Launching and Citing Your Sources as You Draft

Citing your sources as you draft saves time when you put your paper into final form. And it prevents unintentional plagiarism. Right after every idea, fact, quotation, paraphrase, or summary captured from your reading or field research, refer your readers to the exact source of your material. In MLA style, name the author, and give the page of the source. (In APA style, add the date.) If you quote a field source, name the speaker, if possible.

When you add a quotation to your draft, copy and paste the passage from your note file, setting it off with quotation marks. Or just tape a note card into a handwritten or printed draft. If your draft looks messy, who cares? Then shape the words to launch or introduce the source to show why you have quoted it or what authority it lends to your paper.

See more on launching source material.

If no transition occurs to you as you place a quotation or borrowed idea in your draft, don’t sit around waiting for one. A series of slapped-in summaries and quotations makes rough reading, but you can add connective tissue later. Highlight these spots so it is easy to return to them.