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Signal Your Source

Whether you are quoting from a source or summarizing information from it in your own words, signaling your source means to introduce it:

When it comes to hiring, the teaching profession offers a decent outlook. According to the U.S. Department of Labor (2010), "Job opportunities for teachers over the next 10 years will vary from good to excellent, depending on the locality, grade level, and subject taught." 

The quotation is preceded by the signal phrase "According to the U.S. Department of Labor." This signal phrase clearly says to your reader, "Here is an expert source to back up what I just said!" 

Signal Verbs (Keep this list handy):

Your sources can address, admit, analyze, believe, confess, confirm, contribute, critique, debate, debunk, defend, define, discover, disprove, establish, evaluate, examine, extend, finish, formulate, identify, prepare, propose, question, recommend, reiterate, report, suggest, think, urge--and a lot of other things.

Examples:

• A report by Richard Rodderick defends the practice of xenotransplantation by pointing to the 97 lives saved during one year in California.
• A report by Richard Rodderick recommends the practice of xenotransplantation, pointing to the 97 lives saved during one year in California by the procedure.
• A report by Richard Rodderick establishes a baseline of successful xenotransplantation cases with 97 lives saved during one year in California by the procedure.

Signal Your Commentary

After you have signaled your source and cited it, you have one more task as a research writer: Now you must comment on the source you just used. The comment that you make allows you to transition to your next point or source and to further integrate the quotation with your own thoughts and words. The comment should provide a clear connection between the source and the point you are making.

The follow-up comment also serves as the second of two brackets at either end of your source. In the following paragraph, the phrases, "According to the U.S. Department of Labor" and "This rating of 'good to excellent' places teaching at the top of my career list" are both examples of commentary.

When it comes to hiring, the teaching profession offers a decent outlook. According to the U.S. Department of Labor (2010), "Job opportunities for teachers over the next 10 years will vary from good to excellent, depending on the locality, grade level, and subject taught." This rating of "good to excellent" places teaching at the top of my career list.