Why is it important to properly attribute and cite the sources of information used in writing a report or term paper?

Citing or documenting the sources used in your research serves three purposes: It gives proper credit to the authors of the words or ideas that you incorporated into your paper. Citing your sources consistently and accurately helps you avoid committing plagiarism in your writing.

What does documenting your sources mean?

Documenting means showing where you got source information that’s not your own. Remember, a research paper blends your ideas with ideas and information from other sources. Documentation shows the reader what ideas are yours and what information and ideas you’ve taken from a source to support your point of view.

What are the 3 ways to use source information in your report or paper?

Let readers know where to find information on your topic. Generally speaking, there are three ways to integrate sources into a research paper summarizing, paraphrasing and quoting. You will want to summarize and paraphrase most often in your research paper, using direct quotes sparingly.