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Library DIY

I Need Help Integrating Sources into My Paper

Effective Research Papers = Evidence from Scholars/Experts + Your Ideas

  • Use the work of experts to formulate, support, and refine your own ideas and to build your credibility as a scholar.
  • Cite your information sources to properly credit others for their thoughts and work.
  • Supporting evidence from scholars and experts will strengthen your argument or thesis statement.
  • Research and academic writing is how you participate in scholarly conversations with topic experts.
  • Your voice and your analysis are essential to the research paper or project.

Incorporating Sources into Your Academic Writing: Three Main Ways

  • Direct Quotations: Learn more about Quoting.
  • Paraphrasing: Learn more about Paraphrasing.
  • Summarizing: Summarizing is similar to paraphrasing, but is used when you are trying to give an overview of many ideas. Like with paraphrasing, you don't use quotation marks, but you will need citations.

Three Elements for Integrated Source Information

  • Introductory phrase to the source material: Learn about Signal and Lead-in Phrases from the Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University.
  • Source material: A direct quote, paraphrase, or summary with proper citation
  • Analysis of the source material: Your response, interpretations, or arguments regarding the source material should introduce or follow it.

Final Tips

  • Watch the Quoting, Summarizing, and Paraphrasing (2020) video by Jenna Goddard, Writing Center Coordinator for Thompson Rivers University, that compares/contrasts all three processes.
  • Remember that all your sources should relate to your thesis or central argument(s), whether they are in agreement or not. It is a good idea to address all sides of the argument or thesis to make your position stronger.
  • Schedule an appointment with the Writing Center for more help with integrating sources into your paper.