When you start drafting your paper, you need to think about more than just what your sources say—you need to decide how each one will function in your argument. In other words, what are you doing with the source, and why are you bringing it in?
A good place to start is by asking how the source helped you during your research. Did it shape your thinking? Provide background you didn’t know? Offer evidence that confirmed your argument—or challenged it? How the source helped you understand the topic will likely match how it should function for your reader.
Here are a few examples:
If a source gave you useful context or background, use it to set the stage for your reader.
If it offered strong evidence for your claim, bring that evidence in and explain how it supports your point.
If it challenged your argument and made you rethink your position, include it as a counterargument—and show how your revised argument responds to it.
If it pushed your thinking in a new direction or added complexity, explain how the source helped reshape your position.
Some assignments will tell you exactly how to use a source—for example, to test a theory or respond to a specific claim. Other times, you'll just be told how many sources to use, and it's up to you to decide how they work in your paper.
To show that you're a credible and informed writer, you need to also understand how common knowledge works in academic writing. This is one of the most common areas where students make mistakes—especially when they’re unsure about what needs a citation and what doesn’t. Learning the difference helps you avoid plagiarism and shows that you understand the expectations of academic writing.
Common knowledge refers to information that the average educated reader would recognize as true without needing a source to prove it. This kind of knowledge can be used in your writing without a citation, but it requires good judgment and awareness of your audience. There are two main types of common knowledge:
1. General Knowledge
This is information most people already know. These are basic facts that don’t come from a specific source and don’t require specialized knowledge to understand. For example:
The Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776.
Water is made up of hydrogen and oxygen (H₂O).
The Earth revolves around the sun.
You don’t need to cite this kind of information because your audience is expected to already know it. In fact, explaining general knowledge can sometimes come across as unnecessary or condescending, especially in college-level writing.
2. Discipline-Specific Knowledge
This kind of information might not be familiar to the general public, but it’s commonly known within a particular field of study. For example:
In psychology, Pavlov’s experiments with dogs and classical conditioning are well-known.
In business courses, the term “return on investment (ROI)” is widely used and understood.
In biology, the concept of natural selection is foundational.
Even if you personally had to look it up, if someone familiar with the subject would already know it, it probably counts as common knowledge in that field. You can usually use this kind of information without citing it in an academic paper for that subject.
Not all information is fair game. You must cite a source if you are using:
Someone’s Idea, Theory, or Conclusion
Even if you paraphrase it, it’s still their original thinking and must be credited.
If you read an article arguing that remote work improves employee mental health, and you use that idea in your paper, you must cite the article—even if you reword it.
Interpretations or Explanations That Aren’t Obvious
When someone explains what something means or offers a particular take that isn’t widely accepted, it requires citation.
If a political analyst argues that a recent election result reflects a generational shift in values, that’s an interpretation—not a universally accepted fact—and must be cited.
Unique Facts or Research Findings from One Source
If the information comes from a specific study, article, or report and isn’t widely repeated, it needs a citation.
If a report says 62% of teens prefer texting over phone calls, that statistic must be cited because it comes from a specific survey.
Any Direct Quotation
Any time you use someone’s exact words—whether from an expert, an article, or a speaker—you must use quotation marks and cite the source.
If one of your sources includes the phrase “social media is rewiring our brains," you must cite where it came from—even if it seems like a commonly discussed topic.
Exception: Famous quotes that are part of public memory—like “I have a dream”—often don’t need a citation. But in most cases, if you’re quoting directly, you should cite it.