Incorporating a Source into your Writing

Why are sources incorporated?

When writing in an academic context, you are expected to integrate information, ideas,
images, or numerical data from other sources into your work. This is necessary in order to
show evidence of extensive reading on a particular topic, and demonstrate a certain level of
effort and scholarship as a writer. Incorporating sources into your writing also helps enhance
the credibility of your work by showing that your writing does not merely rely on personal
beliefs. Finally, using sources in your wok provides a factual basis for your assertions and
offers the necessary support to prove your thesis.

How can sources be incorporated?

In general, there are three ways in which sources can be integrated into academic writing:
paraphrasing, summarising and quoting. While paraphrasing and summarising should be
employed frequently throughout your work, the use of direct quotes should be sparing.

Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing is the most common way to integrate information from sources in your work. It
refers to restating information and ideas from a text by using your own words whilst
maintaining the author’s intended meaning. A paraphrase is different to a summary since it
focuses on the expression of a specific idea rather than the overall meaning of a source.
It is important to note that small alterations to the original words or sentence structures are not
enough to be considered as paraphrasing. The borrowed text needs to be effectively
transformed in order to match your own writing style and to demonstrate your understanding
of what the author is attempting to convey.

How to paraphrase correctly

1. Read the original text.

2. Find the points which you wish to include in your work. Focus on details which are useful
to your essay, not on reporting everything the author has said.

3. Make notes of the key points in your own words by writing key ideas in a more condensed
manner. Try to simplify words and sentences as if you were explaining them to someone who
has not read the original text.

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4. Use your notes to write the paraphrase. Some paraphrasing strategies that can be used
are:
Using synonyms or similar words to substitute the original text
Example:
Original: The prevalence of non-communicable diseases continues to grow.
Paraphrase: An increase in the spread of diseases that are not transmissible directly
from one person to another is currently being observed.

However, remember that you cannot change everything because the meaning might be
lost. For example, ‘fixed’ phrases and specialist terms cannot be replaced.
Example: intellectual property -> mental possessions X
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) -> ?

Combining sentences
Example:
Original: We do not yet understand all the ways in which brain chemicals are related
to emotions and thoughts. However, the salient point is that our state of mind has an
immediate and direct effect on our state of body (Siegel, 1986).
Paraphrase: While the relationship between brain chemicals and feelings is not
entirely understood, it is clear that a person’s mental state affect their physical state
(Siegel, 1986).

Moving phrases or words

Example:
Original: Culture shock involves the shock of a new environment, meeting many new
people and learning the ways of a different country (Li, 2016).
Paraphrase: The shock of an unknown environment, coming across lots of new people
and learning the customs of a different culture all contribute to culture shock (Li, 2016).

Changing grammar (e.g. changing the part of speech, or changing from active to passive)
Example:
Original: The introduction of an argumentative essay should always contain a thesis
statement which is written clearly and concisely.
Paraphrase: A clear and concise thesis statement should be included in the introduction
of an argumentative essay.

NB In successful paraphrases, a combination of the above strategies is employed.

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5. Add the reference. Follow the guidelines of the referencing style of your field to produce
the in-text citation and include a reporting verb or reporting phrase (e.g. According to… /The
author states that …) if necessary. Do not forget to add the source in the reference list at the
end of your document.

6. Check your work by ensuring that:

- The paraphrase fits the context of your paragraph

- The meaning of the original text has not been altered
- The writing style (e.g. vocabulary, sentence structures, etc.) is your own
- The author has been acknowledged

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Paraphrasing example
Step 1: Read the original source
“Despite there being various definitions of plagiarism, there are some practices which all Higher
Education Institutions regard as wrong. Copying another student’s work, pretending that
another writer’s thoughts are your own and not acknowledging the original source in written
work are all viewed as plagiarism.”
Authors: Chu, L.
Year of Publication: 2014
Title of Work: Dealing with the Challenges of Academic Writing
Publisher: Palgrave McMillan
Location: London

Step 2: Find relevant points

“Despite there being various definitions of plagiarism, there are some practices which all
Higher Education Institutions regard as wrong. Copying another student’s work, pretending
that another writer’s thoughts are your own and not acknowledging the original source in
written work are all viewed as plagiarism.”

Step 3: Make notes

Plagiarism defined in different ways

certain things all universities do not accept e.g. copying from others or not citing the author

Step 4: Write the paraphrase using your notes

Original Source: “Despite there being various definitions of plagiarism, there are some
practices which all Higher Education Institutions regard as wrong. Copying another student’s
work, pretending that another writer’s thoughts are your own and not acknowledging the
original source in written work are all viewed as plagiarism.” (Chu, 2014)

Paraphrase: Plagiarism is not a straightforward concept to define as different authors define

it in different ways. Nevertheless, certain practices are collectively viewed as unacceptable by
universities, such as copying work from another source or failing to credit the original source
of information.

