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Short Handbook for Writing Essays in the Humanities and Social Sciences

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Short Handbook for Writing Essays in the Humanities and Social Sciences

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Writing in the Humanities and Social Sciences - Short Handbook

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Shorthand: "pq"

In all academic writing,

Quotations must have appropriate punctuation.

In order to determine how to punctuate the phrase that comes before a quotation, you need to know whether the phase is an independent clause. Here, you have three options:

1. When the quotation is merged into a clause, no punctuation is necessary to divide them.

Roosevelt spoke of December 7, 1941, as "a day that will live in infamy."

2. If the quotation is preceded by a form of a word like say, reply, or answer, that word is followed by a comma.

She knows she is no longer safe, saying, "I feared for my Safety in this wicked House" (28).

3. If a complete sentence or independent clause precedes the quotation, a colon is the appropriate mark of punctuation.

She knows she is no longer safe: "I feared for my Safety in this wicked House" (28). Also make sure that you place quotation marks correctly with respect to other punctuation marks and with citations.

1. The final period or comma goes inside the quotation marks, even if it is not a part of the quoted material, unless the quotation is followed by a citation. If a citation in parentheses follows the quotation, the period follows the citation. If a superscript footnote number is used, it follows the period and the quotation marks.

a) The Portland vase is "blue porcelain," according to Compson (435).

Comma is within the quotation marks; the period follows the citation.

b) Macbeth says, "Life's but a walking shadow" (5.5.24).

Citation follows the quotation marks; period follows the citation. Note: The MLA Handbook recommends the use of Arabic numerals rather than Roman numerals for designating acts and scenes in plays. However, some instructors still prefer Roman numerals. Check with your instructor if you are uncertain which to use.

c) As E. H. Carr has written, "The serious historian is the one who recognizes the historically conditioned character of all values, not the one who claims for his own values an objectivity beyond history." ¹

2. A colon or semicolon is placed outside the quotation marks (regardless of whether or not it exists in the quoted material).

a) Correct:

Roberts (137) mentions "the divine right of kings"; the phrase did not become current in English until the late seventeenth century.

b) Incorrect:

Mr. B says that Pamela "may be thawed by kindness;" (180).

Even though the semicolon is present in the sentence quoted, it should not be in the quotation.

Correct: Mr. B says that Pamela "may be thawed by kindness" (180).

3. A question mark, exclamation point, or dash is placed within the quotation marks when it is part of the quoted material.

Otherwise it is placed outside the quotation marks.

a) "How do I love thee?" asks the sonnet. "Let me count the ways."

The first quotation is a question; the question mark is part of it.

b) What is the meaning of the expression "eschew obfuscation"?

The quotation is not a question; the question mark goes outside the quotation to indicate that the whole sentence is the question.

c) There is great pathos in King Lear's cry, "O reason not the need!" (2.4.259).

An exclamation point within the quotation is followed by quotation marks, then by a parenthetical citation. The period after the citation ends the sentence.

4. Do not place any mark of punctuation inside the quotation marks at the beginning of a quoted phrase, and do not use an ellipsis(...) at the beginning of the quotation.

a) Incorrect:

King Lear refers to his daughter Goneril as a "detested kite" and as "wolvish" (1.4.253, 259).

b) Correct:

King Lear refers to his daughter Goneril as a "detested kite" and as "wolvish" (1.4.253, 259).

For more information on quotations, refer to Using Sources and Quotations.

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Essentials - Punctuation of Quotations - Hamilton College

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Shorthand: "pq" In all academic writing, Quotations must have appropriate punctuation. In order to determine how to punctuate the phrase that comes before a quotation, you need to know whether the phase is an independent clause. Here, you have three options: 1. When the quotation is merged into a clause, no punctuation is necessary to divide them.

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MLA stands for the Modern Language Association, and its style guidelines have been assisting authors since 1951. In 2016, the MLA Handbook introduced a template using core elements in an effort to simplify much of the documentation process in MLA format. In 2021, the ninth edition was expanded with considerably more content and visuals.

MLA Formatting: The Basics

Papers constructed according to MLA guidelines should adhere to the following elements:

Double-space all of the text of your paper (including entries within Works Cited).

Use a clear font between 11 and 13 points. One example is Times New Roman font.

