As you are writing your paper, keep track of the books, periodicals and Web sites you are using as sources.  Once you have gathered all your information from the different sources available, you need to evaluate it. Here are some questions to ask yourself:

• Do I have too much or too little information? 
  
  
• Does the information fulfill the requirements of the assignment?
  
  
• Is the information too technical or not technical enough?
  
  
•  Does the information have a “point of view” or is it objective?
   
  
• Do I understand all the information I have gathered and is it appropriate for my paper?
  
  
• Is the source of the information reliable?
  
  
• Consider also that once you have reviewed the information you have gathered, you might need additional information. Simply retrace the steps you have already taken until you are satisfied you have the best information for your particular needs.

Citing Your Sources

• First of all, you must cite whatever sources of information you have used to write your paper.  If you do not properly cite these sources, you could, knowingly or unknowingly, commit plagiarism.  If you are unsure what plagiarism is or how to avoid it, please see your instructor.
  
  
• Your instructor will usually identify which format he/she wants you to use. 
  
  APA and MLA are common citation styles, but they are by no means the only styles you will encounter in your academic career.  A number of other style guides exist, including those used by individual academic organizations or societies.  
  
  Links to citation styles are available on the library Web site. 
  
  
• Contrary to what you might think, formats for citing sources in research papers (called style guides) are not designed to make your life more frustrating!
  
  
• In the world of scholarship, which you have entered by enrolling in college, the list of references (sometimes also called the works cited or bibliography) at the end of a research paper or article is a valuable resource.
  
  
• Scholars communicate through articles and their attached references. Standardizing how these references look by using an agreed-upon format makes finding the articles much easier for the reader.
  
  
• Imagine finding that the reference to the article you need most is incorrect or only contains partial information. It may be impossible to find that article, thus making it unavailable to you.
  
  
• Remember to collect the necessary bibliographic information (author, title, source etc.) for your works cited page.
   
  
• For specific help with your research paper and/or bibliography, the Writing Center within the Learning Center is an excellent resource. 

Remember:

• Know and understand the requirements of your assignment.
  
  
• Use the appropriate indexes (catalog, EBSCOhost, etc.) to gather sources on your topic.
  
  
• Evaluate and choose appropriate sources from the material you have gathered. 
  
  
• Cite your sources. 
  
  
• For more help, see a reference librarian. 
  
  
• Good luck!