SIGNAL PHRASES Citing sources is a necessary part of professionalism, accuracy, and presenting your own work in an authentic and straightforward manner. It is essential for readers to understand which information comes from you and which comes from the sources listed on your works cited page or references page. Signal phrases help to introduce or “signal” when material is borrowed from an outside source. In standard academic level writing, a word or phrase is used to introduce the cited material. It is important to remember that your word or phrasing choice helps to guide the reader into the idea of your source. Selecting the incorrect word can misrepresent your source, leading to confusion. THERE ARE FIVE STEPS TO PROPERLY INTEGRATING SOURCES: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. A complete bibliographic (APA) entry An introductory concept that transitions from your idea to the source An appropriate use of a quote, paraphrase, or summary A parenthetical citation A explanation of how it connects to and/or further develops your argument TEXT EXAMPLE: When men and women talk to members of the opposite sex, occasionally there are verbal exchanges that often are not perceived the same way by both parties. Tannen (1994) states that “conversation is a ritual” (p. 91) and goes on to suggest that women tend to navigate social interaction more subtly, where men can often be more blunt and to the point. One can conclude that to be understood, men may need to study the “ritual” of conversation more closely when interacting with the opposite sex in the workplace. BIBLIOGRAPHIC ENTRY EXAMPLE: Tannen, D. (1994). But what do you mean? Redbook Magazine, 183(6), 91. SOME VERBS TO USE IN SIGNAL PHRASES According to Acknowledges Adds Admits Addresses Advances Advises Affirms Agrees Allows Alludes Analyzes Argues Asserts Attests Balances Believes Calls Characterizes Chronicles Claims Comments Compares Complains Concludes Concurs Confirms Connects Considers Contends Contradicts Contrasts Creates Criticizes Declares Defends Defines Delineates Demonstrates Denies Describes Develops Discloses Discovers Last Updated 3/13 by Jason G. Kurtz, MFA Discounts Discusses Disputes Documents Emphasizes Endeavors to Endorses Establishes Estimates Explains Expresses Extrapolates Finds Focuses on Gathers Guarantees Grants Highlights Hypothesizes Illuminates Illustrates Implies Indicates Informs Insists Introduces Laments Maintains Means Narrates Negates Notes Notices Observes Offers Organizes Outlines Points out Posits Praises Prepares Presents Promises Proposes Proves Purports Questions Reasons Recalls Recommends Recognizes Recounts Refers Reflects Refutes Reiterates Rejects Relates Remarks Replies Reports Responds Reveals States Says Sees Shows Signals Specifies Speculates States Submits Suggests Supports Supposes Teases Tests Testifies Theorizes Thinks Thought Warns Wishes Writes Verifies
