Additional support for the writing and research process can be found in the Learning Resource Center Libguide.
You can also always reach out to a Library specialist for individual research assistance or connect with campus tutoring services through the MyIvy QuickLink:
Q. Why am I being asked to write a research paper?
A. Because research allows you to dive deeply into a topic to learn more about it. Research shows you what is known about a subject, but it also shows where there are gaps in knowledge that additional research can fill.
Research also provides you the opportunity to use critical thinking and detail-oriented skills, which most employers indicate are necessary to excel in the workplace.
Q. My instructor has required the use of "scholarly" or :"peer reviewed" sources. What does that mean? How do I find scholarly sources? Why can't I use newspapers, magazines, websites, etc.?
A. Scholarly or peer-reviewed material indicates the source originated with experts on the topic. These types of sources are typically published in journals that specialize in the subject matter, while the internet offers more generalized information that can't always be validated.
Database search engines and other search tools offer filters for locating scholarly material within the aggregate. To narrow your search to scholarly articles, look for these filters and select them as shown in this example:
In addition, here is a helpful video regarding how to use filters via the Discover search engine located on the Library main page.
APA style papers require certain formatting of MS Word documents. It is highly recommended that formatting be set up BEFORE beginning to write the paper.
To learn more about APA style formatting, as well as the writing and research process in general, please visit these Library resources:
1. An in-text citation, which is an abbreviated form of the source citation included in the essay portion of the project
2. A full citation, which is included at the end of the project on an APA style References list (or whatever type of research format is required for the assignment).
One of your roles as a researcher and writer is assuring this cross-referencing technique is in place and has been used correctly so your readers have a very clear picture of where your research was derived, who provided the research, and how readers can follow your research trail to explore the source material themselves.
Here is an example of cross-referencing in APA 7th edition style:
According to Jones (2022), "Student researchers prefer APA to MLA at a rate of 4 to 1" (p.24).
This in-text citation tells readers that Jones made this statement in source material published in 2022. But the in-text citation also guides readers to the APA References list at the end of the essay for more information regarding the source material:
Because this source was fully cross-referenced, readers know that the quote from Jones came from this article on page 24 of the publication. And the article can be located using the information provided in the References list citation.
Occasionally, students might be switching from classes that required MLA to classes that use APA style. It's helpful to know how these two research formats differ as this transition is made.
Because of the career fields utilizing APA format, APA is more concerned with WHO and WHEN regarding citations, on the References list and in-text.
Here are examples of an APA Reference list entry and an APA in-text citation for the source.
On the References page:
In-text:
MLA places more emphasis on WHO and WHERE the cited material can be located within the source. Here is an example of the same resource in MLA style, both on the Works Cited page and in-text.
On the Works Cited page:
In-text:
