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Research Help

Academic Research Uses

No matter how you are including information into your writing, you will need to attribute that information to the source that you got it from. You must do this with an in-text citation! An in-text citation comes in two forms and both of these have three parts.

Parts of a Citation:

  1. First you need a tag or an introduction that lets your reader know that this information came from another source.
  2. Then you should include the quotation, summary or paraphrase.
  3. Finally, you should end your in-text citation with a (parenthetical ending citation) which may include any relevant information and let's the reader know you have finished your citation.

In Text Citation Example

Types of in-text citation

There are two types of in-text citation, but remember that both need to include all three parts of a citation.

There are Narrative and Parenthetical citations. Narrative in-text citations include some of the information like author name and date in the tag. Remember you need a tag to introduce the in-text citation. Parenthetical in-text citations also has a tag, but only offers general information not specific information in the tag. All necessary information is giving in the ending citation.

APA in text citation example

Summary  

A summary should be used when you are explaining the content and main points of an entire article. Summaries should be significantly shorter than their original source and may give a short explanation of an article in one or two paragraphs. Summaries should include main points and results, be in your own words, in your own writing style, and include in-text citation information.  

Instructional Presentation:

 

Paraphrase

A paraphrase should be used if you are pulling information from a very specific part of an article. Maybe you are comparing the methods of three research projects. In each article, you are only looking at the section about methods. This is not a long section so your explanation may be the same length or just a little shorter. Paraphrases should include main points and details, be in your own words, in your own writing style (i.e. don't copy the sentence format), and include in-text citation information.

Quotations   

A direct quote should be used if you feel the exact wording is very important to your point or your topic. Quotes are used in humanities research much more that in STEM or social science fields. For example, a journalism student will need to use quotes much more often than someone who is explaining a chemical reaction. Quotes should use EXACTLY the same wording (even if there is an error in the original), quotation marks and in-text citation information.

 

 

Sage Research Methods - Reviewing the Literature

Getting Started

  1. Determine your research question
    • It may be a good idea to already have started searching for literature to help understand the context of the scholastic conversation currently surrounding your topic.
    • Scholarship Is a Conversation refers to the idea of sustained discourse within a community of scholars, researchers, or professionals, with new insights and discoveries occurring over time as a result of competing perspectives and interpretations. Research and scholarship is never conducted in a vacuum. (more) 
  2. Set your Aims and Objectives
    • Aims of the review are defined as general statements describing the purpose of the literature examination and emphasize what the researcher wishes to acquire. Generally, a project should not include more than two or three aims. 
    • Objectives are the steps that guide the literature exploration and support you to answer the research questions; they underline how aims need to be attained. Research objectives should be necessarily focused and precisely outlined, and should support accurately the use of concepts. (more) 
  3. Establish several keywords and determine your inclusion/exclusion criteria
    • Think about relevant dates, geographies (and languages), methods, and conflicting points of view.
  4. Choose databases and conduct the search
    • Conduct searches in the published literature in your chosen databases.
    • Check to see if this topic has been covered in other databases.
    • Examine the reference pages of significant articles for keywords, authors, and previous research.
    • Consider Searching as Strategic Exploration. It is iterative and nonlinear.  
      • Go to a new location or new database. Ask someone for help, or look for a different type of source. Find one good source and use that entry to find subject headings, keywords or citations in that article to push your search in a new direction.(more)
  5. Review your results
    • Save your search results. It is recommended that you use a citation management tool (such as RefWorks).
    • De-duplicate your search results.
    • Make sure that you've found the seminal pieces -- they have been cited many times, and their work is considered foundational. 
    • Check with your professor or a librarian to make sure your search has been comprehensive.
  6. Synthesize the information gathered
    • Evaluate sources for bias, methodologies, and thoroughness.
    • Organize your results to support your aims.  
    • Develop your conclusions.
  7. Analyze the information gathered
    • Are there gaps in the literature?
    • Where has significant research taken place, and who has done it?
    • Is there consensus or debate on this topic?
    • Which methodological approaches work best?
  8. Write the literature review
    • Pick an organizational structure, i.e., themes, approaches, concepts, methodologies.
      • For example: Background, Current Practices, Critics and Proponents, Where/How this study will fit in 
    • Organize your citations and focus on your research question and pertinent studies.
    • Compile your bibliography.

Note: The first four steps are the best points at which to contact a librarian. Your librarian can help you determine the best databases to use for your topic, assess scope, and formulate a search strategy.

Some content pulled from University of Texas Library page.