Using sources to explain terms

If readers are unlikely to be familiar with a word, a phrase, or an idea important to your topic, you must explain it for them. Quoting or paraphrasing a source can help you define terms and concepts in neutral, accessible language.

Sibutramine suppresses appetite by blocking the reuptake of the neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain (Yanovski & Yanovski, 2002, p. 594).

quotation The representation of the words someone said or wrote. A quotation can be direct (the exact words) or indirect (a reporting or paraphrase of what was said).

paraphrase A restatement by a writer of a source's words or ideas in the writer's own words.