Up-to-date directions on how to cite sources in a research paper
When you write a research paper, you are going to have to provide references to verify where you got your information from. This lets the reader know that you have conducted the proper academic research and that what you have written is valid. Depending on the length of your assignment, this can be a very long and tedious process. It is advised that you record all of the sources you are use as you go along. In other words, don’t wait until the end to go and start looking for the references that were used. As you are reading, it’s a good idea to mark each page that you find a reference so that you can go back to it when you need to. If you want to know how to cite something in a research paper keep reading.
- Referencing style: The way that you cite your references will be dependent upon the reference style you are using. Your tutor will show you the research paper how to cite.
- Citations: Whenever you refer to any outside sources within your paper you will need to make a reference as to where you got the information from. The easiest way to do this is to put the last name and the year that the resource was published in brackets after the information. For example: (Thomas, 2017). Make sure that when you are providing the information, it is done so in your own words, this is referred to as paraphrasing. If the text requires that you write the information word for word make sure that you put quotation marks around it so that your tutor knows that this information hasn’t been paraphrased and that you are quoting it directly. These are the main points you will need to pay attention to when referencing:
- In general, you will only need to cite the last name and the year that the source was published. For example (Thomas, 2017) You will only need to write the full citation in the bibliography and his is where your teacher will look if they want to get more information from the source.
- If you are referencing from a long book, you will also need to provide the page number, for example: (Gunwad 1998:206). This isn’t required if the text that you are referencing from has been taken out of a short journal.
- If two authors wrote the source that you are quoting from, you will need to make reference to both authors. For example (Salt and Pepper, 1995).
- When there are more than two authors you will need to write the surname of the first author and then include the words et al.