Research can be one of the most difficult parts of writing—and it happens before the writing even starts! When gathering resources, it is important to consider the purpose of each piece of information and how that can fit into a cohesive assignment draft. One useful way to examine these concepts is a method called BEAM. According to BEAM’s creator, Joseph Bizup (2008), this acronym describes four distinct purposes of source materials: background, example (or exhibit), argument, and method. Each of these aspects can break down sources and fit them into a new piece of writing.

Breaking down sources may not seem important at first. Why not just find relevant sentences and quote or paraphrase them? However, analyzing a source more deeply helps make writing more successful. Even if the purpose of a piece is not persuasion, writers need to convince readers of their credibility. This includes engaging with sources on their own terms. Bizup (2008) describes successful writing as being in a conversation with other sources. If writers do not understand the purpose of their sources, they are not participating—they are merely reporting. Roach-Freiman (2021) reported that most college students exposed to the BEAM method enjoyed using it to engage more deeply with research and planned to use it going forward. Thus, BEAM can be a useful tool in a writer’s toolbox.

Any new piece of writing needs to start with context. Background, the first of Bizup’s categories, can be described as factual information about a topic (Hunter College Libraries, n.d.). Without the required background information, readers may be unable to follow the writer’s points. Teaching & Learning and University Libraries (2015) state that background sources are typically secondary or tertiary sources. If a source simply relays information gathered from other authors, it may be considered background. Consider encyclopedia entries or textbooks: these types of sources serve to inform readers about a subject. Writers can use them to do the same.

Once readers understand a topic, they need to see examples supporting the writer’s thesis. The second category of BEAM, called exhibit or example, describes a source that produces evidence for writers to analyze (Hunter College Libraries, n.d.). The writer’s own voice and ideas should be paramount in any piece of writing. Exhibits and evidence give writers opportunities to comment on others’ research and connect it to a thesis or main idea. This type of source is typically primary, meaning that it contains new, original information (Teaching & Learning & University Libraries, 2015). Studies and experiments found in academic journals typically fall into this category.

Not all academic sources are primary. Some make a case for or against a specific idea and fall into the third category of BEAM, argument (Hunter College Libraries, n.d.). These sources can show that other authors support the writer’s thesis. Readers are more likely to agree with an argument supported by quality sources. Meanwhile, counterarguments and rival hypotheses—sources that argue against an idea—show readers that all aspects of an issue were explored before the writer chose their thesis. These sources are different than the other categories so far, as Teaching & Learning and University Libraries (2015) explain they can be either primary or secondary. Arguments are typically easy to identify—consider an article advocating for implementation of a new law, for example.

Method, the last category, is described by Hunter College Libraries (n.d.) as a source which contains methodology that writers can apply to their own work. Think of a method source as a set of footsteps to follow: by applying the processes used by other writers, the author can sharpen their own methods and strengthen their own analysis. Method sources are typically secondary sources, according to Teaching & Learning and University Libraries (2015). For example, writers can use literature reviews, which analyze established research, to show readers how other authors have examined an issue, then apply those processes to their own argument.

Application of sources is also critical. Bizup (2008) identifies issues students may face when dealing with background or method sources. He claims that students may fall into a pattern of simply reporting others’ facts or processes without contributing something original. The same issue sometimes arises with example or argument sources that students might use without further comment. To avoid these issues, writers must analyze every piece of information. If writers can connect each citation to their main ideas, they can lessen the risk of leaning too heavily on source materials. 

To explore these concepts in more depth, imagine a student who wishes to advocate for adopting pets from animal shelters. This student’s sources can be broken down into the categories of BEAM.

The student’s first source gives statistics from the Humane Society about the number of pets housed in shelters every year and explains how adopting from a shelter works. This is background: although this source provides statistics, these are simply reported from outside organizations. The student can use this to craft an introduction that helps readers understand the issue at hand.

The second source is a study showing the effects of adopting a pet on personal well-being. Since this is a primary source reporting original research, this is an example source. The student can use these results to demonstrate that shelter pets are good for people’s mental health. After citing the research as an exhibit, they can use it to bolster their idea that prospective pet owners should adopt.

Since counterarguments are important to consider in persuasive pieces, the next source is a newspaper editorial discussing the benefits of buying pets from breeders. This source is an argument source: it advocates for a specific course of action rather than reporting facts or conclusions. The student can use this to show they have considered other points of view but still consider theirs stronger. 

For method, this student found a literature review analyzing various studies on the benefits of shelter pet adoption. This source shows a way to categorize and understand the relevant information. The student can explain the author’s process and apply that process to their own exhibits and argument. This can strengthen the student’s credibility by showing their work.

The BEAM method is a useful way to categorize all the necessary sources for discussion posts, argumentative essays, informative papers, and anything in between. These principles can be applied to any list of sources, long or short, so try it out and see the benefits of engaging in critical conversation!

References

Bizup, Joseph (2008). BEAM: A rhetorical vocabulary for teaching research-based writing. Rhetoric Review, 27(1), pp. 72-86. http://www.jstor.org/stable/20176824 

Hunter College Libraries (n.d.). How to use a source: The BEAM method. Hunter College. https://library.hunter.cuny.edu/research-toolkit/how-do-i-use-sources/beam-method 

Roach-Freiman, A. (2021). BEAM me up: Teaching rhetorical methods for source use and synthesis. Communications in Information Literacy, 15(2), 227–239.

Teaching & Learning; University Libraries (2015). Choosing & using sources: A guide to academic research (Version: 3.0). The Ohio State University. https://ohiostate.pressbooks.pub/choosingsources/