Introduction to Research
ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROGRAM
FALL 2014
Key Vocabulary
 Cite (v) – to give credit to the original author or speaker of a
set of ideas or a quote
Citation (n) - the written form of credit given to an author that appears directly
next to their original idea or quote
“ To be or not to be, that is the question.” (Shakespeare, 1605)
Eleanor Roosevelt (1932) said, “The future belongs to those who believe in the
beauty of their dreams.”
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 Source (n) – the material where you find information for your
research or support for your argument; for example, a news
article, a book, a journal, an interview, etc.
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Reference (n) – another word for source; also refers to the complete information
given about the original author, title, publication and date of an idea, usually
included in a list form at the end of a written paper
Example reference page: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/18/
Key Vocabulary
 Summary (n) – written collection of all the main ideas in
a reading, using one’s own words
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A summary may consist of more than one sentence or paragraph
The summary of a two-page article will probably be 5-6 sentences in
length
Verb: to summarize
 Paraphrase (n) – rewriting of a single idea from another
author, using one’s own words
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A paraphrase is usually only one or two sentences in length
The paraphrase may be similar in length to the original idea
Used in research
Verb: to paraphrase
Key Vocabulary
 Format/Formatting (n) – the general appearance of a
written document, such a paper, magazine, etc.
 Publication (n) – a final published work (after all
stages of writing and editing), such as a book,
magazine, journal, etc.
Common Publication Manuals
 A publication manual outlines all the rules for
formatting, style, and organization of any
professional work or research that will be published
or submitted to a higher institution, such as a
university.
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American Psychological Association (APA)
Modern Language Association (MLA)
Chicago
 Some university websites have a reference webpage
that summarizes the manuals!
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http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/2/
Why should we study formatting & style?
 Professionalism
 12 point Times New Roman font
 1 inch (2.54 cm) margins
 2.0 line spacing (also called “double-spaced”)
 Indention on every paragraph
 Preparation for the university and Level 4/5
 Avoiding plagiarism!
Publication Styles
 APA (American Psychological Association)
 MLA (Modern Literary Association)
 Chicago Manual of Style
Who uses these different styles?
Depends on your major/professor
 MLA: Humanities (art, philosophy, languages, religion)
 APA: Social sciences (business, psychology, law, education)
 Chicago: History
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Similarities in the Styles
 Basic Formatting
 12 point Times New Roman
 1-inch margins
 Double-spaced (2.0 line spacing)
 Indention on paragraphs
 Authors in sources are generally cited by their last name only
(not their first name) in parentheses, and last name only after
the first reference.
 “To be or not to be, that is the question.” (Shakespeare, 1605)
 Eleanor Roosevelt (1932) said, “The future belongs to those who believe in the
beauty of their dreams.” Roosevelt was a powerful speaker and woman of her time.
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A citation for Ruth Harrold would just be “Harrold” (not Ruth Harrold
or R. Harrold or Ruth)
What would a citation for you be?
What would a citation be for one of your books from the library?
The Omnivore’s Dilemma
Title
The Omnivore’s Dilemma
Author
Michael Pollen
Publisher
Penguin Group in New York, NY
Year Published
2006
Differences in the Styles – Reference Lists
MLA
Pollan, Michael. The Omnivore’s Dilemma. New York:
Penguin Group, 2006. Print.
APA
Pollan, M. (2006). The omnivore’s dilemma. New York,
NY: Penguin Group.
Chicago
Pollan, Michael. The Omnivore’s Dilemma. New York:
Penguin Group, 2006.
Differences in the Styles
MLA
 Pollan, Michael. The Omnivore’s Dilemma. New York:
Penguin Group, 2006. Print.
APA
 Pollan, M. (2006). The omnivore’s dilemma. New York,
NY: Penguin Group.
Chicago
 Pollan, Michael. The Omnivore’s Dilemma. New York:
Penguin Group, 2006.
Differences in the Styles
MLA
 Pollan, Michael. The Omnivore’s Dilemma. New York:
Penguin Group, 2006. Print.
APA
 Pollan, M. (2006). The omnivore’s dilemma. New York,
NY: Penguin Group.
Chicago
 Pollan, Michael. The Omnivore’s Dilemma. New York:
Penguin Group, 2006.
Differences in the Styles
MLA
 Pollan, Michael. The Omnivore’s Dilemma. New York:
Penguin Group, 2006. Print.
APA
 Pollan, M. (2006). The omnivore’s dilemma. New York,
NY: Penguin Group.
Chicago
 Pollan, Michael. The Omnivore’s Dilemma. New York:
Penguin Group, 2006.
Differences in the Style
MLA
 Pollan, Michael. The Omnivore’s Dilemma. New York:
Penguin Group, 2006. Print.
APA
 Pollan, M. (2006). The omnivore’s dilemma. New York,
NY: Penguin Group.
Chicago
 Pollan, Michael. The Omnivore’s Dilemma. New York:
Penguin Group, 2006.
Differences in the Styles – In-Text Citations
MLA
 There has been a steady change in the American diet
over the past 20 years (Pollan 27).
APA
 There has been a steady change in the American diet
over the past 20 years (Pollan, 2006).
Differences in the Styles
MLA
 According to Pollan, there has been a steady change
in the American diet over the past 20 years (27).
APA
 According to Pollan (2006), there has been a steady
change in the American diet over the past 20 years.
Other Useful Websites
 The OWL is not the only website with useful
information on formatting
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http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/resdoc5e/
 Here, you will find formatting examples for APA,
MLA, and Chicago, as well as useful tips for
researching.