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Category: Research & Information Literacy (Page 1 of 2)

Should I use a citation generator? 

By Kate Moss, Ph.D, Doctoral Lecturer and Full-time Faculty, General Education & BA in Liberal Studies 
Writing Fellows (WAC) and Tutoring Coordinator

Putting references into APA 7 style (or another citation style) can be time consuming, and you may want to take advantage of citations generated automatically by the library databases or a citation generator on the Internet.  Using citation generators can make your job easier as long as you know how to use them correctly and do so with caution.

Citation generators – even the ones used by the Newman Library databases — often produce errors. It’s your job to double check the citation which is generated by looking at the source and to make any needed corrections.

For example, here is an article from Pew Research: “Americans Who Mainly Get Their News on Social Media Are Less Engaged, Less Knowledgeable”. The four authors are listed above the article as: Amy Mitchell, Mark Jurkowitz, J. Baxter Oliphant and Elisa Shearer:

A screenshot of a news article with the authors' names enclosed in a pink box: Amy Mitchell, Mark Jurkowitz, J. Baxter Oliphant and Elisa Shearer.

At the time of this writing (12/2023), I put the URL of this article into Chegg’s Citation Machine, and it produced this citation in APA style:

Mitchell, A. (2020, July 30). Americans who mainly get their news on social media are less engaged, less knowledgeable. Pew Research Center’s Journalism Project. https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2020/07/30/americans-who-mainly-get-their-news-on-social-media-are-less-engaged-less-knowledgeable/

This citation is almost correct. However, it omits three of the listed authors. In APA 7 style References lists, you need to list all of the authors for a work, if there are fewer than twenty.

Since the generated citation is wrong, you would need to correct it as follows:

Mitchell, A., Jurkowitz, M., Oliphant, J.B., & Shearer, E. (2020, July 30). Americans who mainly get their news on social media are less engaged, less knowledgeable. Pew Research Center’s Journalism Project. https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2020/07/30/americans-who-mainly-get-their-news-on-social-media-are-less-engaged-less-knowledgeable/

When you click the link to copy a citation for a resource you find in the Newman Library, you also need to check it for accuracy, since these automatically-generated citations can also contain errors.

Resources:

How to avoid plagiarism 

By Kate Moss, Ph.D, Doctoral Lecturer and Full-time Faculty, General Education & BA in Liberal Studies 
Writing Fellows (WAC) and Tutoring Coordinator

Note that if you click the embedded video below, the six parts will play one after the other, so be sure and stick around for the entire presentation.

Citing sources 

By Kate Moss, Ph.D, Doctoral Lecturer and Full-time Faculty, General Education & BA in Liberal Studies 
Writing Fellows (WAC) and Tutoring Coordinator

References Lists and In-Text Citations in APA Format

Here is a list of sources on how to create references lists and in-text citations in APA format.

Resources for creating References Lists in APA style:

Resources for creating in-text citations in APA style:

  • In-Text Citations (Basics) (Purdue OWL: includes directions for dealing with short vs. long quotations of 40+ words, which should be block indented)
  • In-Text Citations (Author/Authors) (Purdue OWL: includes information on dealing with sources that have one, two, or more than two authors, as well as indirect sources)

Using sources 

By Kate Moss, Ph.D, Doctoral Lecturer and Full-time Faculty, General Education & BA in Liberal Studies 
Writing Fellows (WAC) and Tutoring Coordinator

Tips and resources for using quotations/paraphrases: 

  1. Avoiding dropped quotations: Quote Sandwich from St. Louis Community College. Be careful not to place quotations into your writing without introducing or commenting on them. This is called a “dropped quotation”. Consider the three steps of the “quotation sandwich”: introduce the quotation with a signal phrase, then quote, then analyze, comment on or contextualize the quote. (Also see the “APA Signal Phrase” resource below!)
  2. APA 7 signal phrases for quotes/paraphrases (Antioch College): this PDF handout gives examples of how to use signal phrases to introduce a quotation or paraphrased passage in your writing. Signal phrases also work in MLA style (though the in-text citation will differ).
  3. Using Quotations (Excelsior OWL) 
  4. Paraphrasing (Excelsior OWL)

How to read scholarly, peer-reviewed journal articles 

By Kate Moss, Ph.D, Doctoral Lecturer and Full-time Faculty, General Education & BA in Liberal Studies 
Writing Fellows (WAC) and Tutoring Coordinator

How to Read a Scholarly Article (University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Library, 9 mins., transcript provided)

Despite the title, this video helps you learn to identify scholarly, peer-reviewed journal articles, and gives tips on reading them.

