In many cases, another researcher's arguments can act as the primary context from which you can emphasize the significance of your study and to provide supporting evidence about how you addressed the 'So What?' question. Other researcher's ideas can be used to reinforce your arguments.The list of sources used increases your credibility as the author of the work. Citing other people's words and ideas demonstrates that you have conducted a thorough review of the literature on your topic and, therefore, you are reporting your research from an informed and critically engaged perspective.One of the most effective strategies for locating authoritative, relevant sources about a topic is to review footnotes or references from known sources. Citations to sources helps readers expand their knowledge on a topic. Proper citation allows readers to locate the materials you used.The act of citing sources is also your best defense against allegations of plagiarism.Ĭiting the works of others is important because: Extending the Timeliness of a Topic IdeaĬitations document for your readers where you obtained your material, provide a means of critiquing your study based on the sources you used, and create an opportunity to obtain information about prior studies of the research problem under investigation.For organizational or long-standing website, include title: “The center for Disease Control web site includes information…” For news or magazine websites, include title and date: “CNN.com, on March 28, 2005, states…” (Note: CNN is an exception to the “don’t use the address” rule because the site is known by that name.Include journal title, date, and author: “Morgan Smith writes in the Fall 2005 issue of Science…”.Include title and date: “Time, March 28, 2005, explains…” or “The New York Times, June 5, 2006, explained it this way…”.Include title and author: “According to April Jones, author of Readings on Gender…”

These should be acknowledged in your speech or presentation either as “And I quote…” or “As put it…”.Provide a caption citation for all direct quotations and /or relevant images on your PowerPoint slides.Derek Bok, the President Emeritus of Harvard University and the author of The Politics of Happiness argues that the American government should design policies to enhance the happiness of its citizens.” Typically we provide this credentialing of the source by stating the source’s qualifications to discuss the topic. If your source is unknown to your audience, provide enough information about your source for the audience to perceive them as credible.“In the 1979 edition of The Elements of Style, renowned grammarians and composition stylists Strunk and White encourage writers to ‘make every word tell.’”.This should include the author(s) name, a brief explanation of their credentials, the title of the work, and publication date. Provide enough information about each source so that your audience could, with a little effort, find them.Do not say, “quote, unquote” when you offer a direct quotation.Tell the audience your source before you use the information (the opposite of in-text citations).

How to insert a citation to a source