Use one-inch margins on all sides and indent the first line of a paragraph one half-inch from the left margin.

Add a running head in the upper right-hand corner with your last name, a space, and then a page number. Pages should be numbered consecutively with Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, 4, etc.), one-half inch from the top and flush with the right margin.

List your name, your instructor's name, the course, and the date double-spaced in the upper left-hand corner of the first page. This is your header. There is no cover page.

Center the title on the next double-spaced line after the header.

Provide in-text citations for all quoted, paraphrased, and summarized information in your paper.

Include an alphabetized Works Cited page at the end of your paper that gives full bibliographic information for each item cited in your paper.

If you use endnotes, include them on a separate page before your Works Cited page.

The following pages in this section will provide you with more information regarding MLA formatting, in-text citations, and the Works Cited entries. There are also three videos that give an overview of MLA formatting, in-text citations, and the Works Cited section. In addition, this section contains a practice activity as well as a page containing MLA sample papers. The information in this section follows the MLA Handbook, 9th edition. MLA guidelines do change over time, so it's important to be aware of the most current information. As always, follow the requirements of your teacher or professor; their requirements take precedence.

Image from https://www.mla.org/Publications/Bookstore/Nonseries/MLA-Handbook-Ninth-Edition

Modern Language Association of America. (2021). MLA Handbook (9th ed.).

NOTE: The 9th edition of the MLA Handbook was recently released. OWL staff are hard at work preparing updated content for the OWL. We expect that not all pages will be updated at once, but we will add new content incrementally. To avoid confusion during this transition period, please pay attention to the version that you are viewing. The version will be noted on every page. As always, please follow the guidelines in your course.

MLA stands for the Modern Language Association. Most papers that use MLA formatting and citation style are those written in the humanities, especially in languages and literature. In 2016, the MLA Handbook was updated in an effort to simplify much of the documentation process in MLA format.

MLA Formatting: The Basics

Papers constructed according to MLA guidelines should adhere to the following elements:

Double-space all of the text of your paper, and use a clear font, such as Times New Roman or Courier 12-point font.

Use one-inch margins on all sides, and indent the first line of a paragraph one half-inch from the left margin.

List your name, your instructor's name, the course, and the date in the upper left-hand corner of the first page. This is your heading. There is no cover page.

Type a header in the upper right-hand corner with your last name, a space, and then a page number. Pages should be numbered consecutively with Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, 4, etc.), one-half inch from the top and flush with the right margin.

Provide in-text citations for all quoted, paraphrased, and summarized information in your paper.

Include a Works Cited page at the end of your paper that gives full bibliographic information for each item cited in your paper.

If you use endnotes, include them on a separate page before your Works Cited page.

Your Works Cited page at the end of your project should line up with the in-text citations in the body of your essay.

The following pages in this section will provide you with more information regarding MLA basic formatting, in-text citations, and the Works Cited entries. The information in this section follows the MLA Handbook, 8th edition. MLA guidelines do change over time, so it's important to be aware of the most current information.

The Modern Language Association of America. (2016). MLA handbook (8th ed.). The Modern Language Association of America.

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Excelsior OWL explains what MLA Style is and the guidelines a MLA style paper should adhere to. Learn more about MLA formatting today!

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Hyphens, En Dashes, and Em Dashes in Microsoft Word

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Download Great Writing Student Book 1 Unit 2

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Writing Center - College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | The University of Iowa

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Learn more about the resources for writing at the Writing Center.

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Online Resources for Writers - Emory University

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Online Resources for Writers - Emory University

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There are numerous websites, books, magazines, and other resources available to support English language learning . The Emory Writing Center and English Language Learning Program have compiled a selection of recommendations for the development of English language skills below. This is a good place to begin, but is certainly not a comprehensive list.

Note that this list features external websites whose content we do not control and may change without notice.

If you have any feedback regarding the list, please contact Dr. Levin Arnsperger ( levin.arnsperger@emory.edu), Associate Director of the Emory Writing Center and the English Language Learning Program.
General Language Resources Grammar, Vocabulary Reading Listening Speaking, Pronunciation Phone Apps

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List of Materials and Resources for English Language Learners (Last Updated August 2023)

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We are a globally renowned resource that provides assistance with English to students, teachers, professionals, and organizations across the world. Our goal is to assist clients in their development as writers - no matter their skill level.

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Purdue OWL® - Purdue OWL® - Purdue University

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We are a globally renowned resource that provides assistance with English to students, teachers, professionals, and organizations across the world. Our goal is to assist clients in their development as writers - no matter their skill level.

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The Writing Center * University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Tips & Tools - The Writing Center * University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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We welcome feedback about these handouts and suggestions for additional handouts. Please email us or call us with your ideas.

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A Guide to Writing Dialogue, With Examples | Grammarly

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"What?" her mother replied.

"I'm writing a short story," Tanika said.

"Make sure you practice writing dialogue!" her mother instructed. "Because dialogue is one of the most effective tools a writer has to bring characters to life."

Write with Grammarly

What is dialogue, and what is its purpose?

Dialogue is what the characters in your short story , , novel, play, screenplay, personal essay -any kind of creative writing where characters speak-say out loud.

For a lot of writers, writing dialogue is the most fun part of writing. It's your opportunity to let your characters' motivations, flaws, knowledge, fears, and personality quirks come to life. By writing dialogue, you're giving your characters their own voices, fleshing them out from concepts into three-dimensional characters. And it's your opportunity to break grammatical rules and express things more creatively. Read these lines of dialogue:

"NoOoOoOoO!" Maddie yodeled as her older sister tried to pry her hands from the merry-go-round's bars.

"So I says, 'You wanna play rough? C'mere, I'll show you playin' rough!'"

"Get out!" she shouted, playfully swatting at his arm. "You're kidding me, right? We couldn't have won . . . "

Dialogue has multiple purposes. One of them is to characterize your characters. Read the examples above again, and think about who each of those characters are. You learn a lot about somebody's mindset, background, comfort in their current situation, emotional state, and level of expertise from how they speak.

Another purpose dialogue has is exposition, or background information. You can't give readers the exposition they need to understand a story's plot up-front. One effective way to give readers information about the plot and context is to supplement narrative exposition with dialogue. For example, the protagonist might learn about an upcoming music contest by overhearing their coworkers' conversation about it, or an intrepid adventurer might be told of her destiny during an important meeting with the town mystic. Later on in the story, your music-loving protagonist might express his fears of looking foolish onstage to his girlfriend, and your intrepid adventurer might have a heart-to-heart with the dragon she was sent to slay and find out the truth about her society's cultural norms.

Dialogue also makes your writing feel more immersive. It breaks up long prose passages and gives your reader something to "hear" other than your narrator's voice. Often, writers use dialogue to also show how characters relate to each other, their setting, and the plot they're moving through.

It can communicate subtext, like showing class differences between characters through the vocabulary they use or hinting at a shared history between them. Sometimes, a narrator's description just can't deliver information the same way that a well-timed quip or a profound observation by a character can.

Monologues

In contrast to dialogue, a monologue is a single, usually lengthy passage spoken by one character. Monologues are often part of plays.

The character may be speaking directly to the reader or viewer, or they could be speaking to one or more other characters. The defining characteristic of a monologue is that it's one character's moment in the spotlight to express their thoughts, ideas, and/or perspective.

Often, a character's private thoughts are delivered via monologue. If you're familiar with the term internal monologue , it's referring to this. An internal monologue is the voice an individual ( though not all individuals ) "hears" in their head as they talk themselves through their daily activities. Your story might include one or more characters' inner monologues in addition to their dialogue. Just like "hearing" a character's words through dialogue, hearing their thoughts through a monologue can make a character more relatable, increasing a reader's emotional investment in their story arc.

Types of dialogue

There are two broad types of dialogue writers employ in their work: inner and outer dialogue.

Inner dialogue is the dialogue a character has inside their head. This inner dialogue can be a monologue. In most cases, inner dialogue is not marked by quotation marks . Some authors mark inner dialogue by italicizing it.

Outer dialogue is dialogue that happens externally, often between two or more characters. This is the dialogue that goes inside quotation marks.

How to structure dialogue

Dialogue is a break from a story's prose narrative. Formatting it properly makes this clear. When you're writing dialogue, follow these formatting guidelines:

In US English, dialogue goes inside double quotation marks ("dialogue"). In UK English, dialogue goes inside single quotation marks ('dialogue').

All punctuation in a piece of dialogue goes inside the quotation marks.

