Using Sources in

Academic Writing
A source is a place or person that information comes from. We use sources
in academic writing to participate in a larger conversation with educated
people in our field. When we use a source, its important to show clearly
where the information comes from.
According to Diana Hacker in A Writers Reference, we can use sources for
many reasons including:

giving background information or explaining previous research

defining a term or important concept for the reader
giving evidence to support our claim
providing an argument that opposes our claim

Of course, to make our own writing more credible, its necessary to use
reliable sources. A good source depends on who your readers are and
what they expect. In general, peer-reviewed scholarly journals have the
most reliability. Respected newspaper articles and websites from reputable
organizations (such as Britains National Health Service site) have some
reliability. Community forums, personal blogs, and sites with a strong
commercial or ideological bias are the least reliable. Wikipedia, while it is
respected, is not considered a good source for academic research. Although
it can be useful for getting started, the writer should always check the facts
and find a stable source for the same information. For example, check the
References section at the end of a Wikipedia article, as this often includes
reliable news and internet sources.
Once you find a source, you may want to paraphrase or quote the
information to use in your paper. In APA citation style, writers often use a
combination of reported speech and in-text citation to identify where
information came from. All sources that are mentioned in the paper must be
in the reference list.

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Paraphrasing

Using Sources in Academic Writing

A paraphrase is

writing the same information in your own words. This is an important

academic skill because American universities value the ownership of both
ideas and style. You will often paraphrase when you use sources in a
research paper, especially when summarizing. Sometimes your version will
be longer or shorter than the original, but the most important thing is that
the sources ideas are clearly explained and the language is authentic to you.
Good paraphrases should:

change the sentence structure and grammar

uses synonyms and other forms of words with

similar meaning

include the same idea

explain where the idea came from (unless the

information is common knowledge)

Common paraphrase mistakes are:

Usually, a computer
program or teacher will
consider plagiarism as
more than 4 words
together from the original.
Even so, you should not
copy key words: verbs,
nouns, adjectives, or
expressions that are
unique.
Even so, some fields have
words and phrases that are
common and all experts
should know and use.
Paraphrases may include
these, even if they are

changing only the words or grammar, but staying

too close to the original

misunderstanding or changing the meaning of

the original

adding opinions or personal commentary

not showing clearly which ideas are from a source and which are from
the writer

Original

EXAMPLE:

In addition to helping teachers

learn more about students
reading and writing ability,
paraphrasing provides
meaningful opportunities for
students to practice close
reading of target texts and
language
and thus
Using
Sources
(ELI,enhance
MSU)
their reading and writing
skills. In other words,
paraphrasing is a form of

Poor
Also aiding teachers in
understanding students
reading and writing
ability, paraphrasing
gives good
opportunities for
students to try careful
reading of things and
therefore enhance their
reading and writing
skills. We can say that

Good
Teachers use
paraphrasing to
measure students
learning and writing
skills. However, Hirvela
(2013) also considers
paraphrasing a learning
activity because
2
students improve their
language abilities by
paying careful attention

Strategies for Paraphrasing

You can only write a good paraphrase if you understand the meaning of the
original sentence. Most importantly, the paraphrase should never change
the meaning, and someone who reads your paraphrase should understand
the general idea of the original. For summarizing a large article, its
tempting to copy phrases or impressive words, but these are the sources
words, not yours. When you take notes on the original, mark when you have
copied key words.
1.

Read the original carefully and check the meaning.

Take notes on a few words that

are important to the main idea.
Look for synonyms for these
words.
3. Imagine you are explaining this
to a friend. What language
would you use?
4. Write a paraphrase in simple
language that you would use
with a classmate.
2.

5.

Make a list of important points,

numbers, or names.
3. Cover up the original and try to
remember what the authors
main idea was.
4. Write a paraphrase that
explains the information in your
list.
2.

Compare your writing to the original.