How to Read a Scholarly Article (NCSU Library, 7 mins., transcript provided)

This video goes into more detail about the parts of scholarly, peer-reviewed journal articles, differences among disciplines, and how to approach reading the articles.

Reference/citation managers 

By Kate Moss, Ph.D, Doctoral Lecturer and Full-time Faculty, General Education & BA in Liberal Studies 
Writing Fellows (WAC) and Tutoring Coordinator

Consider using a free citation manager to keep track of sources for all your college writing assignments. Many people like Zotero: (see Quick Start Guide and Support, or the Newman Library’s Zotero guide). Your entries can include links, details on the source that are needed for citing each item, and even a PDF copy of the source. When it’s time to generate a References list, Zotero does most of the work for you. The Baruch Newman Library also runs regular introductory and advanced Zotero workshops.

Get help from the Newman Librarians 

By Kate Moss, Ph.D, Doctoral Lecturer and Full-time Faculty, General Education & BA in Liberal Studies 
Writing Fellows (WAC) and Tutoring Coordinator

The Newman Library Reference Librarians can help you with quick research questions, or you can make an appointment for a longer research consultation and work on identifying search terms and searching library databases (either in person or by video chat). Day, evening, and weekend appointments are available.

Ask a Librarian (quick questions)
Schedule a Research Consultation (more in depth assistance)

Identifying types of sources 

By Kate Moss, Ph.D, Doctoral Lecturer and Full-time Faculty, General Education & BA in Liberal Studies 
Writing Fellows (WAC) and Tutoring Coordinator

These resources will help you identify different types of sources:

(Note that while these resources direct you to the Cornell Librarians, our own Newman Library Reference librarians provide the same types of assistance – find out how to get in touch in Learning Resources: Get help from the Newman Librarians below.)

Finding reputable scholarly sources 

By Giordana Fiori

Credible sources vs scholarly sources: what is a scholarly source?

  • Credible sources are popular sources, such as newspapers and magazines, government websites, or websites of well-respected associations.
  • Scholarly sources are written by highly-qualified researchers and have a thorough publication process. Scholarly sources often have a specific audience in mind, most likely other experts in the particular field of study.
    • Peer reviewed scholarly sources: if a journal is peer reviewed it means that scholars have reviewed the articles and have decided that the sources are reliable, the research is sound, and the writing is solid.

Where do I find reputable scholarly sources?

Public libraries or university libraries have subscriptions to databases where these sources are housed:

  • CUNY SPS has access to the Baruch College Newman library: Search the library system’s database through CUNY One Search (you can find articles on google scholar too, but they are free on the library website!).
    1. Click on one search link.
    2. Type in your keywords: too many results?
    3. Narrow it down using the sidebar on the right.
    4. Email the source to yourself or download a pdf.

What is a specialized database?

A specialized database – often called a research or library database – allows targeted searching on one or more specific subject areas (i.e., engineering, medicine, Latin American history, etc.), for a specific format (i.e., books, articles, conference proceedings, video, images), or for a specific date range during which the information was published. Most of what specialized databases contain can not be found by Google or Bing.

When should I use a specialized database?

Specialized databases are especially helpful if you require a specific format or up-to-date, scholarly information on a specific topic. Many databases are available both in a free version and in a subscription version. Your affiliation with the Newman library grants you access to member-based services at no cost to you.

What is a database scope?

Information about the specific subject range, format, or date range a particular specialized database covers is called its scope. A specialized database may be narrow or broad in scope, depending on whether it, for instance, contains materials on one or many subject areas.

How do I search a database effectively?

  • Key words: Databases are better searched by beginning with only a few general search terms, reviewing your results and, if necessary, limiting them in some logical way.
  • Limiting your search: Many databases allow you to choose which areas (also called fields) of items to search for your search term(s), based on what you think will turn up documents that are most helpful. For instance, you may think the items most likely to help you are those whose titles contain your search term(s). In that case, your search would not show you any records for items whose titles do not have your term(s). Or maybe you would want to see only records for items whose abstracts contain the term(s).
  • Records and fields: The information researchers usually see first after searching a database is the “records” for items contained in the database that also match what was asked for by the search. Each record describes an item that can be retrieved and gives you enough information so that you can decide whether it should meet your information needs. The descriptions are in categories that provide different types of information about the item. These categories are called “fields.” Some fields may be empty of information for some items, and the fields that are available depend on the type of database.

Which fields are typically available?

A bibliographic database describes items such as articles, books, conference papers, etc. Common fields found in bibliographic database records are:

  • Author.
  • Title (of book, article, etc.).
  • Source title (journal title, conference name, etc.).
  • Date.
  • Volume/issue.
  • Pages.
  • Abstract.
  • Descriptive or subject terms.

