Using sources

How to use ideas from your reading in your writing

Your assignment will be based on the ideas you have selected from your reading as being relevant to the topic that your writing about. You will need to show your reader how these ideas are relevant to the task you have been set and what you think about them. Two key ideas are critical thinking (showing your reader how ideas fit together and how convinced you are by them) and referencing (clearly showing your reader where ideas that you have included from your reading come from). Below are some resources that can help you to tackle these two very important areas.

When thinking about referencing, it is also useful to think about how you will manage your information.

In this video, Learning Enhancement Tutors explain how you can use questions to develop your thinking.

Our social media channels have been updated. You can now follow us: @UEAlearn.

Showing what you think about sources: thinking critically

5 QUESTIONS to apply to the topic you are planning to write about:

What do I think about this?
Why do I think that?
What have other people said/written about this?
How does this compare to what I think?
How can I use this?

Reporting ideas from your reading...

informs, reviews, argues, states, synthesises, claims, answers, explains, explores, reconsiders, provides, maintains, develops, outlines, supports, compares, lists, acknowledges, confirms, analyses, evaluates, disputes, concludes, reveals, assesses, implies, reminds, suggests, considers, highlights, refutes, assembles, shows, adds, clarifies, identifies, measures, improves

Ballenger, B (2009) The curious researcher: A guide to writing research papers, 6th edn. New York: Pearson Longman

Reporting the ideas you have read about

Choose verbs that demonstrate how ideas from your reading fit into your reading. The list above gives you some ideas. Use different verbs to show how convinced you are by what you have read and how ideas relate to one another.

Linking ideas together

Thinking critically involves identifying patterns and links in the ideas you have read about. The Learning Enhancement Team's academic writing resources will give you ideas about how you can show how ideas fit together, or where different views are in conflict.

Other sources of help

Here are some links to other resources that can help you to show what you think in your writing.

Plymouth University's Critical Thinking Resources

Use the questions on the model to think about the ideas you have read about.

Image of Manchester University phrase bank

Manchester University's Academic Phrasebank

This resource has some useful suggestions for introducing ideas from the literature. Have you noticed similar language in the texts you have read?

Showing where your ideas come from: academic integrity and referencing

Referencing

It's essential that you show in your writing where the ideas you are using come from. You will include all of the sources (such as books, journal articles, websites) you have used in a reference list at the end of your assignment. You will need to use the referencing system preferred in your discipline or selected by your School of study for this. You can find information about which system you should use in your course handbook on Blackboard. If you are unsure, speak to your advisor.

5 QUESTIONS for referencing your work:

Do I need a reference?
Would it be better to paraphrase this information or quote it directly
What information about my source do I need to include?
Have I checked my School's referencing guidelines?
Have I followed the guidelines consistently in my work?

UEA has a license for Cite Them Right Online. This is an excellent resource with lots of information about how to include references to different sources in your text and reference list. Select the referencing system you are using at the top of the page and follow the guidelines consistently.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity means being open and honest about where the ideas in your work have come from. It is essential that you understand how to use references accurately. If you are at all unsure, speak to your adviser or make an appointment to see a Learning Enhancement Tutor. The resources below will help you to make sure your work fits with the expectations of the University.

Plagiarism policies

Find out more about UEA's plagiarism policies and how to ensure your work is in line with them.

Other referencing resources

LET's academic writing resources include referencing guidance, to provide an overview of the basic principles. Your School may provide more detailed information- check Blackboard for details.

Using your own words

LET's academic writing resources offer tips for expressing ideas from reading, in your own words. It is essential to include a reference with the idea that you have paraphrased.

Quoting other people

LET's academic writing resources offer guidance on how to take exact words from your reading and incorporate them in your writing. The guide explains how to do this effectively. It is important to be aware that using too much quotation does not allow you to show what you think about what you have read. It's essential to include a reference, usually with a page number, for the words that you have quoted.

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse