headerheaderheaderheader
photo

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Give Credit Where Credit is Due

Confessions of a Researchaholic

Five years ago, I put together an extensive twenty-seven page “how to research” document for myself. I was tired of changing computers and losing my “Favorites” list or trying to remember where I recorded research info details. Never did I think I would publish this research info.

I Confess…

I wanted to credit the website that listed the “Six Common Style Guides.” I don’t recall it’s name nor could I find it after an exhausting Google search.


See, even researchaholics, don’t follow their advice to keep track of all sources.

What Sources Do I Cite?
Sometimes writers are unsure what sources to cite to avoid plagiarizing. Whenever quoting, paraphrasing, summarizing, or referring to someone else’s intellectual property, cite the source in a:

  • Parenthetical documentation that is placed between (parentheses within the sentence before the period).
  • Footnote listed in succession at the bottom of the page.
  • Endnote printed in succession at the end of a chapter or a book.
  • Bibliography.

Six Common Style Guides
1. The Chicago Manual of Style:
Used by book publishers and editors. URL: http://www.press.uchicago.edu/

2. AP Stylebook: Used for magazines and newspaper articles. Considered the “Journalist’s Bible.” URL: http://www.apstylebook.com/

3. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers: Used by undergraduates in writing research papers. URL: http://www.mla.org/

4. A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations: by Kate L. Turabian, Kate. Based on the Chicago Manual of Style: Used in colleges and universities. URL: http://www.press.uchicago.edu/

5. The Concise Rules of APA Style: Used by students, teachers, researchers, and clinicians in the social and behavioral sciences. URL: http://www.apastyle.org/elecref.html

6. Scientific Style and Format (Commonly referred to as the CSE Manual): Used by authors, editors, publishers, students, and translators in all areas of science and related fields. URL: www.councilscienceeditors.org/publications/style.cfm

No comments: