Using and Citing sources for documented writing.

The purpose of citing sources is to support your information by telling the reader where and from whom you learned it. It is not enough to simply give a source name.

For example (of incomplete source citation)
According to Roger Farber, “single parents who work experience difficulty enforcing boundaries with their male children between the ages of seven and ten.” (23)

·         As reader my question is, “who is Roger Farber, and why should I believe anything he says?” He could be a gardener or a limo driver for all I know. Therefore authors (like you when writing a documented\research essay) need to identify who and why Roger Farber is a good sources of knowledge.

For example (of a complete source citation)
According to Roger Farber a doctoral candidate at The University of Arizona conducting  in-depth research focused around boundary issues of  pre-teenaged boys of single parents, “single parents who work experience difficulty enforcing boundaries with their male children between the ages of seven and ten.” (23)

·         As a reader, I am now reasonable confident that a doctoral candidate actually doing academically supervised psychological research is a reliable authoritative source.

The weight of your writing\research\information depends on the credibility, knowledge, and expertise of your sources.

Secondary sources are questionable

Secondary sources are writers who learn what Roger Farber did, and then report it. Using these secondary sources, such as newspaper journalists, writers for a magazine, online news reporters, and authors with special interests, is relying on another writer’s interpretation of Roger Ferber’s information.  As a writer\researcher, you are depending on an  interpretation which may or may not be accurate. Going right to the sources is much more credible.
note:

·         All entertainment sources (newspapers, magazines, etc are commercial enterprises in businesses to make money not disseminate knowledge.

·         Many secondary sources have an agenda, they are biased. If you read something from the White House public relations office, that is biased. The purpose of this office is to put a positive spin on the president.

·         Secondary sources may be uneducated and poorly interpret what you think is good information, and now your writing depends on that ill-informed writing.