Quoted dialogue within a line of dialogue goes inside single quotation marks ("I told my brother, 'Don't do my homework for me.' But he did it anyway!"). In UK English, quoted dialogue within a line of dialogue goes inside double quotation marks.

Every time a new character speaks, start a new paragraph. This is true even when a character says only one word. every new paragraph.

When a character's dialogue extends beyond a paragraph, use quotation marks at the beginning of the second and/or subsequent paragraph. However, there is no need for closing quotation marks at the end of the first paragraph-or any paragraph other than the final one.

In dialogue, use an em dash to show that a character is being interrupted:
Example: "Thank you for-" "Is that a giant spider?!"

You can separate a line of dialogue with an action. When you do this, capitalize the dialogue and action the same way you would capitalize any other sentence. Here are two examples:

"Every night," he began, "I heard a rustling in the trees."

"Every day," he stated. "Every day, I get to work right on time."

Things to avoid when writing dialogue

When you're writing dialogue, avoid these common pitfalls:

Using a tag for every piece of dialogue: Dialogue tags are words like and . Once you've established that two characters are having a conversation, you don't need to tag every piece of dialogue. Doing so is redundant and breaks the reader's flow. Once readers know each character's voice, many lines of dialogue can stand alone.

Not using enough tags: On the flip side, some writers use too few dialogue tags, which can confuse readers. Readers should always know who's speaking. When a character's mannerisms and knowledge don't make that abundantly obvious, tag the dialogue and use their name.

Dense, unrealistic speech: As we mentioned above, dialogue doesn't need to be grammatically correct. In fact, when it's grammatically correct, it can make characters seem stiff and unrealistic.

A Anachronisms: pirate in 1700s Barbados wouldn't greet his captain with "what's up?" Depending on how dedicated you (and your readers) are to historical accuracy, this doesn't need to be perfect. But it should be believable.

Eye dialect: This is an important one to keep in mind. Eye dialect is the practice of writing out characters' mispronunciations phonetically, like writing "wuz" for "was." Eye dialect can be (and has been) used to create offensive caricatures, and even when it's not used in this manner, it can make dialogue difficult for readers to understand. Certain well-known instances of eye dialect, like "fella" for "fellow" and "'em" for "them," are generally deemed acceptable, but beyond these, it's often best to avoid it.

How to write dialogue

Write how people actually speak (with some editing)

You want your characters to sound like real people. Real people don't always speak in complete sentences or use proper grammar. So when you're writing dialogue, break grammatical rules as you need to.

That said, your dialogue needs to still be readable. If the grammar is bad that readers don't understand what your characters are saying, they'll probably just stop reading your story. Even if your characters speak in poor grammar, using punctuation marks correctly, even when they're in the wrong places, will help readers understand the characters.

Here's a quick example:

"I. Do. Not. WANT. to go back to boarding school!" Caleb shouted.

See how the after each word forces your brain to stop and read each word as if it were its own sentence? The periods are doing what they're supposed to do; they just aren't being used to end sentences like periods typically do. Here's another example of a character using bad grammar but the author using proper punctuation to make the dialogue understandable:

"Because no," she said into the phone. "I need a bigger shed to store all my stuff in . . . yeah, no, that's not gonna work for me, I told you what I need and now you gotta make it happen."

Less is more

When you're editing your characters' dialogue, cut back all the parts that add nothing to the story. Real-life conversations are full of small talk and filler. Next time you read a story, take note of how little small talk and filler is in the dialogue. There's a reason why TV characters never say "good-bye" when they hang up the phone: the "good-bye" adds nothing to the storyline. Dialogue should characterize people and their relationships, and it should also advance the plot.

Vary up your tags, but don't go wild with them

"We love basketball!" he screamed.

"Why are you screaming?" the coach asked.

"Because I'm just so passionate about basketball!" he replied.

Dialogue tags show us a character's tone. It's good to have a variety of dialogue tags in your work, but there's also nothing wrong with using a basic tag like "said" when it's the most accurate way to describe how a character delivered a line. Generally, it's best to keep your tags to words that describe actual speech, like:

You've probably come across more unconventional tags like "laughed" and "dropped." If you use these at all, use them sparingly. They can be distracting to readers, and some particularly pedantic readers might be bothered because people don't actually laugh or drop their words.

