Lesson

USING CONVENTIONS IN CITING SOURCES

2

In this module, you will learn how to make proper acknowledgment of the
source of information using APA style. This module will provide you with the
important guides on how APA style helps writers create clarity and cite sources in
their writing. Furthermore, this module is a good fit for learners who new to academic
writing or APA style.

WHAT I NEED TO KNOW

At the end of this module, you will be expected to:

1. use conventions in citing citations;
2. make list of sources in a bibliographical entries in APA style; and
3. organize information into a well-structured paragraph with proper in text-
citations.

WHAT I KNOW

Before you begin in this lesson, take the challenge to answer the test items
below on making citations. Circle the letter of the correct answer.
1. When should you use in-text citations within your paper?
A. At the end of each page
B. At the end of every paragraph
C. Whenever information has come from another source
D. At a statement before a paragraph begins
2. In the citation below, what if the underlined part?
Jensen, Greg. "The City Fights Back." The Waterville Daily. 13July2010.
A. Author
B. Publisher
C. Title
D. Date of publication
3. In the citation below, what is the underlined part?
Garcia, Luz. Understanding Magnets. Chicago: Blue Garnet, 2008.
A. Author
B. Title
C. Publisher
D. Date of publication

1
4. In the citation below, what is the underlined part?
Landler, Mark. “Trump and Pompeo Embrace Autocrats and Disparage
Opponents at Home.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 11 Jan.
2019,www.nytimes.com/2019/01/10/us/politics/trump-pompeo-
chinacairo.html?.
A. Author B. Title C. Publisher D. Date of publication
5. In the citation below, what is the underlined part?
Cary, Sam. Whales Everywhere.  Miami: Pundit Books, 2010.
A. Author B. Title C. Publisher D. Date of publication

WHAT’S IN

Sharing or taking of any information or material with the intent of improperly

relieving one’s self or another from academic work is considered an act of stealing.
In like manner, the passing of a work, ideas, or conclusions lifted from other sources
without proper acknowledgment to their authors is plagiarism. It is an act of
submitting a work of one’s own thinking rather than an idea or product derived from
another source.
The illustration below shows that the researcher demonstrates academic
honesty using proper citations of sources.

Citations
Citation 1
A few researchers in the linguistics field have taken from
developed training programs designed to improve Krech
Thomas
native speakers' ability to understand accented speech
Researcher’s (Krech Thomas, 2004). Their training techniques are
statement to based on the research described above indicating that
link the compre-hension improves with exposure to non-native
information
speech.Derwing et al. (2002) conducted their training
with students preparing to be social workers, but note
that other professionals who work with non-native
speakers could benefit from a similar program.
Citation 2
Taken from References
Derwing Name of the Author
Derwing, T. M., Rossiter, M. J., & Munro, M. J. (2002). Date of Publication
Teaching native speakers to listen to foreign-accented Title of the journal
speech. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Volume& Page No.
Development, 23(4), 245-259.
Krech Thomas, H. (2004). Training strategies for improving
listeners' comprehension of foreign-accented
speech (Doctoral dissertation). USA: University of
Colorado, Boulder.

2
Citations (as described above) are a short way to uniquely identify a published
work (e.g. book, article, chapter, or website).  This also shows an appreciation and
acknowledgement on the efforts of the authors. Citing a source means showing
within the body of your text in which words, ideas, figures, images, etc. are taken
from other sources.

WHAT’S NEW

In this part, you will be prepared to deal with challenging tasks as a writer with
academic honesty.

In citing sources you have to get familiar with standard elements or

information necessary to identify and track down publications. These include:
Author’s name Date Title Place of the publication
publication

Tagum, R. (2017). Quick Guides in Mobile Legends. Las Pinas

City: Richmond Publishing House, Inc.
Publisher

Citing sources of information is essential for the following reasons: It helps

readers as fact checking tool; It makes you a better writer; It demonstrates scientific
knowledge; It shapes the reader’s trust in your work; It permits better proof of your
work. Study the illustration below how to make citations.
Citing sources, as a good practice of an honest writer like you, can be
prepared in two ways. Beginning citation opens a paragraph, while ending citation
closes a paragraph. Let’s observe the illustration below.

Beginning Citation
Derwing et al. (2002) conducted their training with
Citation students preparing to be social workers, but note that
other professionals who work with non-native speakers
could benefit from a similar program.
Bibliography
Derwing, T. M., Rossiter, M. J., & Munro, M. J. (2002). Teaching
native speakers to listen to foreign-accented speech. Journal of
Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 23(4), 245-259.

Ending Citation
A few researchers in the linguistics field have developed Citation
training programs designed to improve native speakers'
Bibliography ability to understand accented speech (Krech Thomas,
2004).
Krech Thomas, H. (2004). Training strategies for improving
listeners' comprehension of foreign-accented speech (Doctoral
dissertation). USA: University of Colorado, Boulder.

3
WHAT IS IT

This part will engage you in a very challenging task – writing a synthesis.
Synthesis is a way of putting ideas together from the different sources on the basis
of a theme or the big idea. After reviewing several books, publications, web sites,
movies and class activities, gathering some of the gathered information relative to a
theme or key question, developing generalizations, and arranging information like
statistics, quotes, statements into a sound sequence to support a main idea are the
most challenging task in the process in writing a synthesis. Therefore, developing
your skills in making a synthesis is a challenging skill essential in an academic and
non-academic writing or speaking task. 

