Blog 7 BBG Integrating & Documenting Sources

This chapter explained how to properly integrate and document sources, which is a very significant step to not just a research paper, but any paper that you use information that isn't necessarily your own ideas. I feel like this is a chapter that is well known by many but is also a topic that can be easily overlooked, and could put your paper at risk. Documenting sources properly is very important because you never want to plagiarism someone else's work, and risk violating the english departments rules of conduct.

The reading in this chapter demonstrates how to properly quote, paraphrase and summarize your paper without plagiarizing work. When using direct quotations, or even paraphrasing information that isn't yours, it is extremely important to cite where the information is coming form. Citations are needed in an essay because you want to give credit to the thoughts or ideas of the information to the original owner, but allow the reader of your paper to realize that the information is accurate and credible. We all should know by now that using information word for word is bad and there are more serious consequences towards not citing information, as we progressed from middle school, to high school, and now in college. With that being said, nobody is "perfect". I'm sure a handful of you have once in your life forgot to cite something properly in one of your essay's (I'm unintentionally guilty of this), but we now have the knowledge to ensure that these mistakes don't happen anymore.

I think that one of the most important take aways from this chapter that is indirectly stated is to use sources that you know are credible. It doesn't necessarily discuss this exactly in the chapter, but it made me realize that I should be more carful when choosing my sources during my research. Sometimes I run into the issue of not having enough information to properly cite an article, or a video I found useful to my topic. If you find the sources ahead of time, and make sure that the information can be credited the way MLA or any other format describes, then you should have no problem. I think the annotated bibliography for project 2 will be helpful, as we will be able to properly cite our essay's before we realistically start writing it.

Overall, I think this chapter reiterated most of the things we already know, but it was an important chapter to read and understand so you don't run into improper citations or plagiarism issues in your essay.