A negative indent causes lines of text to be indented more than the first line in the paragraph
Frequently asked questions: Citing sourcesWhat are scientific citation styles? A scientific citation style is a system of source citation that is used in scientific disciplines. Some commonly used scientific citation styles are: Show
What are the different types of citation styles? There are many different citation styles used across different academic disciplines, but they fall into three basic approaches to citation:
Can I use ibid. in Chicago style? Ibid. may be used in Chicago footnotes or endnotes. Write “Ibid.” alone when you are citing the same page number and source as the previous citation. When you are citing the same source, but a different page number, use ibid. followed by a comma and the relevant page number(s). For example:
How do I use signal phrases? Signal phrases can be used in various ways and can be placed at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence. To use signal phrases effectively, include:
Different citation styles require you to use specific verb tenses when using signal phrases.
What is a signal phrase? A signal phrase is a group of words that ascribes a quote or idea to an outside source. Signal phrases distinguish the cited idea or argument from your own writing and introduce important information including the source of the material that you are quoting, paraphrasing, or summarizing. For example: “Cognitive psychologist Steven Pinker (1994) insists that humans possess an innate faculty for comprehending grammar.” How do I quote text that contains a citation? If you’re quoting from a text that paraphrases or summarizes other sources and cites them in parentheses, APA and Chicago both recommend retaining the citations as part of the quote. However, MLA recommends omitting citations within a quote:
Footnote or endnote numbers that appear within quoted text should be omitted in all styles. If you want to cite an indirect source (one you’ve only seen quoted in another source), either locate the original source or use the phrase “as cited in” in your citation. How many quotes should I use? In scientific subjects, the information itself is more important than how it was expressed, so quoting should generally be kept to a minimum. In the arts and humanities, however, well-chosen quotes are often essential to a good paper. In social sciences, it varies. If your research is mainly quantitative, you won’t include many quotes, but if it’s more qualitative, you may need to quote from the data you collected. As a general guideline, quotes should take up no more than 5–10% of your paper. If in doubt, check with your instructor or supervisor how much quoting is appropriate in your field. When should I quote instead of paraphrasing? To present information from other sources in academic writing, it’s best to paraphrase in most cases. This shows that you’ve understood the ideas you’re discussing and incorporates them into your text smoothly. It’s appropriate to quote when:
How do I paraphrase effectively? To paraphrase effectively, don’t just take the original sentence and swap out some of the words for synonyms. Instead, try:
The main point is to ensure you don’t just copy the structure of the original text, but instead reformulate the idea in your own words. How do I insert endnotes in Word? To insert endnotes in Microsoft Word, follow the steps below:
How do I insert a footnote in Word? To insert a footnote automatically in a Word document:
What are footnotes used for? Footnotes are notes indicated in your text with numbers and placed at the bottom of the page. They’re used to provide:
Be sparing in your use of footnotes (other than citation footnotes), and consider whether the information you’re adding is relevant for the reader. What’s the difference between footnotes and endnotes? Footnotes appear at the bottom of the page they refer to. This is convenient for the reader but may cause your text to look cluttered if there are a lot of footnotes. Endnotes appear all together at the end of the whole text. This may be less convenient for the reader but reduces clutter. Both footnotes and endnotes are used in the same way: to cite sources or add extra information. You should usually choose one or the other to use in your text, not both. What is an in-text citation? An in-text citation is an acknowledgement you include in your text whenever you quote or paraphrase a source. It usually gives the author’s last name, the year of publication, and the page number of the relevant text. In-text citations allow the reader to look up the full source information in your reference list and see your sources for themselves. When do I need to cite myself? If you are reusing content or data you used in a previous assignment, make sure to cite yourself. You can cite yourself just as you would cite any other source: simply follow the directions for that source type in the citation style you are using. Keep in mind that reusing your previous work can be considered self-plagiarism, so make sure you ask your professor or consult your university’s handbook before doing so. What makes a source credible? A credible source should pass the CRAAP test and follow these guidelines:
What is the definition of peer review? Peer review is a process of evaluating submissions to an academic journal. Utilizing rigorous criteria, a panel of reviewers in the same subject area decide whether to accept each submission for publication. For this reason, academic journals are often considered among the most credible sources you can use in a research project– provided that the journal itself is trustworthy and well-regarded. What are examples of academic dishonesty? Academic dishonesty can be intentional or unintentional, ranging from something as simple as claiming to have read something you didn’t to copying your neighbor’s answers on an exam. You can commit academic dishonesty with the best of intentions, such as helping a friend cheat on a paper. Severe academic dishonesty can include buying a pre-written essay or the answers to a multiple-choice test, or falsifying a medical emergency to avoid taking a final exam. What is academic dishonesty? Academic dishonesty refers to deceitful or misleading behavior in an academic setting. Academic dishonesty can occur intentionally or unintentionally, and varies in severity. It can encompass paying for a pre-written essay, cheating on an exam, or committing plagiarism. It can also include helping others cheat, copying a friend’s homework answers, or even pretending to be sick to miss an exam. Academic dishonesty doesn’t just occur in a classroom setting, but also in research and other academic-adjacent fields. How do I apply a hanging indent? To apply a hanging indent to your reference list or Works Cited list in Word or Google Docs, follow the steps below. Microsoft Word:
Google Docs:
When the hanging indent is applied, for each reference, every line except the first is indented. This helps the reader see where one entry ends and the next begins. What are the main elements of an interview citation? The main elements included in a newspaper interview citation across APA, MLA, and Chicago style are the names of the interviewer and interviewee, the interview title, the publication date, the name of the newspaper, and a URL (for online sources). The information is presented differently in different citation styles. One key difference is that APA advises listing the interviewer in the author position, while MLA and Chicago advise listing the interviewee first. How do I cite a source with no title? Untitled sources (e.g. some images) are usually cited using a short descriptive text in place of the title. In APA Style, this description appears in brackets: [Chair of stained oak]. In MLA and Chicago styles, no brackets are used: Chair of stained oak. For social media posts, which are usually untitled, quote the initial words of the post in place of the title: the first 160 characters in Chicago, or the first 20 words in APA. E.g. Biden, J. [@JoeBiden]. “The American Rescue Plan means a $7,000 check for a single mom of four. It means more support to safely.” MLA recommends quoting the full post for something short like a tweet, and just describing the post if it’s longer. What are the main elements of an image citation? The main elements included in image citations across APA, MLA, and Chicago style are the name of the image’s creator, the image title, the year (or more precise date) of publication, and details of the container in which the image was found (e.g. a museum, book, website). In APA and Chicago style, it’s standard to also include a description of the image’s format (e.g. “Photograph” or “Oil on canvas”). This sort of information may be included in MLA too, but is not mandatory. What are the main elements of a lecture citation? The main elements included in a lecture citation across APA, MLA, and Chicago style are the name of the speaker, the lecture title, the date it took place, the course or event it was part of, and the institution it took place at. For transcripts or recordings of lectures/speeches, other details like the URL, the name of the book or website, and the length of the recording may be included instead of information about the event and institution. What are the main elements of a journal article citation? The elements included in journal article citations across APA, MLA, and Chicago style are the name(s) of the author(s), the title of the article, the year of publication, the name of the journal, the volume and issue numbers, the page range of the article, and, when accessed online, the DOI or URL. In MLA and Chicago style, you also include the specific month or season of publication alongside the year, when this information is available. In APA, MLA, and Chicago style citations for sources that don’t list a specific author (e.g. many websites), you can usually list the organization responsible for the source as the author. If the organization is the same as the website or publisher, you shouldn’t repeat it twice in your reference:
If there’s no appropriate organization to list as author, you will usually have to begin the citation and reference entry with the title of the source instead. How do I cite a source with no page numbers? When you want to cite a specific passage in a source without page numbers (e.g. an e-book or website), all the main citation styles recommend using an alternate locator in your in-text citation. You might use a heading or chapter number, e.g. (Smith, 2016, ch. 1) In APA Style, you can count the paragraph numbers in a text to identify a location by paragraph number. MLA and Chicago recommend that you only use paragraph numbers if they’re explicitly marked in the text. For audiovisual sources (e.g. videos), all styles recommend using a timestamp to show a specific point in the video when relevant. Which citation style should I use? Check if your university or course guidelines specify which citation style to use. If the choice is left up to you, consider which style is most commonly used in your field.
