The BEAM model was originally proposed by Joseph Bizup in 2008, suggested that there are four main groups of information that we use in research papers. Below is a break-down Bizup's four elements with examples of these types of information that one can relate into the assigned paper.
| BACKGROUND | General information that is accepted as facts. It helps us understand the topic. We consider this type of information as reliable and authoritative. You might want to look at dictionary entries to understand a concept. Read an encyclopedia entry for an overview of a topic. |
| EXHIBIT | Information to analyze and interpret. These are examples that support or provide claims. This might be statistics, data, and other articles that backup or highlight faults in the arguments. |
| ARGUMENT | The content that one engages in a conversation or argument. How and why do you support, dispute, refine, or extend the ideas? For this assignment, the exhibit would be the original article within which you are supporting and refuting ideas |
| METHOD | The way in which one analyzes the issue. Perhaps there is a set language, a procedure, or a model/perspective that one uses to structure the paper. This might not be a source of information that you cite, like the MLA Style for formatting your paper and citing the sources used. |
Bizup, Joesph. "BEAM: A Rhetorical Vocabulary for Teaching Research-Based Writing." Rhetoric Review, vol. 27, no. 1, 2008, pp. 72-86. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/20176824.
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Currency
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Authorship
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Purpose
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Objectivity
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Writing Style
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