The advantages of the expert lie in their academic credibility. A credible authority is taken more seriously, their work more appreciated. As for the crowd of amateurs, despite the ugly reputation they receive for lack of credentials, the knowledge pool that they create in itself is vast and can make for a quality article. In the case of Britannica versus Wikipedia, the authority of the expert as well as the crowd of amateurs is displayed. Britannica contains article written by experts meaning scholars and academics. These collections have great credibility and elitism, because of this, Britannica is a website that charges for its use, perhaps it’s biggest downfall considering that many users can not afford it. Wikipedia on the other hand has articles made up of a crowd of people called amateurs for their lack of credentials and it is also a free source, making it ideal as well as convenient.
Authority changes in different genres of writing. For example credible expert sources can come in many forms depending on ones purpose. An academic journal is always going to be considered an authority, however, books, newspapers, TV, and blogs can also be an authority on a subject. For example, if ones purpose is to research the psychology of the characters from the television show House, or to display the bias feelings of love from the biography Rosie Dunne, the actual show or book itself is credible source. On the same note, the movie 300, though about the battle of Thermopylae, is not a historically credible source, however could be used in response to other purposes, such as its cinematic value.
Personally I choose sources depending on two factors, what they are being used for, and how strict the rules are for which I would use them. Say I am writing a personal essay and I wish to reference the Lifetime show Desperate Housewives and make connections between the characters and myself, I wouldn’t hesitate. However, if I am writing an academic essay about the past times of suburban housewives, I would probably find a more credible source such as statistical databases, newspapers, and specific magazines.
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Nice response. I especially liked your Desperate Housewives example. The key idea here was to differentiate between models of authority, then describe how and when you apply those models.
ReplyDeleteShould you choose to revise and resubmit in week 8, here's what to think about:
--Are there circumstances in which an academic journal is not an authority (or is an inappropriate authority?)
--What sort of resources would you consult to write your personal essay on Desperate Housewives (i.e., what non-academic sources)
Rubric:
--Understands the nature & characteristics of authority in both academic and nonacademic contexts. Proficient
--Applies this understanding to concrete, real world examples in student's own life situations: Proficient
-K