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GOVTH 2305 Assignment | Term Research Paper (Ross): Oral Citations

GOVTH 2305 | Prof. Jennifer Ross (Fall 2022)

Oral Citations

Giving oral citations are just like narrative citations in an essay.

  • The first time you cite someone, introduce them. It's not "According to Jane Doe" but "According to Harvard psychologist, Jane Doe, who led a study on..."
  • Is the source important? Consider namedropping them. Is the source a random news article, helpful but not groundbreaking? Leave it parenthetical -- seen but not mentioned.
  • You should have both citations on the slide, a bibliography at the end, and your oral citations -- all three. The oral citations should reflect your bibliography, and they don't necessarily replace your on-slide credits.
  • As in writing, citations provide evidence that experts support your statements. This makes your speech credible. Oral citations give proof of well-researched content.
  • Cite your source whether you are quoting or paraphrasing. Protect yourself from PLAGIARISM always.
  • Include a slide at the end to list all the sources you used. It may even be helpful to provide a handout with these!
  • Give some variety to your oral citations: "According to...."  "This is supported by...."   "John Doe says...."   "As Jones states in his paper...." 
    • Don't forget to introduce the person the first time, though! "Psychologist Jane Doe has suggested... Doe also reports..."
    • Who should you namedrop?
      • If it's someone who did the original research and/or is an expert in the field, go for it.
      • Is it just a journalist reporting on what someone else did, and any news source could have given you similar info? Leave it as a parenthetical. At best, you'd state, "According to The New York Times..." with a little (Doe) parenthetical on your slide.