Communicate & Cite
Your argument is only as good as your evidence.
After you have worked to interpret your information, you will communicate your findings in some final product, being sure to cite all evidence you use, giving credit to your sources.
Besides the traditional research paper, there are many ways to share research, including: Book or e-book, brochure or flyer, debate, game, historical fiction, Interpretive dance, interview, movie, newspaper position paper, podcast, poster, presentation, public service announcement, timeline, website or blog and more. Your teacher may assign a specific project, or you may have some choice. Whatever the product, your goal is to communicate, sharing the results of your research: your original conclusions and arguments drawing upon the evidence and data you have discovered and the connections you have made.
In all cases, plan to cite any ideas and information you take from outside sources. If you kept good notes all along, this will be easy. You will use the MLA citation style. Read on to learn the mechanics of citation and how to avoid plagiarism. As you conclude this phase researchers usually feel a sense of relief and satisfaction if things are going well, or disappointment and frustration if they are not.
Besides the traditional research paper, there are many ways to share research, including: Book or e-book, brochure or flyer, debate, game, historical fiction, Interpretive dance, interview, movie, newspaper position paper, podcast, poster, presentation, public service announcement, timeline, website or blog and more. Your teacher may assign a specific project, or you may have some choice. Whatever the product, your goal is to communicate, sharing the results of your research: your original conclusions and arguments drawing upon the evidence and data you have discovered and the connections you have made.
In all cases, plan to cite any ideas and information you take from outside sources. If you kept good notes all along, this will be easy. You will use the MLA citation style. Read on to learn the mechanics of citation and how to avoid plagiarism. As you conclude this phase researchers usually feel a sense of relief and satisfaction if things are going well, or disappointment and frustration if they are not.
Possible research tools for this stage:
- Final product creation tools: Google Docs, EasyBib, Purdue Online Writing Lab Research & Citation Resources, Google Presentation, Haiku Deck, Prezi, VoiceThread, Explain Everything, Google Sites, Wikispaces, Blogger, WordPress, Weebly, WeVideo, Smore (flyers), TimelineJS (timelines)
- Sources for copyright friendly and public domain images and media: Creative Commons Search, Finding Public Domain Images
In this section...
- How can I share what I have learned with others?
- How do I incorporate evidence into a traditional research paper?
- How do I cite sources to support my argument and give credit where due?
- What is plagiarism and how can I avoid it?
- How do I know what does not need to be cited in my research?
Writing a PaperTips for Writing an Effective Research Paper
Although not all research is organized into a traditional paper, but when writing, there are conventions and best practices to consider. As you prepare to write, have all your notes and your outline handy, as well as copies of or links to your sources. As you write your first draft, concentrate on getting ideas and evidence down on the page. Don't focus on making your writing sound perfect; trying to edit as you write is very difficult, and there will be time to polish during the revision process. Audience and Point of View In most cases, your teacher and class make up your audience. You can generally assume that your audience has heard of your topic before, but in most cases you will explain anything you did not already know when you began your research. Avoid using first person ("I" or "we", "In my opinion"), though there are exceptions. For tone, aim to be formal, engaging and confident throughout your writing. This can be tricky and your teacher will provide examples to help you and suggest revisions where needed. Organizing Your Paper Although not one-size-fits-all, this is the basic structure of many student research papers: I. Introduction (opening statement, general information - put topic into context and explain why reader should care) A. Thesis Statement/Claim (what will you prove?) II. Background Information (what reader should know to understand your claim) III. Body of Paper A. Body Paragraph #1 (often one claim or idea supported with evidence and analysis) B. Body Paragraph #2 (another claim or idea with evidence and analysis) C. Body Paragraph #3 (and another) D. Body Paragraph #4 (and however many you need) IV. Conclusion (revisit your thesis, summarize your argument, come full circle back to the introduction, leave your reader with a "so what" or "next steps") V. References (the all-important Works Cited page!) Integrating Sources Use evidence from your sources that supports your claims and thesis statement. Your sources should enhance your arguments, not replace them. Avoid using too many quotations or quotations that are too long. In MLA, if you use the author’s name in a sentence, use the full name the first time and last name every other time. Every quotation you incorporate must be introduced and explained by the writer. Use signal phrases to tell the reader you are introducing material from a source. This is your opportunity to connect the evidence to your own ideas. Vary the language of your signal phrases to keep your paper interesting. The following examples quote from the book The Greek Isles by Laura Brooks:
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Citing SourcesHow to Quote
Quotations should be word for word, comma for comma, exactly as they appear in the original text. If you leave words out of a quotation to simplify it, use an ellipsis (...) to indicate that something was removed. If you need to add words for clarification, put them in brackets [ ] to show they are not part of the original. For example: "The idea [of writing for self-improvement] is getting people to come to terms with... where they want to go," explains Parker. Do not feel the need to use an entire sentence - just quote the part of the sentence that best supports your ideas. Even a phrase in quotes can make a big impact. Less is more when it comes to quotations! Balance Your Sources Expert opinions add authority and weight to your claims but should be used primarily as evidence and support for your argument. The argument itself should be presented using your own words and ideas. Think of it as participating in a discussion with your sources, going back and forth between your ideas and source information in quotes, paraphrasing and synthesizing. This is a difficult balancing act, but your confidence will increase as you learn more about your topic. Sources are also useful for explaining background information or establishing a context for your research. Finally, consider including sources that present the opposite side to your position, which can provide an opportunity for you to write a counterargument. Why Cite Citing sources increases your own credibility: because you are most likely not a world-renowned expert on your topic, you need to bring in evidence from people who are. It shows you have done your research. Citations allow readers who are curious (or skeptical!) to find your sources and learn more. And of course, a failure to cite sources is plagiarism, a serious academic offense. What to Cite Any time you use ideas and information from a source, it needs to be cited. If you are using the exact words of an original source, they must appear in quotation marks, even if it is just a brief phrase. Otherwise, paraphrase or summarize the source, putting the information into your own words. Either way requires an in-text citation. The exceptions to this are common knowledge and your own conclusions. You must also cite images you use, even in creative projects. To find media that you have permission to use outside the classroom, such as on a website, look for images with Creative Commons licenses or in the public domain. How to Cite The Modern Language Association (MLA) style has two parts:
The in-text citation identifies the work being used, usually by author’s name in a signal phrase or in a parenthetical citation. For example, this might appear in the body of a paper: Although DNA testing may feel like a death sentence, the truth is that "genetics is not destiny" (Maron 28). This points the reader to the following entry in the Works Cited page: Maron, Dina Fine. "When DNA Means Do Not Ask." Scientific American. Jan. 2015: 28-30. Print. |
In-Text Citations
Basic Rules for In-Text Citations
In-text citations are short and sweet. They allow the reader to identify your source, which can be looked up in the complete alphabetical list of Works Cited at the end of the paper. In MLA format the in-text citations appear in parentheses.
Here's how to write an MLA in-text citation:
In-text citations are short and sweet. They allow the reader to identify your source, which can be looked up in the complete alphabetical list of Works Cited at the end of the paper. In MLA format the in-text citations appear in parentheses.
Here's how to write an MLA in-text citation:
- In most cases, write the author’s last name, a space, and then the page number in parentheses. (Parker 28)
- Citations most often appear at the end of sentences -close to the borrowed material.
- Put the period ending the sentence after the parenthesis ending the citation. If the quotation itself ends in a question mark or exclamation point, leave that in place and still add a period after the citation.
- If the name of an author has been introduced in a signal phrase (see above section), you can omit it from the citation. Include page number citation or if no page, none at all.
- When material from a single source and page is used throughout several sentences, you may use one citation at the end rather than the same citation repeatedly if the material is balanced with your own writing and a signal phrase is used to identify where the quoted material is coming home.
- If you are repeating information you have already cited, no citation is needed as long as the source is alluded to: However what Parker suggested...
- Not sure if something is considered common knowledge or not? If you didn't know the fact before researching, it's best to cite it. When in doubt, use caution: ask your teacher or just cite the source.
Types of In-Text Citations
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