If you use someone else’s work, cite it. Give credit where credit is due.

Remember: you are writing this paper. Your words should be the most prominent aspect of your paper.

MLA Style: In-Text Citations by Scribbr on Youtube

In-text citations are used throughout your paper to credit your sources of information. In MLA style, the in-text citation in the body of the essay links to the Works Cited page at the end. This way, the reader will know which item in the Works Cited is the source of the information.

Whenever you consult a source, always think carefully about the author’s or authors’ purpose in presenting the information.

these sites have no control system for researching, writing, and reviewing articles. Instead, they rely on a community of users to police themselves. At best, these sites can be a starting point for finding other, more trustworthy sources. Never use them as final sources.

a critical eye. Smart researchers continually ask themselves two questions: “Is this source relevant to my purpose?” and “Is this source reliable?”

Secondary sources discuss, interpret, analyze, consolidate, or otherwise rework information from primary sources.

Primary sources are direct, firsthand sources of information or data.

Next, in step four, you generate sub-questions from your main question. For instance, “During the 19th century, what were some of the competing theories about how life is created?,” and “Did any of Mary Shelley’s other works relate to the creation of life?” After you know what sub-questions you want to pursue, you’ll be able to move to step five.

Decide on the topic. Narrow the topic in order to narrow search parameters. Consider a question that your research will address. Generate sub-questions from your main question. Determine what kind of sources are best for your argument. Create a bibliography as you gather and reference sources.

You would also not want to search for a single instance of surgery because you might not be able to find enough information on it. Find a happy medium between a too-broad or too-specific topic to research.

Readers might wonder, “Why are they not paid enough?” But this statement does not compel them to ask many more questions. The writer should ask himself or herself questions in order to replace the linking verb with an action verb, thus forming a stronger thesis statement, one that takes a more definitive stance on the issue:

A joke means many things to many people. Readers bring all sorts of backgrounds and perspectives to the reading process and would need clarification for a word so vague. This expression may also be too informal for the selected audience.