Citing Sources

Why and How

Why cite your sources?

Intellectual honesty

Professional courtesy

When?

When must you cite your sources?When you use another’s thinking

When do you not have to cite?When you do your own reasoning.

Examples of another’s thinking

Exact words or direct quote. (use “quotes”) Paraphrase or summary. Chart, table, or diagram. Illustration or artwork. Music or multimedia.

When?

When must you cite your sources?When you use another’s thinking

When do you not have to cite?When you do your own reasoning.

Examples of your own reasoning

Evidence 1 (cite) Evidence 2 (cite) Evidence 3 (cite) Conclusion (don’t cite)

Examples of your own reasoning

Newton closed at 12:00. (WBZ news) BB & N closed at 11:45. (WBZ news) Beaver completed a full day. (BCDS website) Insert conclusion here …

When?

When must you cite your sources?When you use another’s thinking

When do you not have to cite?When you do your own reasoning.

Real life (sort of) examples

Doing research. Writing paragraphs. Deciding when to insert citations.

This is my buddy Kyle. I’ll write a research paper on him.

So, I begin to gather information.

Newspaper articles about Kyle.

Psychology books about children and adults.

Interviews with people who know Kyle.– His wife, his teachers, our other buddies, etc.

I prepare note cards

I take notes from sources. I copy nothing word for word from sources.

(you may, of course, take direct quotes in your notes, but

this example only works if all notes are summaries) I write down my own reflections. I change notes to complete sentences cards. I am ready to sort cards into paragraphs. When must I cite?

Cite?

Late Saturday at Jester Park Pool, six-foot-two inch high school senior Kyle Ward knocked his head on the diving board on each of three successive dives. On the fourth try, he successfully completed a running double back flip off the high dive

Yes! It’s from Jeff Brown’s article in the newspaper.

Late Saturday at Jester Park Pool, six-foot-two inch high school senior Kyle Ward knocked his head on the diving board on each of three successive dives. On the fourth try, he successfully completed a running double back flip off the high dive. (Brown 16)

Cite?

Psychological theory suggests that an adult who twice experiences a painful result from a single behavior, usually will not repeat the same behavior a third time.

Yes! It’s from the psych textbook.

Psychological theory suggests that an adult who twice experiences a painful result from a single behavior, usually will not repeat the same behavior a third time. (Myers 457).

Cite?

Although he has physically reached the stature of a grown man, Ward is clearly still a child. His behavior is inconsistent with the patterns expected of a psychologically stable adult.

No! This is my own insightful analysis.

Although he has physically reached the stature of a grown man, Ward is clearly still a child. His behavior is inconsistent with the patterns expected of a psychologically stable adult.

Cite?

Although Kyle has reached the stature of a grown man, my husband is clearly still a boy because his behavior is inconsistent with the patterns expected of a psychologically stable adult.

Yes! This is certainly analysis. But it is Lisa Ward’s analysis, not mine.

Although Kyle has reached the stature of a grown man, my husband is clearly still a boy because his behavior is inconsistent with the patterns expected of a psychologically stable adult. (Ward 15)

Dr. Albritton’s Dumb Clues:

In short, use a citation every time you: Report something your kid brother doesn’t know. Complete a paragraph presenting new info. Switch to a new source within a paragraph. Directly quote or indirectly use another’s work,

whatever the form.

So what are the mechanics?

In short:Mark the text

Describe the source

So what are the mechanics?

In short:Mark the text briefly

– Footnote - Parenthetical

– Endnote - Food Stain

Describe the source completely– In the note - At the end– At the end - On the menu

MLA Style Parenthetical Notes

Just enough in paragraph to identify which source in works cited list at the end you used.

Usually author’s name and page number (Jefferson 451) for example

MLA Style Works Cited list:

Author’s name Title of the Book Publication Information

– City:– Company,– Year.

Where to go for more details?

Beaver Library via the BCDS website: http://www.bcdschool.org/

– AcademicsLibrary

– Research HelpCiting Sources

Shows how to format parenthetical note and entry in works cited page.