Give each character a unique voice (and keep them consistent)

If there is more than one character with a speaking role in your work, give each a unique voice. You can do this by varying their vocabulary, their speech's pace and rhythm, and the way they tend to react to dialogue.

Keep each character's voice consistent throughout the story by continuing to them in the style you established. When you go back and proofread your work, check to make sure each character's voice remains consistent-or, if it changed because of a perspective-shifting event in the story, make sure that this change fits into the narrative and makes sense. One way to do this is to read your dialogue aloud and listen to it. If something sounds off, revise it.

Dialogue examples

Inner dialogue

As I stepped onto the bus, I had to ask myself: why was I going to the amusement park today, and not my graduation ceremony?

He thought to himself, this must be what paradise looks like.

Outer dialogue

"Mom, can I have a quarter so I can buy a gumball?"

Without skipping a beat, she responded, "I've dreamed of working here my whole life."

"Ren, are you planning on stopping by the barbecue?"

"No, I'm not," Ren answered. "I'll catch you next time."

Here's a tip: Grammarly's Citation Generator ensures your essays have flawless citations and no plagiarism. Try it for citing dialogue in Chicago , MLA , and APA styles.

Dialogue FAQs

What is dialogue?

Dialogue is the text that represents the spoken word.

How does dialogue work?

Dialogue expresses exactly what a character is saying. In contrast, a narrator might paraphrase or describe a character's thoughts or speech.

What are different kinds of dialogue?

Inner dialogue is the dialogue a character has inside their own head. Often, it's referred to as an inner monologue.

Outer dialogue is a conversation between two or more characters.

How is dialogue formatted?

Inner dialogue simply fits into the narrative prose.

Outer dialogue is marked by quotation marks and a few other formatting guidelines. These include:

A new, indented paragraph every time a new character speaks

Punctuation inside the quotation marks

Em dashes to communicate interruption

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A Guide to Writing Dialogue, With Examples

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"What?" her mother replied. "I'm writing a short story," Tanika said. "Make sure you practice writing dialogue!" her mother instructed. "Because dialogue is one of the most effective tools a writer has to bring characters to life."

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Formatting Dialogue in Personal Narrative

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Formatting Dialogue in Personal Narrative

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New writers often struggle to properly format dialogue. The rules are strict and different than prose, but easily mastered. Whether you are writing a short story, full novel or anything in between, the way you format dialogue is the same.

The examples below demonstrate how to properly format dialogue in various situations.

However, writing dialogue in the proper format and composing effective dialogue are two different things. Be sure to check out my tips and examples on how to write engaging dialogue.

Rules to Format Dialogue

1. Enclose the spoken words with double quotation marks.

Note: The British use single quotation marks.

2. Dialogue tags (the he asked/she said portions) stay outside the quotes and get separated by a comma.

Note: When dialogue ends in a question or exclamation mark, tags that follow start in lower case.

"What's new?" she asked.

3. Actions that occur before or after the dialogue go in a separate sentence. For example, If Cindi screamed and then spoke, you write it this way:

Cindi screamed. "Oh my God!"

On the other hand, if Cindi screamed out the words, use a comma instead of a period (so that it's all part of the same sentence).

Cindi screamed, "Oh my God!"

4. Punctuation goes inside the quotes.

Note: If the dialogue ends with an ellipsis, do not add a comma or any other punctuation.

5. If you have to quote something within the dialogue, use single quotation marks. (Brits reverse the use of double and single quotes.)

6. Start a new paragraph every time you change speakers. If the speaker performs actions linked to the dialogue, keep everything in the same paragraph. Why? Readers easily lose track of which character is speaking. A new paragraph helps readers by signalling a change.

Note: Indent the first line of these paragraphs, just like all other paragraphs.

"That bastard!"

7. If an action interrupts a sentence in the dialogue, use lower case on the first letter of the second fragment.

8. If the same speaker talks long enough to require a new paragraph, place opening quotation marks at the beginning of each paragraph. However, closing quotation marks are placed only at the end of the final paragraph.

Summary

Follow these examples and you will soon format dialogue like a pro. Be sure to bookmark this page so you can find it fast.

If you have questions, corrections or things that I've overlooked, please tell me in the comments below.

