Gathering Ideas From Multiple Sources

Think about writing a report on sea turtles. If you only read one book, you only get the facts that book tells you. But if you also read an article and watch a short video, you collect many more facts. You can then pick the best facts to support your idea.

Using more than one source also helps you check your facts. If a book says sea turtles lay eggs on the beach, and an article says the same thing, you know the fact is probably true. When two sources agree, you can trust that fact more.

Combining sources means you take facts from each place and put them together in your own words. You do not just copy sentences. You read each source, think about what it says, and write down the main point in a short note.

Here is one way to do it. First, read a book about your topic and write down three facts. Next, read an article and write down three more facts. Then look at both lists and find facts that go together. Use those matching facts to build one strong idea for your writing.

When you read many sources, it is easy to forget facts. That is why you should take short notes as you read. Write only the important words, not whole sentences. For example, instead of writing a long sentence about turtles, you might just write turtles lay eggs on beach.

Keep your notes in a list or a small chart. Put the name of the source next to each fact. This way, you always know where each fact came from, and you can go back and check it later if you need to.

After you collect notes from several sources, read through them again. Look for facts that match. If two or three sources say the same thing, that fact is strong and you can use it with confidence in your writing.

If one source says something different from the others, do not throw it away right away. Instead, look for a fourth source to help you decide which fact is correct. Checking your facts this way makes your writing more accurate.

Source: A place where you find information, such as a book, an article, or a website.

Combine: To put facts from different sources together to build one idea.

Note: A short written reminder of an important fact from a source.

Fact: A true piece of information that you can check in a source.

Compare: To look at two or more sources to see what is the same and what is different.

Support: To use facts and details to show that your idea is true or strong.

Article: A short piece of writing about one topic, often found in a magazine or online.

Website: A page of information you can find on the internet.

Pick a topic you like, such as volcanoes or sharks. Find one book and one article about that topic. Write three facts from each on a chart. Circle the facts that match, then write one sentence that uses two matching facts to support an idea about your topic.

Related lessons

• Developing Ideas Using Various Sources