You are new to academic writing and are unsure how to cite references in a research paper?
Then you’ve come to the right place because in this article, you’ll find all the answers.
In this video, I’ll give you an overview of 4 different types of citations that you can use in your research paper and how to do it.
After this video you have everything you need to know about how to cite references in a research paper and can start your writing journey!
How to Cite References in a Research Paper
Citing correctly is not difficult, in case you think it is. The rules and conventions that come with specific citation styles are just a simple technique that requires a bit of diligence and practice.
But after you have done it once, it becomes very easy.
You don’t need to be afraid of making citation errors in first research paper because if you follow the guidelines of the required citation style, you can’t go wrong.
Additionally, there are plenty of useful tools that can take care of citations for you. My general recommendation is to cite by hand until you understand what you are doing and then introduce a software to get rid of a lot of repetitive work and save lots of time.
Now, if you’re sitting in front of your term paper and want to incorporate your gathered text snippets into the work, you should definitely answer the following questions:
Which citation style is requested for your research paper?
Sometimes you can answer this question yourself by searching for the regulations for academic papers on the homepage of your school or department. There, you will not only find the desired citation style but also formal requirements for research papers that are assignments for your class.
If you are looking to publish a paper in an academic journal or in conference proceedings, the website of the the publication outlet or the research paper template will tell you what citation style they request.
But back to the situation in which you prepare a research paper as an assignment. If you can’t find the information online, you should definitely clarify with your advisor or lecturer which citation style you can agree on for your term paper or thesis. This question should not be missed in the first meeting.
If you choose a citation style that your advisor or instructor doesn’t like or know, it can lead to unpleasant surprises in the evaluation.
What are the most prominent citation styles?
Different research disciplines have certain commonly used and respected citation styles. It would be tedious to argue which one is the best. Each discipline has its own requirements. Therefore, it is essential that you choose the citation style that is most desired in your discipline.
In the humanities, Chicago style, which uses footnotes, is often used. Social sciences tend to favour the APA style. Business administration students have their own preferences and like the Harvard citation style. But this is not a general rule.
The most obvious difference is whether to place references directly in the text (APA, Harvard) or in footnotes below the text (Chicago). Additionally, in-text citations are sometimes represented as numbers (IEEE). This is a preferred style in computer science and engineering.
Where can I find a guide for my citation style?
If your department has a well-organized online presence, you will find a guide for the corresponding citation styles there. If not, I have linked the most important guides for you below this video:
APA (American Psychological Association): https://apastyle.apa.org (requires payment, but you can access it in your library)
Chicago: Chicago Manual of Style Quick Guide
Harvard: Harvard Guide on CiteThisForMe
It’s best to download and print the appropriate guide if you are using it for the first time.
From now on, always stick to the guide.
Identify the type of source (book, journal article, anthology, etc.) and look for the corresponding entry in the guide. This is important, because each type appears differently in the reference list.
Proceed in this manner until you have properly cited all your references. After citing a journal article multiple times, you’ll eventually memorize the details and won’t need to look them up anymore.
At this point you are ready to introduce a literature management software like Zotero, Mendeley, or EndNote.
Just do it. It’s worth it.
How can I incorporate my citations into the text?
Now let’s talk about the different ways you can integrate citations into your text. If you’ve already written an academic paper before, at least two of these methods should sound familiar to you. If one of them is new to you – great! It will bring more variety to your next paper.
The secret to proper citation lies in finding a balanced mix of different methods. If you use the same technique to incorporate sources into your text every time, it won’t create any surprise.
However, if you occasionally insert a quote that spans more than 3 lines, for example, it not only adds visual appeal to your text but also allows you to emphasize important insights from your literature review.
So, what are the 3 types of citations?
Direct Quote #1
This type of referencing is probably the most popular way to include a quote. You literally reproduce a passage from your source and smoothly integrate it into the text. If you can’t find a suitable transition, you can use a colon:
The concept can be defined as the “perception of an unpredictable event that threatens important expectancies of stakeholders and can seriously impact an organization’s performance and generate negative outcomes” (Coombs, 2007, p.2).
(Caution! The examples are cited according to APA guidelines. Source references may differ for other citation styles.)
If your direct quotes exceed 3 complete lines of your text, you should indent them. This not only enhances readability but also serves as a nice design element for your text, providing variety.
However, be careful not to overdo it, as too many of these long quotes may make your instructor doubt your ability to express complex passages in your own words.
This approach makes the most sense when there is no better formulation than the original text, such as with definitions.
Furthermore, the passage should be particularly noteworthy, as you are (necessarily) highlighting it visually.
Indirect Quote/Paraphrasing #2
This method is probably the most commonly used technique to incorporate external content into your own term paper. Direct quotes are nice, but they can interrupt the flow of reading.
Academic papers refer (ideally) to so many external sources that it would be impossible to directly quote them all. Moreover, by using indirect quoting, you can cite more than one source for a sentence or paragraph you have written.
This emphasizes that you have engaged with the literature.
Additionally, it can be helpful to present multiple sources as “evidence” behind a statement, especially when you want to emphasize that the majority of authors agree on a certain matter and there is a consensus (which is beneficial for supporting the arguments in your work with other authors’ statements).
An indirect quote is always expressed in your own words.
This is also known as paraphrasing. So, it’s just a fancy word for rephrasing.
It is extremely important not to copy content word for word, otherwise, you might attract the attention of the plagiarism police.
But don’t panic, as long as you consistently cite your sources and use your own words, you don’t need to worry about plagiarism accusations.
Some instructors are just happy when sources are mentioned at all.
And various internet services fuel panic to sell their magical plagiarism-checking software.
Such nonsense.
Here’s an example of an indirect quote:
If you’re using a citation style with footnotes, instead of using parentheses with the authors’ names, you simply place multiple footnotes one after another at the end of the sentence. The same principle applies.
Adding “cf.” to References #3
Sometimes, references are used as stylistic devices to refer to further literature or similar ideas.
Such a reference makes sense when you want to draw attention to similar or contrasting results from other literature. In the reference, you simply include “cf.” (short for “compare” in latin).
Now, let’s move on to the last possibility of how how to cite references in a research paper.
Quoting within a Quote #4
Now we’re entering full inception mode. It may happen that you want to quote a quote that is cited in another source. Instead of “stealing” the quote, you indicate the source from which you took it.
Of course, you can also research the original source and cite the passage as usual. However, it can happen that you don’t have access to it or the source is untraceable.
It’s also not a problem if you take the quote from another source. On the contrary, it adds more variety to your text. However, you should not overdo it and repeat this approach too often.
The best option is always to find and cite the original source.
It is particularly important not to distort the quote. To cite it correctly, don’t swap words or take the original quote out of context. If possible, try to find the original source.
How are sources listed in the bibliography?
Again, turn to the appropriate style guide for your citation style.
Journal articles, books, or internet sources are all treated differently in the bibliography.
To properly cite the references in your bibliography, grab your style guide or use your literature management software (it does it automatically…) and off you go on the wild ride.
There’s nothing more enjoyable than searching through your bibliography for missing punctuation or page numbers after hours of writing at 11:30 pm.
Believe me, I’ve been there, done that. I won’t do it again.
Conclusion
Those were the 4 different ways on how to cite references in a research paper and now you can incorporate quotes into your academic work.
- Direct Quotes: Reproduce the exact wording in quotation marks.
- Indirect Quotes: Paraphrase the thoughts of other authors.
- “cf.” References: Refer to supporting or conflicting literature.
- Citing a Quote from a Quote: When the original source is untraceable.
I hope you were able to take something new from it and enrich your work with it.