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How To Format Dialogue | First Manuscript

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New writers often struggle to properly format dialogue. The rules are strict and different than prose, but easily mastered. Whether you are writing a short story, full novel or anything in between, the way you format dialogue is the same. The examples below demonstrate how to properly format dialogue in various situations.

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Model Thesis Statements for English 110 Research Projects

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Choosing & Using Sources: A Guide to Academic Research - Open Textbook

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Engaging graphics, compelling examples, and easy-to-understand explanations make Choosing and Using Sources: A Guide to Academic Research , your most valuable, open access resource for completing research-based writing assignments and projects.

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Choosing & Using Sources: A Guide to Academic Research - Open Textbook

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Engaging graphics, compelling examples, and easy-to-understand explanations make Choosing and Using Sources: A Guide to Academic Research , your most valuable, open access resource for completing research-based writing assignments and projects.

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Using your sources: The BEAM Research Model

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Skip to Main Content

It looks like you're using Internet Explorer 11 or older. This website works best with modern browsers such as the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. If you continue with this browser, you may see unexpected results.

All University of Utah libraries course and research guides, in one place.

What is BEAM method?

Students may be asked to do their research employing BEAM method, developed by Joseph Bizup. BEAM is an acronym for Background, Exhibit, Argument, Method. Resources can be used in one of these ways.

Background: using a source to provide general information to explain the topic. For example, the use of a Wikipedia page on the Pledge of Allegiance to explain the relevant court cases and changes the Pledge has undergone.

Exhibit: using a source as evidence or examples to analyze. For a literature paper, this would be a poem you are analyzing. For a history paper, a historical document you are analyzing. For a sociology paper, it might be the data from a study.

Argument: using a source to engage its argument. For example, you might use an editorial from the New York Times on the value of higher education to refute in your own paper.

Method: using a source's way of analyzing an issue to apply to your own issue. For example, you might use a study's methods, definitions, or conclusions on gentrification in Chicago to apply to your own neighborhood in New York City.

Source: https://library.hunter.cuny.edu/research-toolkit/how-do-i-use-sources/beam-method

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ULibraries Research Guides: BEAM method for using resources: BEAM Research Method

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Skip to Main Content It looks like you're using Internet Explorer 11 or older. This website works best with modern browsers such as the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. If you continue with this browser, you may see unexpected results. All University of Utah libraries course and research guides, in one place.

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The Writing Center • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Literature Reviews – The Writing Center • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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This handout will explain what literature reviews are and offer insights into the form and construction literature reviews.

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What is a "Peer-Reviewed" or "Refereed" Journal?

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What is a "Peer-Reviewed" or "Refereed" Journal?

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Peer-reviewed or refereed journals have an editorial board of subject experts who review and evaluate submitted articles before accepting them for publication. A journal may be a scholarly journal but not a peer-reviewed journal.

An editorial board asks subject experts to review and evaluate submitted articles before accepting them for publication in a scholarly journal.

Submissions are evaluated using criteria including the excellence, novelty and significance of the research or ideas.

Scholarly journals use this process to protect and maintain the quality of material they publish.

Members of the editorial board are listed near the beginning of each journal issue.

If you are searching for scholarly or peer-reviewed articles in a database, you may be able to limit your results to peer-reviewed articles.

If you're looking at the journal itself, search for references to their peer-review process, such as in an editorial statement, or a section with instructions to authors.

You can also search for your journal title in Ulrichsweb (a directory of periodicals worldwide, previously called Ulrichs], which includes basic information about each publication, including whether it is peer-reviewed/refereed.

For an overview of the different types of journals, see What is a scholarly (or peer-reviewed) journal?

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What is peer review? What is a peer-reviewed journal?

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Peer-reviewed or refereed journals have an editorial board of subject experts who review and evaluate submitted articles before accepting them for publication. A journal may be a scholarly journal but not a peer-reviewed journal. An editorial board asks subject experts to review and evaluate submitted articles before accepting them for publication in a scholarly journal.

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Finding publications on the open web

More and more, governments, scholars, corporations, non-profits, and others are making their publications freely accessible on the open web, including scholarly articles, reports, and primary source materials.

So depending on your topic you may be able to do at least some of your academic research with a basic search engine, in addition to accessing scholarly resources through the Library's electronic journal and database subscriptions.

