Think about how you’ve used source information in your document. Review the amount of evidence you’ve provided for your points and the appropriateness of that evidence for your purpose and readers. If you are arguing about an issue, determine whether you’ve identified and addressed reasonable opposing viewpoints.
As you do so, determine whether you’ve presented information, ideas, and arguments from your sources accurately and fairly. Be sure that quotations are accurate and appropriately documented. Ensure that paraphrases and summaries represent the source reasonably and fairly. Although fairness can be difficult to judge, ask whether you’ve achieved it. For example, writing that an author “ridiculed” a particular idea might enhance the impact of a passage. If the author was only raising questions about the idea, however, using that term would be unfair both to your source and to the idea itself.
Ask yourself, as well, how effectively you’ve introduced the work of other authors. Begin by considering your use of attributions in terms of your purpose and role. By characterizing the contributions particular sources are making to the overall conversation, you can frame their arguments — and yours — in a way that helps you achieve your goals. You can also show how particular sources approach your issue, helping your readers better understand how your contribution advances the conversation.
Then consider the relationship you are trying to establish with your readers. Readers appreciate clear identification of the source of a quotation, paraphrase, or summary. (For more information about quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing, see Chapter 19.) Readers also appreciate some variety in how evidence from sources is introduced. To make your writing stand out, vary the words and phrases that identify the sources of the information, ideas, and arguments you use in your document.
| Common Attributions | More Specific Attributions |
|---|---|
| The author wrote . . . | The author expressed the opinion that . . . |
| The author said . . . | The author denied this, noting . . . |
| The author stated . . . | In response, the author observed that . . . |
It’s also important to review your works cited or references list for completeness and accuracy. Remember that lack of proper documentation can reduce your document’s effectiveness and diminish your credibility. You can learn more about integrating sources in Chapter 19. For guidelines on documenting your sources, see Chapters 21 and 22.