Disciplinary Approaches
Many aspects of written assignments vary from discipline to discipline. Writing within a discipline requires developing familiarity with what that discipline considers to be appropriate. A long-term strategy to foster such familiarity is to read widely and deeply within the discipline.
Disciplinary approaches differ with respect to questions such as the following:
- What constitutes an appropriate question or issue?
- What research sources and strategies are appropriate?
- What qualifies as evidence?
- What is the appropriate method for citing sources?
Click the sections below to review examples of evidence-related questions that might arise as you prepare a paper in one of the following disciplines.
Humanities
Humanities (e.g., English literature, classical studies, fine arts):
Are you being asked to consider a primary text, such as a novel, poem or play and to construct an interpretation or argument based upon some feature of the work or the context in which the work was produced? If so, what evidence do you need to provide to support your interpretation or argument (e.g., direct quotations from the text, other scholarly criticism, etc.)?
All types of assignments will require more than simply restating the findings of your readings. Generally, you will be making a claim or presenting a viewpoint, which you will need to support with evidence. For more information about how to develop an argument, see the Writing Strategies module.
History
Are you being asked to consider a historical event and its importance, causes, or effects? If so, what will strengthen your assignment: documents from the time of the event (e.g., newspapers, government documents, letters, diaries, etc.), later scholarly interpretations, a particular theoretical lens?
Social Sciences
Social Sciences (e.g., sociology, criminology, political science):
What existing scholarly work informs your approach and understanding of this topic (e.g., scholarly journal articles, empirical studies, theoretical frameworks, etc.)? Will you be expected to consult resources that provide data on a particular aspect of society pertinent to your topic (e.g., census data, government documents, or primary sources such as newspapers, etc.)?
All types of assignments will require more than simply restating the findings of your readings. Generally, you will be making a claim or presenting a viewpoint, which you will need to support with evidence. For more information about how to develop an argument, see the Writing Strategies module.