Paraphrasing strategy used:

Changing grammar (nouns to verbs)
Changing grammar (active to passive)
Using synonyms

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Step 5: Add the reference
Student’s paragraph:
While attending an English-medium university has several benefits, it can also be extremely
challenging for international students. One of the most common difficulties international
students face using sources effectively in academic writing. If sources are used poorly,
students might need to deal with plagiarism issues. Plagiarism is not a straightforward
concept to define as different authors define it in different ways (Chu, 2014). Nevertheless,
certain practices are collectively viewed as intolerable by universities, such as copying work
from another source or failing to credit the original source of information (Chu, 2014). This
essay will explore how international learners can be taught to integrate sources successfully
in their academic work in order to avoid plagiarism issues.

Reference list:
Chu, L. (2014) Dealing with the Challenges of Academic Writing. London: Palgrave McMillan.

Step 6: Check your work

-Paraphrase fits the context of your paragraph ✓

-Meaning of the original text has not been altered ✓

-Own writing style used ✓

-Author has been acknowledged ✓

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Summarising
A summary is the brief representation of the overall idea of a source, as opposed to a specific
point raised by the author. It can be used when you wish to express an entire source or large
unit of the source in a concise form, without referring to any specific points or examples used
by the author.
Although the length of a summary will depend on the importance of the source within your
own essay, a summary should be significantly shorter than the original text.

How to summarise correctly

1. Read the original text and make sure you fully understand its main idea. Keep in mind the
author’s purpose in writing the text as well as your own purpose in writing the summary.

2. Find the key ideas of the original text. Ensure that you can distinguish between main and
subsidiary information and try to ignore any unimportant details such as examples, anecdotes,
or in-depth statistical data.

3. Make notes of the key points in your own words. Try to write key ideas in a more condensed
manner and remember to simplify words and sentences.

4. Write the summary by combining your notes into a piece of continuous writing. Remember
to use linking phrases such as 'therefore', 'however', 'due to', to show the links between ideas.

5. Add the reference. Follow the guidelines of the referencing style of your field to produce
the in-text citation and include a reporting verb or reporting phrase (e.g. According to… /The
author states that …) if necessary. . Do not forget to add the source in the reference list at
the end of your document.

6. Check your work by:

- Ensuring the overall meaning of the original text has not been altered

- Ensuring the length is significantly shorter than the original

- Ensuring that the writing style (e.g. vocabulary, sentence structures, etc.) is your own

- Ensuring that the author has been acknowledged

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Summarising example
Step 1: Read and understand the original text
Research is often misconstrued as the practice of transcribing information. In fact, it is a process of
asking questions and gathering information that helps you arrive at conclusions in regards to a
particular issue. By using the information you find as evidence, you can develop an effective
argument. However, it is crucial to keep in mind that you should not spend too much time searching
and then wait until the last minute to start writing. As you begin your search, it is necessary to write
down observations and questions. When you find a useful source, you should take notes on what
you think it means in your own words. This way, you will not find yourself with an excessive amount
of printouts and books and no idea what to say about them. What you wish to say will flow naturally
out of the prewriting you have already done and that prewriting will help guide your search.
Authors: Barnet, S. and Bedau, H.
Year of Publication: 2014
Title of Work: Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing: A Brief Guide to Argument (8th ed.)
Publisher: Bedford/St. Martin’s.
Location: Boston, NY

Step 2: Find the key ideas of the original text

Research is often misconstrued as the practice of transcribing information. In fact, it is a
process of asking questions and gathering information that helps you arrive at conclusions in
regards to a particular issue. By using the information you find as evidence, you can develop
an effective argument. However, it is crucial to keep in mind that you should not spend too
much time searching and then wait until the last minute to start writing. As you begin your
search, it is necessary to write down observations and questions. When you find a useful
source, you should take notes on what you think it means in your own words. This way, you
will not find yourself with an excessive amount of printouts and books and no idea what to say
about them. What you wish to say will flow naturally out of the prewriting you have already
done and that prewriting will help guide your search.

Step 3: Make notes of the key points in your own words

Research collecting information to build an argument

should not be time-consuming

Prewriting make a note of key points (without copying the original words)

can help making volume of texts more manageable and writing emerges more naturally

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Step 4: Combine your notes into a complete summary
Research involves the collection and questioning of information which can contribute towards
building a strong argument when writing. Despite its importance, research should not be an
excessively time-consuming process. Instead, key information gathered from research should
be written down in a paraphrased form as early as possible. This ‘prewriting’ step can help
make reading more manageable and, in turn, aid in making writing emerge more effortlessly.

Step 5: Add the reference

According to Barnet and Bedau (2007), research involves the collection and questioning of
information which can contribute towards building a strong argument when writing. Despite its
importance, research should not be an excessively time-consuming process. Instead, key
information gathered from research should be written down in a paraphrased form as early as
possible in order to make reading more manageable and, in turn, aid in making writing emerge
more naturally.

Reference list
Barnet, S. and Bedau, H. (2014) Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing: A Brief Guide to Argument.
8th ed. Boston, NY: Bedford/St. Martin’s.

