Good research writers use evidence from reliable sources. The first time you mention a source, use the first and last name of the author. Briefly include the author’s title, credentials, or experience—anything that would help your readers recognize the source’s authority.

SOURCE WITH NO CREDENTIALS

Michael Pollan notes that “the Centers for Disease Control estimates that fully three quarters of US health care spending goes to treat chronic diseases, most of which are preventable and linked to diet: heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and at least a third of all cancers.”

SOURCE WITH CREDENTIALS (IN COLOR)

Journalist Michael Pollan, who has written extensively about Americans’ unhealthy eating habits, notes that “the Centers for Disease Control estimates that fully three quarters of US health care spending goes to treat chronic diseases, most of which are preventable and linked to diet: heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and at least a third of all cancers.”

When you establish your source’s authority, you signal to readers your own credibility as a responsible researcher, one who has located trustworthy sources.

If you use the same source again, you may use the last name only and no identifying information, since you have already established the authority of the source. In a long paper, if you haven’t used the source in several pages, you may want to remind readers of the source’s identity.