the Library Webpage
  2. Click on Databases, then A to Z Databases.
  3. Choose the Academic Search Complete database.
  4. Copy the following and paste it into the search box: "Education, Earnings Inequality, and Future Social Security Benefits."
  5. The article Education, Earnings Inequality, and Future Social Security Benefits: A Microsimulation Analysis by Patrick J. Purcell et. al. should come up.
  6. Skim the source and evaluate it using the rubric.

Source #3 - Blog/popular

  1. Click on the following link: https://www.fool.com/retirement/2017/02/03/should-generation-x-kiss-social-security-goodbye.aspx
  2. Skim the source Should Generation X Kiss Social Security Goodbye? and evaluate it using the rubric

Source #4 - Database (newspaper)

  1. Go to the Library Webpage
  2. Click on Databases then click on A to Z Databases.
  3. Click Opposing Viewpoints.
  4. Copy the following and paste it In the search box: "Social Security has built-in fail-safes."
  5. Skim the source and evaluate it using the rubric.

Source #5 - Database (reference eBook)

  1. Go to the Library Webpage
  2. Click on Databases, then A to Z Databases.
  3. Choose Gale Virtual Reference Library.
  4. In the search box, type social security.
  5. Select the item entitled Social Security 1935-1941.
  6. Skim the source and evaluate it using the rubric.

Source #6 - Non-profit organization

  1. Click on: https://usafacts.org/reports/is-social-security-sustainable
  2. Skim the source Is Social Security Sustainable? and evaluate it using the rubric.

MCC Library