Documenting Sources

Documenting sources correctly can be one of the most tedious aspects of writing a paper. The words, ideas, and information that are taken from experiences or knowledge bases other than your own experience must be documented. But what about that alphabet parade that represents the many different formats for documentation? There’s MLA, APA, CME, Chicago, Harvard Style, and Turabian. In just one semester or term, it’s not unusual for students to have different professors that require completely different styles. Have no fear; there are a few things these styles have in common:

1. All documentation styles intend to summarize the reference to the original source. In short, references are written in a format that would allow another student or researcher to easily find that same source on their own.

2. In-text citations: Readers what to know that your information is well-supported by evidence and the literature base. It’s important to indicate what information supports which of your claims. This is typically done through brief in-text citations that are placed throughout your writing.

3. A list of sources: Different styles apply different names to this list. It might be called a “Works Cited” page or “References.” The purpose is the same. This comprehensive list captures all of the sources and outside works utilized in the creation of your report. The format may vary but the purpose remains the same.

When you conceptualize documentation styles as basic format changes, learning more than one style doesn’t seem so daunting. Format styles primarily vary in their placement of punctuation, italics or underlining, and a few minor page styles (i.e. margins, page numbers, etc.). Incorrectly formatting papers often results in significant deductions for students’ grades. Why not let our experts help with the technicalities? We can help with your paper from start to finish or we can edit your piece to ensure proper formatting. Contact us today to get started.