When and how to use documentation

1. When to document

2. 1. Quotes

3. 2. Tables, charts,
diagrams, definitions,
statistics

4. 3. An expert’s
opinion or
ideas…even if
they are in your
words

5. 4. A summary of a
discussion put into the
researcher’s own
words

6. 6. Any fact or statistic
that is not common
knowledge.

7. Which info would need
citation?
• Ernest Hemingway was born
August 12, 1895, in Oak Park,
Illinois.
• Hemingway’s mother is believed to
have dress him in girl’s clothes,
and many speculate this lead to
Hemingway’s obsession with
macho man characters.

8. How to document

9. 1. Author’s last
name

10. If there is more than
one author...
• If two or three authors, list all
by last name.
• If more than three authors, list
only first author (by last name)
then write et. al.

11. Sample author entries:
• (Petersen).
• (Petersen and Olson).
• (Petersen, Olson, and Wailes).
• (Petersen et. al.)

12. 2. Title of the work
Note: Be sure to put it in
quotations marks

13. 3. If two titles are
the same:
document the
source
Note: be sure it is in italics

14. If it is a print source...
• You will need a page number
• (Petersen 23).
• No comma NOR “pg” between
author and page number

15. Remember:
• This is a learning experience.
You will find this easier the
more often you write research
papers.