Why Is Using Sources Important?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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It allows those who are reading your work to locate your sources , in order to learn more about the ideas that you include in your paper. Citing your sources consistently and accurately helps you avoid committing plagiarism in your writing.

Why do we use sources in academic writing?

In the Western academic tradition we use sources and the evidence contained in them: to gather ideas and information so that we can expand and enrich our own knowledge and understanding (and possibly that of the academic community generally) of particular disciplines, subject areas and topics.

When and why do you use sources?

A source is any outside information that you have to seek out. Use sources to emphasize and support a point you’ve made, but let your own ideas , rather than research, drive your paper.

What are the 4 main reasons you should cite your sources?

  • show proper and thorough research by listing sources used.
  • avoid plagiarism.
  • give readers information necessary to find the sources used.
  • give credit to other researchers, authors, etc.

How do you use sources in research?

  1. Quotation – when you use the exact words from the source. ...
  2. Paraphrase – when you state the ideas from another source in your own words. ...
  3. Summary – much like a paraphrase, but used in cases where you are trying to give an overview of many ideas.

What makes a source effective?

There are many factors that make a source credible. Whenever you are looking at a source on the internet, you should check several things to verify that the information is credible. These things include the source’s authority, accuracy, objectivity, currency, and coverage.

How do you properly use sources?

  1. To quote a source, copy a short piece of text word for word and put it inside quotation marks.
  2. To paraphrase a source, put the text into your own words. It’s important that the paraphrase is not too close to the original wording.

What is sources in a essay?

A source is the place where you gained information used in your writing . A source can be a printed document, an online document, a speech, a quote or even a television or radio program. The best sources are those in which your reader can go back and verify for themselves the information you utilized.

What are the types of sources?

  • Scholarly publications (Journals)
  • Popular sources (News and Magazines)
  • Professional/Trade sources.
  • Books / Book Chapters.
  • Conference proceedings.
  • Government Documents.
  • Theses & Dissertations.

What are 3 ways a source can contribute to your paper?

Generally speaking, there are three ways to integrate sources into a research paper – summarizing, paraphrasing and quoting .

What are the three main reasons for referencing?

  • To distinguish your own ideas from those of someone else.
  • To cite different points of view.
  • To validate what you are writing, by referring to documented evidence. ...
  • To inform readers of the scope and depth of your reading.

What happens if you don’t cite your sources?

If you do not cite your source correctly, it is plagiarism . When you plagiarize, you are not giving credit to those whose research paved the way for your own. ... You also do a disservice to your readers, who are not able to consult your sources for more information.

Why is it important to cite sources name at least three reasons?

Citing or documenting the sources used in your research serves three purposes: It gives proper credit to the authors of the words or ideas that you incorporated into your paper . It allows those who are reading your work to locate your sources, in order to learn more about the ideas that you include in your paper.

What is the meaning of citing sources?

Citing a source means that you show, within the body of your text, that you took words, ideas, figures, images, etc. from another place . Citations are a short way to uniquely identify a published work (e.g. book, article, chapter, web site).

How do you list your sources?

Begin the list of sources on a separate numbered page at the end of the document. Provide a title at the top of the page, “References” for APA or “Works Cited” for MLA, with no special formatting: bolding, underlining, quotation marks, larger font size, etc. List all sources used in the document in alphabetical order.

How are outside sources helpful?

Using Outside Sources. In academic research, writers find ideas and inspiration in the work of others who have previously studied and written on a subject . When a writer uses the words and ideas of others, honesty obligates the writer to acknowledge the sources of those words and ideas.

Juan Martinez
Author
Juan Martinez
Juan Martinez is a journalism professor and experienced writer. With a passion for communication and education, Juan has taught students from all over the world. He is an expert in language and writing, and has written for various blogs and magazines.