Blog 8 -Integrating and Documenting Sources

In todays blog we must write about Integrating and Documenting Sources. This skill is vital in our fast approaching research paper. In this chapter, it describes how to cite something using a parenthetical citation or a signal phrase. When using a parenthetical citation, one must include the authors last name and the page number from the source where you took the material. However, if its an online article the page number is not necessary. In a parenthetical citation, you don’t have to use the writers name in your actual writing you can just say the “the writer.” On the other hand in an in-text citation you must use their full name the first time you cite from them and then you just should use just their last name. When directly quoting from a source you must use quotation marks around the whole quote obviously. Its best to use a direct quote to back up your first sentence where you were making a claim. Quotes allow the reader of your paper to take a break from your voice and hear a different opinion or voice for 3-4 sentences. Another option other than quoting is to paraphrase. Paraphrasing is simply putting your source material into your own words but still giving credit to the original author. Paraphrasing allows the writer to condense the sometimes-lengthy info given by the source material. Lastly the writer can summarize the source materials point. This is in the writers owns words but still draws upon the points made in the source material. You still need to mention the source materials name so it doesn’t come across as plagiarism though.