Integrating Sources

In order to use a source effectively in your paper, you must integrate it into your argument in a way that makes it clear to your reader not only which ideas come from that source, but also what the source is adding to your own thinking. In other words, each source you use in a paper should be there for a reason, and your reader should not have to guess what that reason is. When you're finished drafting your paper, you should always go back and make sure that you have made conscious decisions about how and where to use each source and that you've made the reasons for those decisions clear to your readers. The following section offers guidance about how to make these decisions, as well as advice on the nuts and bolts of integrating sources into your paper.