Finding books, journal articles, background information, and more at the Library

Looking for Library materials? Start with Library Search to look for Library materials, including tips and guides created by librarians -- or dive into Library research tutorials and guides for self-paced tutorials, search strategies, and more.

The Library Catalogue search guide will help you get started finding books, journal articles, and more available in the Library's collections and via subscription -- and includes advanced tips for power searchers.

Almost all search engine searches are keyword searches, and search engines will often search for synonyms or related terms at the same time. Use your initial search to learn additional terms you can use in future searches, on the web, in the Library Catalogue, or in the Library's article databases.

For more focussed searches, and to reduce the number of irrelevant results, try one of these techniques:

Phrase searching

To search for exact names, quotes, and other phrases, try placing quotation marks around your search terms. For example:

This search will find Web resources in which the exact phrase "fat tax" appears.

Combined searching

You can also search for combinations of keywords and phrases. For example:
"fat tax" Canada
This search will find resources in which the phrase "fat tax" and the word Canada appear.

Other tips

For more, see Search tips for Google, Google Scholar, DuckDuckGo, and other search engines, and (for the Library Catalogue), the Library Catalogue search guide.

Most web search tools offer Help and/or FAQ features that provide basic and advanced search tips. (Try searching for "search tips" or "advanced search tips" for the latest.)

Many tools also feature options to search the web for resources available in specific formats or genres (such as images, videos, news, maps, etc.). For more on this, see the SFU Library's Publication type guides.

Google Scholar allows you to search specifically for scholarly literature, including peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, preprints, abstracts and technical reports. Many resources found in Google Scholar are available for free online or through SFU's paid subscriptions. Enter Google Scholar via the Library (you can also find it at SFU Library's Databases page) to search, then use the citation information to search the Library Catalogue for the resource itself.

Need help? See From citation to article for more details, or Ask a librarian.

Tips for searching Google Scholar

For tips including searching by author or publication, restricting the article by date, and other techniques, see SFU Library's Search tips for Google and Google Scholar and Google's Advanced Scholar Tips.

Make sure to ask the basic questions: Who? What? Where? When? and Why?

Who: Authority

Who is the author (i.e. the individual or organization who created this resource)?

What kind of academic or professional credentials do they have?

Are they affiliated with any institutions or organizations?

Is the author a recognized expert in the area they are writing about?

What: Content

Is the information provided suitable for your topic?

Does the information seem credible based on other sources that you've read?

What kind of facts and opinions are expressed?

Where: Scope

Who is the intended audience for this resource?

What does the URL indicate about the scope and/or purpose of this resource (e.g. .com for commercial resources, .ca for Canadian sites, .edu for educational sites in the U.S., .gov/gc.ca for government sites, etc.)?

When: Currency

How recently was this resource published or last updated?

How current are the sources that the author cites?

Are any of the links broken?

Why: Objectivity

Is the information consistent with other scholarly resources related to this topic?

Is there any evidence that this resource may be biased (for example, information found on a political party or private company website)?

Are the author's sources clearly cited (are there references or a bibliography)? Can they be easily verified?

Does the page contain advertising? If so, are the ads clearly separated from the content?

Where do the page's links take you?

Evaluating Internet Resources (Ryerson University Library and Archives)
Strategies for evaluating websites as well as journal articles and books.

How to spot fake news: Identifying propaganda, satire, and false information
Includes a shareable graphic and quizzes to test your skills.

How do I assess a publisher, journal, or conference?
This SFU guide, designed for faculty and graduate students, includes valuable tips for spotting predatory publishers and assessing the impact and importance of a journal.

Further study

University of Washington instructors Carl Bergstrom and Jevin West have created a credit course, Calling Bullshit, and have made their readings and lecture videos available online. In their words, "Our world is saturated with bull. Learn to detect and defuse it."

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More and more, governments, scholars, corporations, non-profits, and others are making their publications freely accessible on the open web, including scholarly articles, reports, and primary source materials. So depending on your topic you may be able to do at least some of your academic research with a basic search engine, in addition to accessing scholarly resources through the Library's electronic journal and database subscriptions.

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Finding publications on the open web

More and more, governments, scholars, corporations, non-profits, and others are making their publications freely accessible on the open web, including scholarly articles, reports, and primary source materials.