Other more specialized styles exist for certain fields, such as Bluebook and OSCOLA for law. The most important thing is to choose one style and use it consistently throughout your text. What is a block quote? A block quote is a long quote formatted as a separate “block” of text. Instead of using quotation marks, you place the quote on a new line, and indent the entire quote to mark it apart from your own words. The rules for when to apply block quote formatting depend on the citation style:
How do I find the DOI of an article? The DOI is usually clearly visible when you open a journal article on an academic database. It is often listed near the publication date, and includes “doi.org” or “DOI:”. If the database has a “cite this article” button, this should also produce a citation with the DOI included. If you can’t find the DOI, you can search on Crossref using information like the author, the article title, and the journal name. Why are DOIs important? A DOI is a unique identifier for a digital document. DOIs are important in academic citation because they are more permanent than URLs, ensuring that your reader can reliably locate the source. Journal articles and ebooks can often be found on multiple different websites and databases. The URL of the page where an article is hosted can be changed or removed over time, but a DOI is linked to the specific document and never changes. When should I cite a chapter instead of the whole book? When a book’s chapters are written by different authors, you should cite the specific chapter you are referring to. When all the chapters are written by the same author (or group of authors), you should usually cite the entire book, but some styles include exceptions to this.
Is a newspaper article a primary or secondary source? Articles in newspapers and magazines can be primary or secondary depending on the focus of your research. In historical studies, old articles are used as primary sources that give direct evidence about the time period. In social and communication studies, articles are used as primary sources to analyze language and social relations (for example, by conducting content analysis or discourse analysis). If you are not analyzing the article itself, but only using it for background information or facts about your topic, then the article is a secondary source. Is a movie a primary or secondary source? A fictional movie is usually a primary source. A documentary can be either primary or secondary depending on the context. If you are directly analyzing some aspect of the movie itself – for example, the cinematography, narrative techniques, or social context – the movie is a primary source. If you use the movie for background information or analysis about your topic – for example, to learn about a historical event or a scientific discovery – the movie is a secondary source. Whether it’s primary or secondary, always properly cite the movie in the citation style you are using. Learn how to create an MLA movie citation or an APA movie citation. How can you tell if a source is primary or secondary? To determine if a source is primary or secondary, ask yourself:
Some types of source are nearly always primary: works of art and literature, raw statistical data, official documents and records, and personal communications (e.g. letters, interviews). If you use one of these in your research, it is probably a primary source. Primary sources are often considered the most credible in terms of providing evidence for your argument, as they give you direct evidence of what you are researching. However, it’s up to you to ensure the information they provide is reliable and accurate. Always make sure to properly cite your sources to avoid plagiarism. What is negative indent?negative indent [the ~] noun
– An indent where the text is displaced into the left margin if text direction is set to left-to-right, or toward the right margin if text direction is set to right-to-left.
What is a negative left indent in Word?Alternatively referred to as a negative indent, a hanging indent is an indent that indents all text except the first line.
How do you make a negative indent in Word?Create a hanging indent. Select the text where you want to add a hanging indent.. Go to Home > Paragraph dialog launcher. > Indents and Spacing.. Under Special, select Hanging. You can adjust the depth of the indent using the By field.. Select OK.. What does it mean to indent the first line?With a first line indent, the first line of a paragraph is indented more than the other lines in the paragraph. Use the tab key to create a first line indent in Word for the web. Place your cursor at the beginning of the first line in the paragraph.
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