Useful links:

Sources:

Finding reputable popular sources 

By Silvan Spicer

How can I tell if my source is a popular source?

Popular sources usually serve different purposes and audiences than scholarly sources. You can examine the following to see if your source aligns with the common characteristics of popular sources:

  • Audience: Readership characteristics may differ slightly from publication to publication, but overall, usually for a general readership that doesn’t have any particular expertise or advanced education.
  • Topic: Usually covers a broader range of topics in shorter articles. Articles offer overviews of subject matter and reportage rather than original research. There might be feature articles and reports on current social issues and public opinion. 
  • Purpose: Usually written to inform readers about current events, issues, or popular culture. May also aim to entertain, promote a certain point of view/bias, and/or sell products.
  • Author: Usually written by staff writers, freelancers, journalists. Author might be a generalist – they don’t have a specific area of expertise. If written by staff or freelance writers, the article might not actually be attributed to a specific name – the author might be “staff.” 
  • Form: Mix of short and in-depth articles on a wide variety of subjects. There are usually high-impact visuals and designs, including photos and colorful graphics. There may be lots of advertisements. Keep in mind that ads may be hidden if you have an ad blocker! 
  • Use of sources: There may be few or no formal citations. References or links to other sources may be obscure or circular (only referencing their own website). There is often no guarantee that the sources the article uses are credible.
  • Quality assurance: Usually edited and approved for publication in-house, often by a single editor who often may have strong opinions about what they want published/not published.
  • Language/Voice: Uses a simple and non-technical writing style, with general, popular language most will be able to understand. 

What does it mean for a source to be credible/reputable?

Using a credible/reputable source means that you can trust the quality of information that the source contains. Credible/reputable sources often make an attempt to limit outright bias, or at the very least to be forthright about their intentions and/or biases.

How can I tell if a popular source is credible/reputable?

Examine the following characteristics to determine whether your source meets standards of credibility.

  1. Evaluate the author. Is there an author? What are their credentials? Can you find an author bio page, either on the website, or through a Google search? What does the author’s purpose for writing the source seem to be?
  2. Evaluate the organization. Who is publishing the information? What are their goals/values/biases? Do they have an agenda? Are they trying to sell readers something? Pay particular attention to whether the site is owned/hosted by a business entity or corporation. Company websites often look extremely credible, but this doesn’t mean that they don’t have a strong bias based on their own financial motives.
  3. Evaluate the purpose of the site. Why does the site exist? What is it trying to do? Inform people? Get people to click on ads? Get people to buy a certain product? 
  4. Evaluate the specific information in the article/on the page. Does the author cite their sources and/or give readers access to an original source for their info? How is the piece written/edited? Are they reporting, summarizing, analyzing, arguing, or doing something else? 

Is it okay to use a popular source that has a bias/agenda?

Just because a source has a bias or agenda doesn’t mean that it isn’t necessarily reputable. Oftentimes, popular sources will report on events/people/information, but with a significant slant. What is important is that you are able to evaluate the source and figure out what the source’s slant is, and that you transfer that understanding over to your own paper when you talk about the source. Make sure you don’t present an illusion of objectivity when a source you’re using is very clearly not an objective source.

How do I find credible/reputable popular sources?

  1. Go through your university library/databases. In addition to scholarly (peer-reviewed) sources, university libraries also usually maintain databases of credible popular sources, such as archives of newspapers and magazines. Get help from the Newman Librarians.
  2. Use the right type of source for the type of information you are looking for. If you are looking for statistics information, credible sources include things like encyclopedias and government reporting/statistics pages. Online dictionaries and encyclopedias are great for finding definitions and general information about terms/topics. 
  3. Default to sources created/maintained by credible, professional entities. These types of entities include governments, research think tanks, professional organizations (like the APA or ABA), and libraries/databases.
  4. Be wary of articles. Anyone with a Medium account can write an “article” and post it online, but that doesn’t mean that it’s going to be credible. Unfortunately, Google search results are often filled with troves of disreputable sources that only exist to sell a product or garner page views. If you find an article you like, it is imperative that you evaluate it closely to make sure it is a credible source. Larger news publications are usually credible sources, but even then, make sure you pay attention to any potential biases the author might have. AllSides has a rating system for news publications that might prove helpful in these cases: https://www.allsides.com/media-bias/ratings

Now that I have a popular source how do I incorporate it into my writing?

Check out our resource on incorporating research

Popular sources for different academic disciplines:

Sources used:

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