There are many ways to write a good paraphrase. If you dont know where to
start, practice a combination of these.

switch the order of ideas

change the sentence to negative or positive

change a part of speech

use synonyms

change a sentence from active to passive

connect two sentences or change the connecting words/transitions

give a definition inside a sentence with a dash or clause

Using Sources (ELI, MSU)

use a reporting signal to introduce the author

Using Sources (ELI, MSU)

2
Reported Speech is

Reporting Signals

Using Sources in Academic Writing

information or ideas that come from someone else. Sometimes, this appears
as a direct quote. In stories and summaries, though, we usually use
sentence structures that paraphrase the information and indicate the
source.
When writing academic papers, introduce the source and show where ideas
come from clearly. Follow citation rules (APA, MLA, or others).

When talking about the past, write the WHOLE SENTENCE in the past. Also, change pronouns to mat
Jaime told CASUAL
me, ImPHRASES
going to call Mom.
My friend told
X says/said
me thatthat
he was
_____________
going to call his mother.

X
X
X
X

tells/told [somebody] to _______________

tells/told [ somebody] that _______________
wants/wanted [somebody] to ________________
thinks/thought that __________________

ACADEMIC PHRASES
According to X, ___________________
When writing about an article, book, or
X states that ____________________
other written material, use PRESENT TENSE.
In the article , X says that _______________
X writes that _________________
Shakespeare wrote 38 famous plays.
In Xs view/opinion, ___________________
In Aswrites
You Like
It, he
compares life to a stage
X disagrees/agrees/complains [etc] when he/she
that
[SENTENCE].
play.
X supports the idea/fact/claim/theory that [SENTENCE].
X recommends [VERB+ING].

Using Sources (ELI, MSU)

OPINIONSsignals carry positive or negative connotations.

Different reporting
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X

argues that [SENTENCE].

claims that [SENTENCE].
believes that [SENTENCE].
suggests that [SENTENCE].
complains that [SENTENCE].
denies/does not deny that [SENTENCE].
asserts that [SENTENCE].
reminds us that [SENTENCE].
acknowledges that [SENTENCE].
insists that [SENTENCE].
questions whether [SENTENCE] or [SENTENCE]

For example, states, reports,

FACTS AND STATISTICS

X reports that [SENTENCE].
X observes that [SENTENCE].
X discusses [+NOUN PHRASE]
X analyzes [+NOUN PHRASE]
Research shows that [SENTENCE].
A study proved that [SENTENCE].
Scientists have recently discovered that [SENTENCE].
In the most recent surveys, it was found that [SENTENCE].
COMMON KNOWLEDGE
Its widely known that [SENTENCE].
Its commonly believed that [SENTENCE].
Westerners today generally agree that [SENTENCE].
Many people assume that [SENTENCE].

Using Sources (ELI, MSU)

In-Text
Citation

Using Sources in Academic Writing

A citation is

a formal way to show the source. Each field uses a different citation style
(APA, MLA, AMA, etc.) There are strict rules for writing the information in the
paper (in-text citation) and at the end of the paper (a reference list).
There are even rules about where to put your period!
Use in-text citation when you:
use data or original information from a source
explain an idea or opinion that isnt yours
summarize one or more sources that are related to your topic
Your in-text citation will use information from the reference list; its like a clue
on how to find the full information at the end of the paper. This is important
because readers may want to learn more about the
topic by reading the source. In most cases, the author
The source must match
the first word in the entry
is more important than the title, newspaper, website, or
of your reference list.
other information. Thats why the in-text citation only
Usually, this is the
includes enough know to where the information came
authors last name. If the
from.
source doesnt have an
author, check the
reference list to see the

THREE BASIC STYLES OF IN-TEXT CITATION

Reporting Signal + Paraphrase/Summary
According to Jones (1998), APA style is a difficult citation format for
first-time learners.
Paraphrase/Summary Only
APA style is a difficult citation format for first-time learners (Jones,
1998).
Quotation
Jones (1998) found "students often had difficulty using APA style" (p.
199); what implications does this have for teachers?

Using Sources (ELI, MSU)

APA IN-TEXT CITATION BASICS

When its possible, introduce the source of the information. Write the
name of the author, article/book title, or organization that published it.
You can use a reporting signal or include the source as part of the
sentence. Usually basic facts or numbers do not need an introduction.
2. Put the year in parentheses right after the source. If the source is not
introduced in the sentence, write the source and year in parentheses at
the end of the sentence.
3. For quotes, opinions, or specific information, write the page number
after the year. Keep the parentheses inside punctuation (period, comma,
semi-colon, etc). For websites or other sources without pages, use
(para.#) to indicate the paragraph.
1.

