5. Sources for Articles
• In hard copy (journal or anthology)
• On the web (if they’re giving it away)
• Through a database (start at library website)
6. Choosing Articles
• Does it meet the requirements for the
assignment?
• Is the full text available?
• Did you read the abstract?
• Is the reading level appropriate?
• Do you have the necessary background
knowledge, or are you willing to get it?
8. Using Your Article
• Know the difference between
quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing
• Read and understand the material before you
write, then try to put it in your own words
without looking at the original
– If you can’t, you might not understand it yet
• Direct quotes are less appropriate in science
writing than in other subjects
– But when in doubt, play it safe and quote
9. Source: Guide to Using and Citing Sources When Writing in the Life Sciences (Harvard)
11. Citing Your Article
From a magazine:
Jacoby, Sarah. "Dueling dinos." Popular Science Nov.
2013: 30. Print.
From a database:
Jacoby, Sarah. "Dueling dinos." Popular Science Nov.
2013: 30. Academic OneFile. Web. 1 Dec. 2013.
From an online magazine:
Jacoby, Sarah. "A Fossil Shows Dinosaurs Permanently
Locked In A Fight." Popular Science. Popular Science, 31
Nov. 2013. Web. 1 Dec. 2013.
12. Citing Your Article
From a newspaper:
Overbye, Dennis. "Chasing the Higgs." New York Times 5
Mar. 2013: D1(L). Print.
From a database:
Overbye, Dennis. "Chasing the Higgs." New York Times 5
Mar. 2013: D1(L). Academic OneFile. Web. 1 Dec. 2013.
From an online newspaper:
Overbye, Dennis. "Chasing the Higgs Boson." New York
Times. New York Times, 5 Mar. 2013. Web. 1 Dec. 2013.
13. Citing Your Article
From a print anthology:
Blum. Deborah. “Scent of Your Thoughts." Best American
Science and Nature Writing 2012. Ed. Dan Ariely. Boston:
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Trade & Reference, 2012. 8996. Print.
Research Tip: In your review, name the journal
where the article originally appeared, to add
credibility and context. For example:
Deborah Blum, in the article ‘The Scent of Your
Thoughts’ originally appearing in Scientific American,
explores the idea of chemical communication between
human beings.
Use the abstract to help you decide if you’re interested and to get a sense of what it is you’re going to be reading, which will help you understand.
When paraphrasing both the words and the structure of the sentence have to be your own. Direct quotes often suggest that you don’t understand the material. Key scientific phrases don’t need to appear in quotes, neither do numeric findings, though they do need to be cited. What doesn’t need to be cited at all? Common knowledge.
First you cite the article, then you cite the medium. For print you’re essentially done. For databases you add the database info. For online magazines it’s sometimes a little different. Includes the name of the online magazine and the publisher/sponsor which is often but not always the same. You can certainly use EasyBib but for this assignment you might find it easiest to create your own citations.
