There is a common misconception that writers should only use synonyms and wordplay. While it is true that creating content requires extensive use of words, it does not mean that you should not give credit where credit is due. In fact, a lot of popular content creators make heavy use of alliteration and assonance, while still keeping with the style and tone of the piece. They do this to make the content more memorable and, in some cases, to create a bit of poetry.
Whether you are writing an article for your local newspaper or a business blog, giving credit to the authors of similar content can help increase your credibility. If you are struggling with how to credit your source material, this post will help guide you on how to do it right.
Follow The Rules Of The Journal
Writing a scientific paper is a whole different ballgame from writing a fashion piece or a cultural criticism piece. With a scientific paper, you are expected to follow the rules set down by the journal you are submitting to. This includes giving credit to your source material and clearly identifying what you are quoting and attributing.
In the case of an essay or a report, you can deviate from these rules a little bit, as long as you are clearly identified as an independent author. However, when it comes to a scientific paper, you must play by the rules or else you could find yourself in trouble.
Cite The Sources You Need
Giving credit to your source material is an important part of making your content original. In the case of a scientific paper, you are expected to cite your source material in the form of a bibliography or a works cited list. While the content may be original, the credit goes to the author for properly citing his or her sources. In some cases, this may mean listing five or more sources, even if the information they provide is related.
For a non-fiction piece, you may find it difficult to dig up the necessary sources. Luckily, there are a few tools available that can help. Some of the most popular tools with academics and researchers include:
- Citation Manager
- EndNote
- Academic Style
- RefWorks
- Scopus
- Google Scholar
These tools can assist you in identifying the relevant sources and properly citing them. While the process can be tedious, it is worth it in the end. Doing so ensures that your work is not only original but is also correctly attributed to the original author.
Check For Similar Content
One of the main reasons why people create content is to share their knowledge and experience with others. While this may not always be explicitly stated in the piece, giving credit to the source material is one way of showing that you have accessed similar content and that you have appropriately cited it.
If you are writing an academic paper, you should have accessed similar content already. If you are writing for a popular blog or news website, you may find that there is already content out there that covers the same ground as your article or report. In these cases, you should not feel that you need to reinvent the wheel. Instead, you should look for content that is already out there and build on it.
In the case of an essay or a report, you can find similar content by entering the topic into the search bar of your favorite search engine. When you find similar content, be sure to check the source material and see if you can learn something new from it. In some cases, you may not be able to draw direct comparisons, but at least you can build on the existing work and share your findings.
Be Careful With Your Language
Since your content will be read by a wider audience, you need to be careful with the language you use. If you are writing for a general audience, you can use colloquial language or slang. When writing for an academic audience, you should stick to the more formal language and avoid words that can be contentious.
For example, if you are writing about climate change and use the words “global warming,” the article may not be accepted by an academic journal, as it could be seen as opinionated. In these cases, alternative phrasing can help. Instead of saying, “Global warming is a major concern,” you can write, “Increasingly, people are seeing climate change as a major threat.”
While this may not always be possible, using words that are generally accepted is a better bet. Instead of using words like “feminism” or “environmentalism” which may not be commonly accepted within the scientific community, it is better to use words like “fairness” or “sustainability.”
Use Alliteration And Rhyme
One of the most effective ways of keeping readers interested is through the use of alliteration and rhyme. If you are using this technique, you should do so intentionally and with a clear purpose. In the case of a poem, you may want to use alliteration to highlight key words or phrases. In a rap song, you may want to use alliteration to highlight the words of the song. In an academic or a scientific paper, you can use alliteration in the same way you would use words like “research” or “analysis” – to highlight the subject matter and make it more memorable. If you are writing for a popular audience, you can use alliteration in a similar way to highlight important concepts and how they relate to each other.
The use of alliteration and rhyme can help establish a pattern or a theme for your content, which you can carry through the piece. This will make your content more accessible and assist the reader in understanding what you are trying to say.
Use Numbers Where Appropriate
In the case of an academic or a scientific paper, numbers can assist you in making your content more authoritative. If you are citing numbers within your text, you should do so clearly and accurately, even if they are only estimates or approximations. If you are writing for a popular audience, numbers can provide some interesting statistics that you can pull apart and analyze. For example, you can compare the views of men and women on a certain topic or the number of subscribers to your blog.
People love numbers, so if you can use them to your advantage, you should do so. In the case of an academic or a scientific paper, numbers can provide the necessary background and context for what you are writing about. If you are writing for a general audience, numbers can provide a clear metric by which you can measure your success – the number of views your content is receiving is a clear indication of how well you are doing in terms of gaining popularity.
Follow The Instructions On The Page
When you are writing an academic or a scientific paper, you must take a lot of care with the way you format your text. This is because most journals have specific formatting standards that they request from authors. If you are using a word processor, you can find out what these formatting standards are through the help files or online forums for the program you are using. In the case of a scientific journal, you will also need to take care to ensure that your figures are in the correct form and that all of the necessary information is attached to them.
If you are submitting your content to a specific journal, be sure to read the instructions for that journal carefully. Many journals will provide you with a checklist of items you need to address in your text, tables, and figures. In the case of a scientific journal, you also need to make sure that the figures are of a high enough quality to be published. You should avoid using pixelated or low-quality figures as they will be rejected by the journal. Even if your figures are of good quality, you should still take care to make sure that the quality of the paper matches the quality of the figures you have submitted.
In the case of a general-audience publication like a blog or a newspaper, you do not need to be as meticulous as you would for an academic paper. Still, you should strive to use a formal style and stick to the necessary formatting rules – if your text contains a lot of quotations, you should identify them as such and use proper citation and referencing. Following these rules will make your content more easily accepted by potential readers and improve the overall quality of your work.