Research Guides: Writing: A Research Guide: Noble WRIT 101 F24

WRIT 101/Noble/Fall 2024

WRIT 101

October 21, 2024, 8:15am & 12:05pm - Wildenradt Library Classroom

Library Day Search Practice Activity: use this google form to try out some search terms for your topic and identify possible sources to use in your assignment
Library Day slides: google slides from our library session together, for your reference

Background Information

Get familiar with the main points that people are making related to the debate surrounding your topic. Try some of the sources below to see if your research question is covered, and make note of the language that is used in their arguments.

Credo Reference This link opens in a new window
Encyclopedias and other reference works on all topics
Opposing Viewpoints (Gale in Context) This link opens in a new window
Pros and cons of various political and social issues, including articles, statistics, documents, and references
CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window
Includes introductory overview; background and chronology on the topic; an assessment of the current situation; tables and maps; pro/con statements from representatives of opposing positions; and bibliographies of key sources.

Data Privacy, Targeted Advertising, Consumer Protection, and more

Here are some examples of resources that you may find useful for your topics related to your rhetorical analysis of a targeted advertisement.

How Americans View Data Privacy
Report from Pew Research Center, October 2023

Data Privacy Regulations

California Consumer Privacy Act
Information from the California Attorney General's Office about the privacy rights for California residents. Details for consumers and business, with additional resources
U.S. Privacy Laws
Information about privacy laws around the United States, from the Electronic Privacy Information Center, a non-profit "research and advocacy center" (quoted from their website)
Data Protection and Privacy Legislation Worldwide
Information from the United Nations about data protection & privacy legislation in different countries around the world
Data Protection in the European Union
Information from the European Union about the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which governs the protection of personal data in the EU

Business Perspective

To look for sources from the business and marketing perspective, consider searching in magazines such as:

You could also explore some websites from marketing and advertising trade associations, such as:

Some Specific Examples

Here are a few sources related to topics chosen by more than one student:

When ad personalization gets it wrong: Try this NYTimes article "Why Are You Seeing So Many Bad Digital Ads Now?" by Tiffany Hsu to spark some additional ideas
Is my phone listening to me? Take a glance through this academic conference paper "Is My Phone Listening In? On the Feasibility and Detectability of Mobile Eavesdropping" from 2019, or this blog post from Norton (the antivirus software company) "Is my phone listening to me? Yes, here’s why and how to stop it." Notice the different approaches and rhetorical techniques in both pieces.
Gendered advertising: Here's some historical context from the Smithsonian about marketing hair removal products to women in the early 1900s. And a look at gender representation in advertising by CreativeX, along with a report on gender bias in advertising from the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media. For a marketer's perspective, take a look at this web post from a company that sells personalization services with advice to companies about to use or not use gendered marketing
Consumer advocacy: Check out the Electronic Frontier Foundation
How am I being tracked across apps/websites/operating systems/platforms? Check out this explainer on data brokers by Harry Guinness on Popular Science ("How data brokers threaten your privacy") or regulation advocacy from the Electronic Privacy Information Center explaining the industry

Writing: A Research Guide

Science Librarian