One of the most important ways in which writing situations resemble spoken conversations is their reliance on taking turns. In spoken conversations — at least in those that are productive — people take turns sharing their ideas. To move the conversation forward, speakers build on what has been said, often referring to specific ideas or arguments and identifying the speakers who raised them. Comments such as “As Ellen said . . .” and “Reid made a good point earlier when he pointed out that . . .” are frequently made in spoken conversations. They show respect for the contributions made by others and help speakers align themselves with or distance themselves from other members of the conversation.

Written conversations also build on earlier contributions. Writers refer to the work of other authors to support their arguments, to provide a context for their own contributions, or to differentiate their ideas from those advanced by other authors. For example, an opinion columnist might show how her ideas differ from those offered by other members of the conversation by quoting a statement made by another columnist. Later in the same column, she might use a statement made by yet another author to support her argument.

Writers also use sources to introduce new ideas, information, and arguments to a conversation. A blogger concerned with the challenges faced by young families wishing to purchase a home, for example, might share information from a congressional hearing on lending practices with readers. Similarly, a reporter might conduct research on market trends and use what she learns to compare the conditions home buyers faced twenty years ago with those of today. When writers use sources in this way, they provide citations to indicate that the information is provided by other authors and to help readers locate the sources in case they wish to review them.

Even when writers do not refer directly to other sources, the work of other writers is likely to influence their thinking about a subject. As you compose your contribution to a conversation, be aware that what you’ve read, heard, seen, and experienced will shape your thinking about the subject — and by doing so, these sources will affect the information, ideas, and arguments in your document.