So depending on your topic you may be able to do at least some of your academic research with a basic search engine, in addition to accessing scholarly resources through the Library's electronic journal and database subscriptions.

Finding books, journal articles, background information, and more at the Library

Looking for Library materials? Start with Library Search to look for Library materials, including tips and guides created by librarians -- or dive into Library research tutorials and guides for self-paced tutorials, search strategies, and more.

The Library Catalogue search guide will help you get started finding books, journal articles, and more available in the Library's collections and via subscription -- and includes advanced tips for power searchers.

Almost all search engine searches are keyword searches, and search engines will often search for synonyms or related terms at the same time. Use your initial search to learn additional terms you can use in future searches, on the web, in the Library Catalogue, or in the Library's article databases.

For more focussed searches, and to reduce the number of irrelevant results, try one of these techniques:

Phrase searching

To search for exact names, quotes, and other phrases, try placing quotation marks around your search terms. For example:

This search will find Web resources in which the exact phrase "fat tax" appears.

Combined searching

You can also search for combinations of keywords and phrases. For example:
"fat tax" Canada
This search will find resources in which the phrase "fat tax" and the word Canada appear.

Other tips

For more, see Search tips for Google, Google Scholar, DuckDuckGo, and other search engines, and (for the Library Catalogue), the Library Catalogue search guide.

Most web search tools offer Help and/or FAQ features that provide basic and advanced search tips. (Try searching for "search tips" or "advanced search tips" for the latest.)

Many tools also feature options to search the web for resources available in specific formats or genres (such as images, videos, news, maps, etc.). For more on this, see the SFU Library's Publication type guides.

Google Scholar allows you to search specifically for scholarly literature, including peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, preprints, abstracts and technical reports. Many resources found in Google Scholar are available for free online or through SFU's paid subscriptions. Enter Google Scholar via the Library (you can also find it at SFU Library's Databases page) to search, then use the citation information to search the Library Catalogue for the resource itself.

Need help? See From citation to article for more details, or Ask a librarian.

Tips for searching Google Scholar

For tips including searching by author or publication, restricting the article by date, and other techniques, see SFU Library's Search tips for Google and Google Scholar and Google's Advanced Scholar Tips.

Make sure to ask the basic questions: Who? What? Where? When? and Why?

Who: Authority

Who is the author (i.e. the individual or organization who created this resource)?

What kind of academic or professional credentials do they have?

Are they affiliated with any institutions or organizations?

Is the author a recognized expert in the area they are writing about?

What: Content

Is the information provided suitable for your topic?

Does the information seem credible based on other sources that you've read?

What kind of facts and opinions are expressed?

Where: Scope

Who is the intended audience for this resource?

What does the URL indicate about the scope and/or purpose of this resource (e.g. .com for commercial resources, .ca for Canadian sites, .edu for educational sites in the U.S., .gov/gc.ca for government sites, etc.)?

When: Currency

How recently was this resource published or last updated?

How current are the sources that the author cites?

Are any of the links broken?

Why: Objectivity

Is the information consistent with other scholarly resources related to this topic?

Is there any evidence that this resource may be biased (for example, information found on a political party or private company website)?

Are the author's sources clearly cited (are there references or a bibliography)? Can they be easily verified?

Does the page contain advertising? If so, are the ads clearly separated from the content?

Where do the page's links take you?

Evaluating Internet Resources (Ryerson University Library and Archives)
Strategies for evaluating websites as well as journal articles and books.

How to spot fake news: Identifying propaganda, satire, and false information
Includes a shareable graphic and quizzes to test your skills.

How do I assess a publisher, journal, or conference?
This SFU guide, designed for faculty and graduate students, includes valuable tips for spotting predatory publishers and assessing the impact and importance of a journal.

Further study

University of Washington instructors Carl Bergstrom and Jevin West have created a credit course, Calling Bullshit, and have made their readings and lecture videos available online. In their words, "Our world is saturated with bull. Learn to detect and defuse it."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
More and more, governments, scholars, corporations, non-profits, and others are making their publications freely accessible on the open web, including scholarly articles, reports, and primary source materials. So depending on your topic you may be able to do at least some of your academic research with a basic search engine, in addition to accessing scholarly resources through the Library's electronic journal and database subscriptions.