See the Purdue OWL for more information about capitalization, long
quotations, and multiple authors.

Whats missing or incorrect in these citations?

1. Schwimmer (1985) considers teacher-student communication the most
important issue underlying almost all problems in the classroom.
2. The article from 2008 says that students often do not know how to ask
teachers for help.
3. Research shows that teachers are also frustrated by communication
problems (Doyle, Marks & Grant).
4. While native English-speaking students experience communication
difficulties, the problem is even bigger for non-native students. (Burns,
2005)

Using Sources (ELI, MSU)

4
A reference is

Reference List

Using Sources in Academic Writing

a list of sources that have been used in the paper. It goes at the end of your
paper and all the in-text citations are short versions of the full citation at the
end. With this information, others can look up the same sources as you, to
check your data or do more research on their own. You must follow the
guidelines for the style that you are using (APA, MLA, AMA, etc.), even small
rules like capitalization and punctuation.
APA REFERENCE LIST BASICS

Make a new page and label it References at the top (without the
quotation marks)
Double-space the text and use Hanging Indentation for your
references.
Alphabetize your references according to the authors last names. If
there is no author, use the organization as the author. (World Health
Organization, Department of Defense, etc). If there is no author at
all, use the Title as the beginning of the reference.
Capitalize the major words in journal titles, but only capitalize the first
letter of a book, chapter, article, or web page.
Italicize the titles of books and journals, but do not italicize articles in
journals or essays in a book collection.
Work hard to look up and write as much information from the
requirements as you can. For example, a newspaper article on a
website should include the name of the publisher and URL. Use n.d. if
you cannot find a date.

See the Purdue OWL for more information about electronic sources, sources
published by an organization without an author, and multiple authors.

Using Sources (ELI, MSU)

EXAMPLES
Article in an academic journal
Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (Year). Title of article. Title of Periodical,
volume number(issue number), pp#-#.
Harlow, H. F. (1983). Fundamentals for preparing psychology journal articles. Journal
of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 55, 893-896.

Article in a newspaper
Author, A. (Year, Date). Title of Article. Title of Periodical, pp. ##.
Schultz, S. (2005, December 28). Calls made to strengthen state energy
policies. The Country Today, pp. 1A, 2A.

Book
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of work. Location: Publisher.
Calfee, R. C., & Valencia, R. R. (1991). APA guide to preparing manuscripts for
journal publication. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Webpage, not a journal

Author, A. A. (Date of publication). Title of document. Retrieved from http://Web
address
Bernstein, M. (2002). 10 tips on writing the living Web. A List Apart: For People Who
Make Websites, 149. Retrieved from
http://www.alistapart.com/articles/writeliving

Using Sources (ELI, MSU)

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Using Sources (ELI, MSU)

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SOURCE WORK CHECKLIST

PARAPHRASE
____ Did you change the words, especially verbs, adjectives, and adverbs?
____ Did you also change the grammar?
____ Did you keep the meaning of the original?
____ Did you clearly show where the information came from?

REPORTING SIGNAL
____ Did you include the author, title, or organization name?
____ Did you check the singular/plural agreement of the subject and verb?
____ Did you check the collocation and grammar of the reporting signal that you are
using?

IN-TEXT CITATION
____ Did you include the author name?
____ Did you include the year?
____ Did you include a page number for specific information or authors opinion?
____ Does the in-text citation match the Reference?
____ Did you check the punctuation (period, commas, and parentheses)?

REFERENCE LIST
____ Does the author name match the citations in the paper?
____ Did you alphabetize the list?
____ Did you capitalize only the first letter of names?
____ Did you capitalize only the first letter in the title of books, web pages, or
articles?
____ Did you italicize the title of books or journals?
____ Did you use periods after each section of the Reference?
____ Did you include the retrieved from information in online resources?

Using Sources (ELI, MSU)

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Using Sources (ELI, MSU)

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