Chapter 15 Summary - The Bedford Researcher

In chapter 15 of Mike Palmquist's The Bedford Researcher, he describes how to use your sources effectively. The chapter is divided in to three different parts, the first being using sources to accomplish your purposes as a writer, secondly, how to integrate sources in to your draft, and finally how to document your sources. Palmquist discusses how using your sources, like quotations, paraphrases, summaries (like this), numerical information, and illustrations can be helpful when introducing an idea or argument; contrasting ideas or arguments; providing evidence for your argument; aligning your argument with an authority; defining a concept, illustrating a process, or clarifying a statement; setting a mood; providing an example; and when amplifying or qualifying a point. He also talks about one of the ways to integrate sources in to your draft through quoting them strategically, by using partial, complete, and block quotations; modifying quotations; and punctuating quotations correctly you effectively get your point across to your readers a make a powerful impact at the same time. The last thing that Palmquist really focuses on is how to document sources in your paper. By choosing a certain documentation system; providing in text references and publication information; checking for unattributed sources in your document; and distinguishing between your ideas and your source you can make sure you aren't plagiarizing and you are achieving your writing purpose for this paper.