The common neo-Aristotelean method of rhetorical criticism examines three aspects of rhetoric: Logos (appeal to logic), ethos (appeal to credibility), and pathos (appeal to emotion). Aristotle found ethos to be the most important of the three. To promote ethos, authors should cite credible sources. It is crucial to cite reliable sources to strengthen your credibility as an author and to avoid plagiarism. To cite credible sources in a research paper, you should…

Only cite sources written by credible authors. Sources that are from credible authors are often found in peer-reviewed journals. Peer-reviewed sources have been reviewed by experts within the field that the paper speaks to. Concordia has numerous peer-reviewed research databases that can be found at https://www.cui.edu/library/research-databases. Peer-reviewed sources can also be found on Google Scholar or by entering key terms and adding “doi” at the end of any search bar. A DOI (digital object identifier) is used to identify works like academic journals and books. When using non-peer-reviewed sources, it is important to investigate the author’s background. For example, an individual with a Ph.D. in the topic they are writing on is more credible than an undergraduate student. Avoid sources that can be edited by anyone on the internet. For example, sources like Reddit and Quora, where even a seven-year-old can express their opinion, are unreliable.

Ensure that your sources are related to the topic for which you cite them. Sources that are related to the topics they are cited for can be found by using key terms specific to the research topic. On Concordia’s research databases, key term boxes are often present to enter key terms. When using Google, insert parentheses around key terms that are vital to the study to ensure that those terms are present in the results. Whether using Concordia’s databases or a Google search, be as specific as possible in the search bar to retrieve results specific to the research topic. If reading a research paper, look for an abstract with key terms that can be useful for findings studies related to those key terms.

Make sure you cite seminal sources related to your paper’s topic. When conducting a study on a topic, there are often seminal sources that should be cited. These sources should be cited because they are the foundational source from which most other sources stem. For example, when conducting a study on neo-Aristotelean rhetoric, cite Aristotle. When conducting a study on natural selection, cite Charles Darwin. When conducting a study on civil disobedience, cite Henry David Thoreau. Even if numerous credible sources are cited, if the seminal sources are not, questions are often raised as to the depth of research that the author has undergone. Therefore, citing seminal sources is vital for keeping the author’s credibility intact. If numerous sources cite a particular source, it is most likely a seminal source. If there is doubt as to whether the seminal sources are being cited, speaking to a professor with the same focus as the research paper’s focus is helpful.

            Citing credible sources is essential for building trust with your audience. It is vital that you receive feedback from other individuals to gauge how credible you seem to real readers. Review sessions with classmates, friends, professors, or Writing Studio consultants is a phenomenal way to receive feedback on perceived credibility.

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Leonard Memon is a senior communication studies major and psychology minor. He is well versed in structuring, writing, and reviewing research papers but also has experience writing creative pieces. In his spare time, he enjoys conducting research, refining research methodology, and catching up on new theories within the social sciences. Before becoming a Writing Studio consultant, he served as a public speaking tutor for a year.