Using Sources in Your Paper
Now that we’ve covered different types of sources, let’s talk about using them. In addition to making sure the information you find fits and makes sense alongside your own writing, it is also important to properly reference and cite your sources to avoid plagiarism and to give credit for original ideas.
Three Ways to Use Sources
Quoting: Direct quotations are words and phrases taken directly from another source and then used word-for-word in your paper. You may find that the original source uses language that is clearer, more concise, or more specific than your own, in which case you should use a direct quotation, putting quotation marks around those unique words or phrases you don’t change. If you incorporate a direct quotation from another author’s text, you must put that quotation or phrase in quotation marks to indicate that it is not your language.
When writing direct quotations, you can introduce the quoted text by using the source author’s name in the same sentence as the quotation and indicate the source from which you found it. You should then include the page number or other relevant information in parentheses at the end of the phrase (the exact format will depend on the formatting style of your essay).
Summarizing: Summarizing involves condensing the main idea of a source into a much shorter overview. A summary outlines a source’s most important points and general position. When summarizing a source, it is still necessary to use a citation to give credit to the original author. You must reference the author or source in the appropriate citation method at the end of the summary, whether the summary is a single sentence or a full paragraph.
Paraphrasing: When paraphrasing, you may translate any part of a source (such as a phrase, sentence, paragraph, or chapter) into your own words. This can help convey the information of a source in a way that fits with the tone of your paper. It is common to use a mixture of paraphrased text and quoted words or phrases as long as the direct quotations are inside quotation marks.
Providing Context for Your Sources
Whether you use a direct quotation, a summary, or a paraphrase, it is important to distinguish the original source from your ideas and to explain how the cited source fits into your argument. While the use of quotation marks or parenthetical citations tells your reader that these are not your own words or ideas, you should follow the quote with a description, in your own terms, of what the quote says and why it is relevant to the purpose of your paper. You should not let quoted or paraphrased text stand alone in your paper, but rather, should integrate the sources into your argument by providing context and explanations about how each source supports your argument.
Using the “Quote Sandwich”
In academic writing, the “Quote Sandwich” approach is useful for incorporating other writers’ voices into your essays. It gives meaning and context to a quote and helps you avoid plagiarism. This 3-step approach offers your readers a deeper understanding of what the quote is and how it relates to your essay’s goals.
- Step 1: Provide context for the source. If you haven’t used it yet in the essay, tell us the source’s title and author (if known), and any other information that’s relevant, like the purpose of the organization that published it, for instance.
- Step 2: Provide the quote itself. Be sure to format correctly and use quotation marks around exact language.
- Step 3: Provide a summary and/or analysis of what the quote says, and how it relates to the subject matter of your essay and your thesis.
Using Signal Phrases
Part of the challenge of using sources is keeping your writing interesting while still following the rules of in-text citations. Writers often do this by adding signal phrases before quotes, summaries, and paraphrases both to give readers a heads-up that source material is coming and to credit the author they are referencing. The most basic form of this is the simple: Author John Jones says (followed by the quote/summary/paraphrase you want to use). However, if you use this type of phrase before every quote, it will start to feel repetitive and stale. Keep things interesting for your readers by switching up the language and placement of your signal phrases.
Model Signal Phrases
In the words of professors Greer and Dewey, . . .
As sociology scholar Janice Kinsey has noted, . . .
Creative Commons, an organization that helps internet users understand and create copyright for materials, reports that . . .
. . . , writes Deidre Tyrell, . . .
Kyles and Sanderson offer up a compelling point: . . .
Suggested Verbs for Signal Phrases
- acknowledges
- adds
- admits
- agrees
- argues
- asserts
- believes
- claims
- comments
- compares
- confirms
- contends
- declares
- denies
- disputes
- emphasizes
- endorses
- grants
- illustrates
- implies
- insists
- notes
- observes
- points out
- reasons
- refutes
- rejects
- reports
- responds
- suggests
- thinks
- writes
Synthesizing Sources
Sources are a great help for understanding a topic more deeply. But what about when sources don’t quite agree with one another or challenge what you have experienced yourself?
This is where your skill of synthesis comes into play as a writer. Synthesizing includes comparison and contrast but also allows you to combine multiple perspectives on a topic to reach a deeper understanding.
This video explains the process of synthesis in action.
Credit: “Synthesizing Information” by GCFLearnFree. License: All Rights Reserved. License Terms: Standard YouTube License.
LICENSE AND ATTRIBUTION
Adapted from:
- “Using Sources in Your Paper” from English Composition II used according to CC BY 4.0.
- Robin Jeffery’s “MLA Signal Phrases” from About Writing: A Guide used according to CC BY 4.0.
- “Using Multiple Sources” from English Composition II used according to CC BY 4.0.