Banned Books & Censorship - Longview

Who? Is there a named author? Is the author an expert in the subject matter? Are they affiliated with a reputable organization?  (credibility/credentials)

Why? Is the article written to inform, entertain, or persuade? What is the author trying achieve? What voices or stories are missing from the discussion? Look for evidence of bias in every article you read. Beware of loaded language. (bias & purpose)

How? Do the authors cite their sources? Do they present appropriate evidence to back their claims? Do they leave anything out? (credibility/credentials)

What? Does the topic of the article relate to your research topic? An article can be valuable even if it only discusses part of your topic. Remember as a researcher you should not ignore articles that you disagree with. (bias)

When? Does the date of the article make sense compared to how fast your subject area changes? (timeliness)

Equitable Citation (or Citation Justice) is the process for being intentional about who you cite in your own work to uplift and center disabled, gender-diverse, Indigenous, BIPOC, & 2SLGBTQIA+ authors, researchers, and perspectives in your work. 

Citation is not only a way we build ethos and credibility for making arguments, but, perhaps more importantly, a decision to amplify some voices over others, and an argument about whose voices and perspectives are valid, credible, and worth drawing from as we build knowledge in the discipline. Citation practices affect our material realities, how people are sustained and promoted, what knowledge is honored in the discipline, and who we see as knowledge producers.

Incorporating marginalized voices into your research involves both who you cite and how you cite. Equitable citation practices require considering what diversity in research and knowledge production looks like beyond just the individual names attached to resources. 

Inclusive Citation and Citation Justice asks us to: 

• Avoid tokenism. Tokenism occurs when someone decides to include a scholar from an underrepresented group just because they belong to that group, rather than because of that scholars' unique contribution. Inclusive citation that is meaningful and intentional instead reflects genuine engagement with scholars’ ideas and exploration into how what they have to say enriches your research. 
• Recognize that scholars from underrepresented groups may speak to any topic. While some topics may relate directly to a group identity that they share, others may not.
• Intersectionality: Appreciate that each individual has a background, set of life experiences, and perspectives that are unique to them. Challenge the misconception that an individual who belongs to a given group (including underrepresented groups) represents or speaks for that group as a whole.