USC Upstate Writing Center
Guide to Documentation
Avoiding Plagiarism and Using
Sources Effectively
Compiled by Dr. Celena E. Kusch, Fall 2007
Preparing to Document Sources
As you research, write down all
necessary information for every source
you consult.
 For a book, you need to know…

Compiled by Dr. Celena E. Kusch, Fall 2007
Preparing to Document Sources
As you research, write down all
necessary information for every source
you consult.
 For a work in an anthology, you need to
know…

Compiled by Dr. Celena E. Kusch, Fall 2007
Preparing to Document Sources
As you research, write down all
necessary information for every source
you consult.
 For an article, you need to know…

Compiled by Dr. Celena E. Kusch, Fall 2007
Preparing to Document Sources
As you research, write down all
necessary information for every source
you consult.
 For a book or film review, you need to
know…

Compiled by Dr. Celena E. Kusch, Fall 2007
Preparing to Document Sources
As you research, write down all
necessary information for every source
you consult.
 For a film, you need to know…

Compiled by Dr. Celena E. Kusch, Fall 2007
Preparing to Document Sources

As you research, write down all necessary
information for every source you consult.
 For reference, see
http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/humanitie
s/english.html.
Compiled by Dr. Celena E. Kusch, Fall 2007
Preparing to Document Sources

As you research, write down all necessary
information for every source you consult.
 Quiz yourself with Exercise MLA 4-3 at
http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/writersref6e/Pl
ayer/Pages/Main.aspx.
Compiled by Dr. Celena E. Kusch, Fall 2007
Documentation and Note-Taking

Document sources as you take notes.
Compiled by Dr. Celena E. Kusch, Fall 2007
Documentation and Note-Taking
Document sources as you take notes.
 If you copy words directly from the
source, put quotation marks around the
words AS YOU TAKE NOTES

Compiled by Dr. Celena E. Kusch, Fall 2007
Documentation and Note-Taking
Document sources as you take notes.
 If you copy words directly from the
source, put quotation marks around the
words AS YOU TAKE NOTES.
 If you copy either direct quotes OR
paraphrases or summaries, include a
reference to the source and page
number(s) AS YOU TAKE NOTES.

Compiled by Dr. Celena E. Kusch, Fall 2007
Using Sources Effectively
Test the value and credibility of your
sources.
 Does your source meet the standards of
academic research? Is it written by
experts and published in a peerreviewed format?
Compiled by Dr. Celena E. Kusch, Fall 2007
Using Sources Effectively
Test the value and credibility of your
sources.
 Does your source meet the standards of
academic research? Is it written by
experts and published in a peerreviewed format?
 If it is a primary source, can you verify its
authenticity?
Compiled by Dr. Celena E. Kusch, Fall 2007
Using Sources Effectively
Test the value and credibility of your
sources.
 Is the information from your source
materially relevant and necessary to the
claim or thesis you are arguing?
Compiled by Dr. Celena E. Kusch, Fall 2007
Using Sources Effectively
Test the value and credibility of your
sources.
 Does the source help you show how
original and important your argument is
or does it just show that you read some
sources?
Compiled by Dr. Celena E. Kusch, Fall 2007
Using Sources Effectively
Test the value and credibility of your
sources.
 Is your source duplicating your argument
or contributing to it?
 If a source makes the same point as
your thesis or topic sentence, you must
change your argument.
Compiled by Dr. Celena E. Kusch, Fall 2007
Using Sources Effectively
Test the value and credibility of your
sources.
 Is your source duplicating your argument
or contributing to it?
 Do you engage with your source and use
it to build a foundation for your own
ideas? Do your ideas go one step further
than theirs?
Compiled by Dr. Celena E. Kusch, Fall 2007
Integrate sources into your Paper
Paraphrase, summarize, or quote what
you need to support YOUR argument.
 If you do not need the exact words of the
source, paraphrase or summarize the
ideas instead.

Compiled by Dr. Celena E. Kusch, Fall 2007
Integrate sources into your Paper
Paraphrase, summarize, or quote what
you need to support YOUR argument.
 If the exact words of the source are
particularly effective or important,
surround direct quotes with quotation
marks, even for partial quotes.

Compiled by Dr. Celena E. Kusch, Fall 2007
Integrate Sources into your Paper
Indicate your source (whether quoted or
paraphrased) with signal phrases and
parenthetical citations.
 See Exercises MLA 3-1, 3-2, 4-1 at
http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/writersre
f6e/Player/Pages/Main.aspx.

Compiled by Dr. Celena E. Kusch, Fall 2007
Integrate Sources into your Paper
Indicate your source (whether quoted or
paraphrased) with signal phrases and
parenthetical citations.
 Enter the full information for each source
in your Works Cited page.

Compiled by Dr. Celena E. Kusch, Fall 2007
Tips for Citing

Do not make the Works Cited a separate
document; use Insert-Page Break before
the Works Cited to make it a new page
at the end of your document.
Compiled by Dr. Celena E. Kusch, Fall 2007
Tips for Citing
Underlines and italics mean the same
thing. Pick one and stick with it.
 Which is which? Underline v. Quotation
Marks?

Compiled by Dr. Celena E. Kusch, Fall 2007
Tips for Citing
Do not use tabs to make block quotes or
indentations in your Works Cited page.
 Use Format-Paragraph-IndentationSpecial-HANGING for Works Cited lists.

Compiled by Dr. Celena E. Kusch, Fall 2007
Tips for Citing
Do not use tabs to make block quotes or
indentations in your Works Cited page.
 For block quotes, use the Increase
Indent button on the Formatting toolbar.
Click twice for 1 inch.

Compiled by Dr. Celena E. Kusch, Fall 2007
Integrate Sources into your
Argument

Your words should surround the words or
ideas of your sources.
Compiled by Dr. Celena E. Kusch, Fall 2007
Integrate Sources into your
Argument
Your words should surround the words or
ideas of your sources.
 Use signal phrases (“According to,”
“XXX states,”)

Compiled by Dr. Celena E. Kusch, Fall 2007
Integrate Sources into your
Argument
Your words should surround the words or
ideas of your sources.
 Avoid placing references to sources at
the beginning or end of paragraphs.

Compiled by Dr. Celena E. Kusch, Fall 2007
Integrate Sources into your
Argument
Your words should surround the words or
ideas of your sources.
 Analyze or comment upon the source to
tie it back to your argument.

Compiled by Dr. Celena E. Kusch, Fall 2007
Integrate Sources into your
Argument
Disagree, agree, offer counter examples,
argue, highlight, praise then expand
upon the source to tie it back to your
argument.
 See examples at
http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/writersre
f6e/lmcontent/ch07/PDF/HackerSanchez-MLA-Ana-Txt.pdf.

Compiled by Dr. Celena E. Kusch, Fall 2007
Document your Sources in the
Works Cited
Include a Works Cited entry for every
source you cite.
 Do not include a Works Cited entry for
sources you only consulted.
 See Exercise MLA 4-4 at
http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/writersre
f6e/Player/Pages/Main.aspx.

Compiled by Dr. Celena E. Kusch, Fall 2007
Guide to Documentation

How do I…?
Compiled by Dr. Celena E. Kusch, Fall 2007
Guide to Documentation

Any questions?
Compiled by Dr. Celena E. Kusch, Fall 2007
Guide to Documentation
Contact the Writing Center for tutoring
appointments.
 864-503-5883
 HPAC 136

Compiled by Dr. Celena E. Kusch, Fall 2007
THANK YOU!
USC Upstate Writing Center
Guide to Documentation
Compiled by Dr. Celena E. Kusch, Fall 2007