How to Choose Credible Sources Essay Example
Finding a credible source is often extremely hard now days. There is an excess amount of information that floods to every individual within milliseconds of clicking enter. So when legitimate sources are found, like Kate N. Johnson and Lauren Yarger, it is difficult to decide if they are legitimate or not. Kate N. Johnson has a review of Long Day’s Journey into Night, a play directed by Anthony Page at the Apollo Theatre. This review can be found in Eugene O’Neill Review, Vol. 34, No. 1. Lauren Yarger writes about the same play, Long Day’s Journey into Night, directed by Jonathan Kent at the American Airlines Theatre. On the other hand, many sources, such as Daniel Collins’ review of Long Day’s Journey into Night, directed by Donald Hicken at Everyman Theatre, get mixed into the search results as well. So, how do you know it is a credible source? There is a biography or autobiography on the writer, language used and what the website (or book) looks like.
The knowledge of Kate N. Johnson gives her much credibility such as comparisons to other productions. In her early paragraphs, she uses another production to emphasize the differences in productions; “In fact, Robert Falls’ 2003 critically acclaimed Broadway Production… made Mary the unforgettable centerpiece of the story” (Johnson 124). Thus, proving she has seen other productions of this play. Johnson is a professor at Miami University in Drama History, Theory and Criticism. Johnson uses words like “melancholic score” (Johnson 122) and “unexpected nuances” (124), which are technical, and words not used in everyday, casual conversation. To help give the audience more information on this source being on academic sources or popular, they can look to find that it is an excerpt from Eugene O’Neill Review, Vol. 34, No.1. Given this information the reader can trust the source for any academic purposes, such as a source or reference for a paper.
Additionally, as for Lauren Yarger, the Vice President to the Drama Desk and member of the Outer Critics Circle, the production directed by Jonathan Kent was “3 stars” (Yarger 2). Yarger seems to be very knowledgeable in the theatrical world, because of her knowledge of the “two- time American-Award Winner Lange” (Yarger 1), an actress that very few know about. Many do not know about the actress Lange, because most people are not very involved in the theatre world. As Yarger writes her review, she criticizes and comments on how the actress, Jessica Lange, portrays Mary throughout the play. Yarger goes on to say, “Without Lange’s portrayal, I am not sure this revival would be able to stand on its own in the memory of the last revival led by David Dennehy” (2). Yarger is giving all the credit for the paly being good to the actress, rather than how it was produced and directed. She often mentions the sound effects that are in use throughout the play, such as “cracking [egg] shells” (Yarger 2) during the suspense and tension that builds between the family and each other through the entirety of the production, Yarger seems to only enjoy the show because of Lange.
Conversely, on the opposing hand, Daniel Collins, of Broadway World, does not meet the criteria of an “Academic Source”. When researching Collin’s name, there is not much to find on him. The language that is being used throughout this review is not academic, such as “English Lit-major College” (Collins 1). This shows that the author that is writing the review is doing for the soul purpose of entertainment purposes. To add, when looking at the website the reader is bombarded with advertisements and flashy pictures all over the place. Between, almost, every paragraph there is an advertisement that distracts the reader from the content they are reading. As the reader scrolls, there is an advertisement that constantly stays at the tops and bottoms of the screen. Once the reader gets towards the bottom, finishing up the read, there are links to share on Twitter and Facebook as well. In the majority of cases seeing the share to Twitter and Facebook buttons, often means that the website is not an academic source.
With this in mind, when choosing which source to use for an academic purpose the top choice is the review written by Kate N. Johnson. Before the reader begins to read, they see the layout of the review, which is set up professional in most aspects. The language that Johnson uses throughout her work is sophisticated in many ways. First off, she uses words that many would not use in everyday, casual conversations. She, also, is very easy to find when searching for more information on her. Thus, helping the reader’s ability to find accurate knowledge and information to use when doing any type of academic purposes. Along with this, it is obvious that she is knowledgeable about the theatre this production took place in, the Apollo Theatre.
Furthermore, the next best option when choosing a source to use would be the review by Lauren Yarger. She knew various details and changes that occurred between the performance she is writing about, previous performance and the book. Things such as how Mary was portrayed, what character(s) the director focusing on and the lighting that helps give the context to the play. In Yarger’s review she mentions, “usually the play is all about the Tyrone men with Mary wandering in and out of their angst. In this version, however the focus is on Mary—and so it should be” (2). Yarger agrees with the director on his views as she explains further on throughout her review. She gives just enough detail to provide her opinion on the matter and then congratulates the actors and actresses for their job well done on their performances. Although, she gave much evidence that she mostly enjoyed it all for the actress, Lange, there is very compelling evidence that she is a creditable source to use for an academic purpose.
