Yesterday, my CTW class spent a day in the library learning how to integrate sources for our research paper. While this may sound like a boring post (I know), I actually learned some really helpful tools for integrating sources into your paper!

Source: The Office

Here are 3 useful tips I learned

1. Always research the periodical your source is coming from. This is really important to do because it can tell you a lot about what type of source it is and the biases they may come with it.
2. Always research the author. It is important to note who the author is and what they do in a research paper. Like the periodical, the author can tell you a lot about the source and how the authors profession or field of study makes the source credible.
3. If the information you discover from tips 1 & 2 are key components to understanding the background of your source, make sure to include that in your research. Sometimes I forget that this background information can actually say a lot about your source and if you do not include it, then the source can be interpreted in a completely different way than the author intended.

I know that integrating sources seems simple, but if you do not do it the correct way, it can completely change the interpretation of your argument. Make sure to always do background research on your sources and insure that you, and the readers of your paper, are aware of exactly what the source had intended you to take away from it. Your research should not stop after locating a source, it is extremely important to continue your research on the article itself.

I know it sounds tedious but I promise it will really help you out in the long run!