Overview of Citing Sources

An introductory session to citing sources for first-year college students.

1. Citing Sources
A compilation and summary of
academic writing articles.
By Berliana Putri Ariyati

2. What is a citation?
A citation is a reference to a published or
unpublished source that you consulted and
obtained information from while writing your
research paper.
Different universities/professors may use/prefer/have
different writing style manuals.
Some disciplines have their own citation methods.
Source for this page: http://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/citingsources

3. Why citing sources? (1)
•To show that you are aware of the major areas of thought in
your specific subject.
This allows you to show how your contribution fits in, by correcting
previous research, filling gaps, adding support or extending current
research or thinking.
•To support the points you are making by referring to other
people's work.
Citing authors that agree with the points you are making or explain why
the cited authors who do not agree with you are wrong will strengthen
your argument.
Looking up a reference for verification also serves as an accuracy
check, e.g., to double check a direct quote, to ensure the fidelity of a
passage that you paraphrased, or to cite another study that is related to
your study.

4. •To show that you have read and understood specific texts.
You need to show that you have read around the subject, not just
confined your reading to one textbook or lecture notes. A good
bibliography shows off your scientific knowledge.
•To avoid plagiarism.
You must not use another person's words or ideas as your own so you
need to say where they are from. Failure to cite other people's
intellectual property ruins careers and reputations and can result in legal
action.
Why citing sources? (2)
Source for this part: http://www.uefap.com/writing/citation/citefram.htm and
https://falconediting.com/en/blog/6-reasons-why-citation-of-sources-is-important-when-
writing

5. Type of Sources
•Reference books, such as dictionaries, encyclopedias,
atlases, and books of facts.
Many lecturers do not allow them as sources in research papers.
•Scholarly journals/periodicals/periodical journals.
These are important sources of information for students in graduate
schools.
•Books.
•Magazine, newspaper, and online articles.
Some of them may not be appropriate to use.
Source for this page: Oshima, Alice, and Ann Hogue. Writing Academic English. 4
th
ed. Pearson-
Longman, 2006.

6. Evaluating Sources (1)
Check reliability first!
•Check the date.
Make sure the information or the sources is up-to-date or still current.
•Check the author’s and the publisher’s reputations.
The author company/organization/institution must have special
knowledge of, experience in, or authority on the topic.
•Check the purpose of the publication or the website.
Be aware that it may try to sell a product, to support one side of a
controversy, to promote a particular political point of view, or merely to
provide information.

7. •Check the content.
Is it mostly fact/opinion/propaganda? Does it seem strongly biased? Are
the ideas supported by reliable evidence?
•Check the language.
Does the source seem well written? Is it free from emotion-arousing
words? Do you notice any spelling errors or grammatical mistakes?
•Check the quality of the presentation.
Is the quality of the printing good? Is the website well organized? Does it
offer links to other sites?
Evaluating Sources (2)
Source for this part: Oshima, Alice, and Ann Hogue. Writing Academic English. 4
th
ed. Pearson-
Longman, 2006.

8. Basic Citing Methods (1)
There are basically two ways of citing or
referring to other people’s work:
1.Reporting
2.Quoting Directly

9. Basic Citing Methods (2)
1.Reporting
Report other writer’s ideas into your own words.
Paraphrase to keep the length the same.
Summarize to shorten the text.
•integral
According to Peters (1983) evidence from first language acquisition
indicates that lexical phrases are learnt first as unanalysed lexical chunks.
Evidence from first language acquisition indicating that lexical phrases are
learnt first as unanalysed lexical chunks was given by Peters (1983).

10. •Non Integral
Evidence from first language acquisition (Peters, 1983) indicates that lexical
phrases are learnt first as unanalysed lexical chunks.
Lexical phrases are learnt first as unanalysed lexical chunks (Peters, 1983).
Integral and non integral types depend on whether or not the name of the cited
author occurs in the citing sentence or in parenthesis.
•If you want to refer to a particular part of the source:
According to Peters (1983, p. 56) evidence from first language acquisition
indicates that lexical phrases are learnt first as unanalysed lexical chunks.
Basic Citing Methods (3):
Reporting, continued.

11. 2. Quoting Directly
•Occasionally you may want to quote another author's
words exactly. For example:
Hillocks (1982) similarly reviews dozens of research findings. He writes,
"The available research suggests that teaching by written comment on
compositions is generally ineffective" (p. 267).
•Keep the quotation as brief as possible and quote only
when it is necessary
•Do not overdo this.
Basic Citing Methods (4)
Source for this part: http://www.uefap.com/writing/citation/citefram.htm

12. Verbs for Citing Sources (1)
When you mention a published work for the first time, you
can use the following basic patterns:
Brown (2003) comments
concludes
explains
indicates
notes
observes
remarks
states
that . . . .
Brown, Horton and
Tomlinson (2004)
advocate the view
hold the position
present arguments to
emphasize
propose
that . . . .

13. Brown’s (2003) study emphasizes
illustrates
points out
proposes
shows
suggests
that . . . .
Brown’s (2003) findingsconfirm
establish
maintain
show
that . . . .
The analysis of the ABC
report
denies
shows
suggests
that . . . .
Verbs for Citing Sources (2)

14. For the second or subsequent mentions of your sources in
your paraphrase of a linked point, you can use these
patterns:
•Other useful verbs that you can use when citing from sources are:
compare, observe, determine, distinguish, identify, prove.
Verbs for Citing Sources (3)
Brown (2003) further asserts
points out
suggests
that . . . .
Brown et al.
(2004)
additionally advocate
argue
emphasize
explain
that . . . .

15. Important notes:
•Use a variety of citing methods and do not just ‘drop names’!
Poor sample:
Jonston (1996) feels that... Stone (1998) notes that... One of the factors that
people tend to overlook is... Lockshead (2004) argues in favour of studying this
factor. Brown (2003) proposes that....
Better sample:
Jonston (1996) reports that his study of ... shows... This finding is supported by
Stone’s (1998) replication of ... Although both these studies focus on the ...
aspect of motivation, they have omitted... According to Dornyei (1999),
motivation... This has serious implications for....
Verbs for Citing Sources (4)

16. Avoid citing published sources using verbs such as:
believe, feel, hear, like, listen, love, think, try, suppose, want, wonder.
For more ways of referring to sources, see Academic Vocabulary
in Use by Michael McCarthy and Felicity O’Dell, Cambridge,
2008, Unit 23 (Sources).
Verbs for Citing Sources (5)
Source for this part: https://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/ccds/sites/utsc.utoronto.ca.ccds/files/5.pdf

17. Documentation of Sources
Two steps of documenting the sources of
outside information:
1.In-text Citation
Insert a short reference in the body of your paper.
2. Works Cited
Prepare a list describing all your sources completely.
Appears as the last page of your paper.
Also known as ‘Reference List’.
Source for this page: Oshima, Alice, and Ann Hogue. Writing Academic English. 4
th
ed. Pearson-
Longman, 2006.

18. Citation and Format Styles
The most common citation and format
styles:
•The American Psychological Association (APA)
•The Modern Language Association (MLA)
•The Chicago Manual of Style
•The American Medical Association (AMA) Style
•The Harvard Referencing Style.
Source for this page: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/2/

19. REMEMBER!
Careful and proper citation practices will
build your credibility as a scientist or a
scholar!
-end of slides-