Introduction
Writing a research paper requires great effort and so SPSS help them to finish it on time. But completing a research paper involves various tasks such as constructing a literature review, dissertation, research questionnaire, referencing, etc. Each task takes its own time to get finished. In this blog post, we will discuss the number of sources or references that should be used, how to collect them, and much more about such sources.
When writing a research paper, one of the most important things you need to do is determine the number and type of sources you need. Knowing this will help you save time and money, which will allow you to spend more time completing a paper that meets your supervisor's expectations and requirements. So let’s read our blog further to understand the significance of references and how you can save your time by collecting and using them properly.
When writing your research paper, why is it important to use external sources?
In order to write an effective research paper, you should include outside sources because they provide a richer understanding of the subject matter, reinforce your arguments, and give you more power to explain the issues. In addition to being able to differentiate your ideas from others' ideas, using external sources also encourages you to appreciate other researchers' work, which helps prevent plagiarism.
It's important thing to cite your sources. However, this is not enough. You must also make sure that the sources you select are credible and accurate enough for your purpose. In fact, most authors will take this into consideration when citing or paraphrasing information from sources. For example, if you are using a non-academic source (e.g., a news report), it is best to check the reliability with the usual references such as APA style (American Psychological Association) or MLA format (Modern Language Association).
With so many sources out there, how do you know which ones are credible? How do you decide which are relevant and reliable? How do you know if they're worth your time and attention? A credible source is a scholarly article, book, news report, website, or any other form of media that is considered credible and reliable by academic standards. It should neither be a personal blog nor an opinion piece. It should also be from a reputable source. In order to demonstrate the validity of your claim, you should use credible sources. A rounded view, varied perspectives, several voices, and a reduced chance of bias are all reasons to incorporate various sources into your academic research paper.
Number of sources to be used for a research paper
Every page of your research paper should have one source. That's the first thumb rule, and it makes sense in terms of readability and ease of reference. Every page of a research paper requires the "one source per page" rule. The greater number of sources you have for a research paper, the harder it is to write a coherent thesis statement, develop an argument, and move with confidence through the text to make good use of each piece of information you draw from your sources. It's okay if your paper has fewer sources than its minimum requirement: Instead of saying that you need at least seven sources for a 7-page paper because five are insufficient, tell your readers that you used five sources but decided to use fewer because you wanted to make more clear arguments throughout your paper.
If you feel confused about the number of sources to be used in your research paper then you can take help either from your instructor or from any SPSS tutor. Otherwise, you can take the same number of sources as the number of pages you are using in your research paper.
Factors influencing the number of references
Several factors influence the number of references to be used in your research paper. These factors tell you to choose the right number of sources so that you can avoid plagiarism. Predetrmining the number of references will help you outline the scope of your research paper. But keep this in mind, you need to be choosy while picking sources for your research topic because not every source is useful for you. So consider the following factors:
- Choosing by personal choice
When you are allowed to choose the number of sources by yourself then you must be careful enough while making choices. You should use a manageable number of references without overdoing them. You must cite each source in your research paper from which ideas were summarised, paraphrased, or quoted. And remember that not citing the sources you are using will lead to the act of plagiarism which has severe consequences.
- The complexity of the topic
Challenging academic research topics need more sources to illustrate. Irrespective of the length of a research paper, the complexity of a research paper is also a determining factor for the number of sources. It is best to use multiple sources when writing about a complex topic and weighing or refuting arguments, especially when writing about controversial issues. It is in this case that you will find it beneficial to conduct further research to identify credibility-building sources and facts that can be used to refine your arguments and support your research paper claims. However, simple topics will not need several references.
- The subject matter of the research paper
The content or the subject matter of your topic of research also determines the number of sources you need to cite for your research paper. For example, if you have chosen a topic from a less-studied field or if you have chosen a topic from any new field of research which has only a few previously published papers then in such cases, you should focus on using the current relevant sources rather than the number of sources.
- Paper instructions
It is not uncommon for your teacher to include the minimum amount of sources you will need to use in your research paper assignment. It is important to adhere to the particular number of sources specified, as failure to do so may result in marks being deducted.
- Data & statistics
Many research papers require to include statistics and data. If these data and statistics are coming from several sources then you will have to use various sources. For instance, if you are writing a quantitative research paper then you will have to include quantifiable pieces of evidence with proper citations. On the other hand, if you are performing qualitative research, you won’t require these many sources or references.
- Institutional research paper guidelines
Many institutions have their own norms and standards. They have their own preferred way of performing things. These standards are applicable in the case of research papers also. For example, a university might need its students to use at least ten sources in their research papers, on the other hand, another university might ask its students to use more or less number of sources.
Conclusion
Do you want to write a research paper, but how many references will it take? You could spend days or weeks on this job and never finish it. The question usually goes like this: “How can I get started on writing my research paper?” Most students choose to write a research paper and then do nothing about it for weeks. However, if you choose the best sources and find the best places to get your info from, you can have your research paper written within hours or even minutes. We hope the aforementioned points will help you choose the number of sources for your research paper. If not, then you can take a thesis consultation from any professional helper. Good luck!
