Research & Sources
How to use sources responsibly, connect evidence to your own thinking, and avoid the most common research and citation problems.
Use sources with purpose
- A source should support a point, deepen context, challenge a claim, or provide evidence. It should not replace your own thinking.
- Choose credible sources that actually match the paper’s question and level of analysis.
- Keep track of citation details from the start so you are not scrambling later.
Integrate evidence well
- Introduce the source, present the evidence clearly, and explain why it matters.
- Do not assume a quote speaks for itself. Analysis is where your writing actually does its work.
- Blend quotations, paraphrases, and summaries intentionally instead of relying on one move for everything.
Avoid common problems
- Do not stack quotations without analysis.
- Do not cite sources you did not actually read.
- Do not confuse patchwriting with real paraphrasing.
- Do not treat citation as optional just because the wording changed slightly.