Step 6: Check your work

Original meaning maintained ✓

Shorter than the original ✓

Own words and structures used ✓

Author has been acknowledged ✓

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Using Direct Quotes
Direct quotes are the most specific way to integrate sources. In a direct quote, the author’s
exact words are copied and included in your work, typically appearing within quotation marks.
While summarising or paraphrasing can help you demonstrate an in-depth understanding of
the topic, direct quotes are useful for defining or describing specific terms, or when
paraphrasing would result in losing the meaning or impact of what you are trying to express.
Remember to be selective and avoid overusing direct quotes; quotes should add impact to
your work and not draw attention away from it.

How to quote correctly

1. Use the exact words from the original text.

2. Use quotation marks at the beginning and end of the quote if the quote is short. You can
use either ‘single’ or or “double” quotation marks, depending on the referencing style you need
to follow.
Longer quotations should be presented as a separate paragraph and indented from the
main text. Quotation marks are not required for longer quotations.

3. Add the reference. Follow the guidelines of the referencing style of your field to produce
the in-text citation and include a reporting verb or reporting phrase (e.g. According to… /The
author states that …) if necessary. Do not forget to add the source in the reference list at the
end of your document.

Example of short quote

Higgins (2005, p. 68) argues that landfill sites are “not cost efficient”.
It has been argued that landfill sites are “not cost efficient” (Higgins, 2005, p. 68).

Example of long quote

King (1997, p. 553) describes the intertwining of fate and memory in many evocative
passages, such as:
So the three of them rode towards their end of the Great Road, while summer lay all
about them, breathless as a gasp. Roland looked up and saw something that made him
forget all about the Wizard’s Rainbow. It was his mother, leaning out of her apartment’s
bedroom window: the oval of her face surrounded by the timeless grey stone of the
castle’s west wing!

If you want to find out more about incorporating sources into your writing through the use of
paraphrasing, summarising, or quoting, please watch this lesson.

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Reporting verbs
Reporting verbs are verbs which are used to report or refer to another author’s work. They
can be used to connect the in-text citation to the information cited.
Jones (2009) states that state governments should take action to address the poverty
problem.
reporting verb

Attitude of Reporting verbs

There is a wide range of reporting verbs in the English language and each reporting verb can
convey a different meaning or attitude.
Tentative Claims Neutral Claims Assertive Claims
Speculate Believe Maintain
Suggest State Claim
Question Note Assert
Imply Mention Challenge
Assume Point out Demonstrate
Allege Explain Refute

Reporting verbs can also be used as a way for you, the writer, to show your stance on the
information you are citing. For example, consider the use of reporting verbs in the following
sentence and try to figure out the writer’s stance on immigration.

While Salt and Gander (2015) claim that migration costs the economy a lot of money, OECD
(2014) demonstrate how migrants essentially pay for themselves through contributions in
taxes.

Tense of Reporting verbs

Reporting verbs tend to be used in the Present Simple, as in the following examples:
Brown and Smith (2013) maintain that a number of problems limit the use of group projects.
Turner (2010) maintains that the modern state wields more power in new ways.

However, the Past Simple can be used if you want to emphasise that you are reporting the
results of past research.
The focus groups observed during Kang’s (2006) research indicated a range of intercultural
competence skills.

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According to
Although grammatically it is not considered a verb, ‘According to’ is another phrase commonly
used to refer to an author’s work. A typical student mistake made when using ‘According to’
is to combine it with a reporting verb, which makes the sentence grammatically incorrect.
Example:
According to Brown (2013) states that many people omit going to the gym or joining a sports
club as a result of leading a busy life. X

According to Brown (2013), many people omit going to the gym or joining a sports club as a
result of leading a busy life. ✓

Integral and non-integral in-text citations

Depending on whether you wish to place emphasis on the name of the author, the in-text
citation can be incorporated into your sentence with the use of integral or non-integral citations.

Integral citations
The name of the cited author is prominent since it is a grammatical part of the sentence
and only the year of publication is enclosed in parentheses. This type of in-text citation can be
used when the name of the researcher is noteworthy or when you wish to show your own
position on a source’s claim with the use of an appropriate reporting verb.
Example: Fen (2016) demonstrates that overall population growth has slowed in developed
countries over the past fifty years.

Non-integral citations
The name of the author is not a grammatical part of the sentence and typically appears
at the end of the sentence. This type of in-text citation can be used when you wish to simply
report a fact without placing emphasis on the name of the author.
Example: Population growth effects are dependent on societal structures (Turner, 2013).

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References

Bailey, S. (2011) Academic Writing: A Handbook for International Students. 3rd ed. New York:
Routledge.

EAP Foundation (no date) Reporting Verbs. Available at:

https://www.eapfoundation.com/writing/references/reporting/ (Accessed: 10 January 2021)

Eiredit (no date) Integral vs Non-Integral Citations: A Helpful Guide. Available at:
https://eiredit.com/integral-vs-non-integral-citations/ (Accessed: 10 January 2021)

Stretson Unicersity Writing Center (no date) Incorporating Sources Effectively. Available at:
https://www.stetson.edu/other/writing-center/media/Handout%20-
%20Incorporating%20Sources%20Effectively.pdf (Accessed: 10 January 2021)

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