1.3 Using Sources Effectively

Whether you locate your sources yourself or are provided sources for reference by your instructor, you need to determine how they will fit into your own writing project. Remember, the purpose of using outside sources for academic papers is generally to obtain and reference material that supports your original observations, thesis, or main claim. If you find yourself using more quotations or paraphrases than writing your own material, you need to re‐evaluate what you are actually contributing to your paper. What are the observations, analyses, and conclusions you bring to the topics? Your name is on the front page of the paper; therefore, you should provide most of the paper’s content. Regardless of the assignment, do not simply collect and report material from others. Instead, insert your own voice by presenting an original analysis of what the sources say and critical thinking about their bases for saying it, how they say it, or what they do not say.

• 1.3.1 Referencing sources in the body of the paper
• 1.3.2. Introducing and positioning sources within a paper
• 1.3.3. Citing references