Let’s follow the process below on how Renato Dela Cruz of 8-Aquamarine
developed his synthesis after he had read different sources of information about the
good and bad effects of computer gaming from his 2 note cards. From
(evergreen.edu.com)

(Con) (Pro)
The study conducted by Brown It is claimed that computer games
indicates that children who engage in have negative physical effects on eyesight,
on-line games on a consistent basis hands, and posture. However, all of these
may experience a number of health are caused by the computer hardware and
problems. The evidence affirms that equipment, not by the software. The same
the utmost severe health problem physical effects occur from prolonged
results is Crooked Posture, usage of computer for any reason, such as
described as the cause from being word-processing. In fact, carpal tunnel
bent over their PCs for substantial syndrome was identified as a workplace
periods of time. In addition to ailment caused by office programs, not
common health problem related with games. These physical effects can all be
playing computer games over long reduced or eliminated by better hardware
periods of time is pain in the hands and more attention to ergonomics, such as
characterized the same moves are higher-resolution and higher-contrast
frequently repeated screens, and supportive furniture.

Bibliography Bibliography
Brown, M.J. (2000). The impact of computer Smith, Aj. (2003). Synthesis. Retrieved February 28,
games on children’s physical health. 2019 from The Hong Kong Polytechnic
University, The English Language Center Web
Site: Cited
fromhttp://elc.polyu.edu.hk/CILL/eap/synthesis.

4
Renato
writes the
main idea He introduces
Brown’ work

The effects of playing computer games on

physical heath are controversial. According toBrow
He links the (2000, p.141) computer games can cause physical
cited works problems such as bad posture and pain in the hands.
of Brown &
Smith
Smith (2003)disagrees, and arguesthat these He presents
problems are caused by the hardware, not by the Brown’s &
games.It indicates that the physical health problems are Smith work.
due to long periods of computer use on harmful
He creates hardware which occur when children are playing
the computer games. He
bibliography synthesizes
Brown, M.J. (2000). The impact of computer games on children’s the two
physical health. Journal of Physical Health, 23 (1), 129 – 142. different
Smith, Aj. (2003). Synthesis. Retrieved February 28, 2019 from The Hong views.
Kong Polytechnic University, The English Language Center Web
Site: Cited fromhttp://elc.polyu.edu.hk/CILL/eap/synthesis.html.
Answer the following questions:
1. What big idea introduces the paragraph?
______________________________________________________
2. What is Brown’s view about computer game?
______________________________________________________
3. What is Smith’s position about computer game?
______________________________________________________
4. Do the two work make agreement about the main idea? Why or Why not?
______________________________________________________
5. How does Renato wraps up the two differing views about Computer
Gaming?
______________________________________________________

WHAT’S MORE

At this moment, you have a clear view on how to cite sources. The guides
above have given you a road to a better writer.
Directions: Write a synthesis using the given note cards. Use proper citation for each
source of information.
Students who regularly spend time playing online games are developing
analytical and problem solving skills that can also help them in their
schoolwork. He also said that when you play online games you’re solving
puzzles to move to the next level and that involves using some of the
general knowledge and skills in math, reading, and science taught during the
day (Dockrill, 2012).

5
Computer games have become one of the most important entertainment
tools for children, teenagers, and even adults all around the globe. Allowing
access to the virtual world with unlimited possibilities, computer games
compulsively attract many people. In fact, they have become an integral
part of human society (Demirbileka& Tamer, 2010).

There are also others that have decreased academic performance in

relation to involvement in playing video games. Andersons and Dill (2007)
studied video games and aggression and suggested that not only does
gaming have impact on performance directly, but it also triggers a higher
level of aggression, which is often linked to problems in school and
decreased academic performance.

(Main point)
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
(Citation1)_________________________________________________________________________________
____________ Citation 2)
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
(Citation3)_________________________________________________________________________________
(Conclusion)
_____________________________________________________________________________________________.

After writing the paragraph (synthesis), you need to organize the sources into
bibliography entry. You have learned from the previous task the components of a
source of information like author’s name, date of publication, title of the book/article,
place of publication, and publisher. Below are sample of bibliography entries from
different sources. Observe how the components are organized into a bibliography.
Book:
Calfee, R. C. (1991). APA guide. Washington, DC:
American Psychological Association.
Question Answer
1. How is the name of the author
written?
2. What punctuations are used in
the date of the publication?
3. What style in used in writing the
title of the book?
4. What punctuations are used
before the place of the
publication? What punctuation is
used after it?
5. What is the last component of
the bibliography entry?
6. What punctuation ends the
entry?

Journal article:
Jourls, H. F. (1983). Fundamentals of
medicine. Journal of Medicine, 46, 837-845.
6
Question Answer
1. How is the name of the writer written?
2. What comes next the name of the writer?
What punctuations are used in the date of
publication?
3. What is the title of the Journal?
4. What is the title of the article?
5. What is the volume number of the journal
issue?
6. What pages indicate the article of the
journal?
7. What is the proper arrangement of the
contents of the bibliography of the journal
entry?

Magazine article:
Henry, W. (2001, April 19). Making the grade. Time,
135, 28-31.

Question Answer
1. What comes first in the bibliography entry of
this magazine article?
2. How is date of publication noted? What
punctuation marks separate the date from the
writer’s name?
3. What is the title of the magazine?
4. What article title is indicated? How is it written?
5. What come after the tittle of the publication?
How are they written?

Website:
Kraizer, S. (2011). Preventing bullying. Retrieved from
http://safechild.org/categoryparents/preventing-
bullying/
All things Nittany. (2006). Retrieved from
http://www.psu.edu/ur/about/nittanymascot.html

Question Answer
1. What is the title of the article?
2. What is the title of the site?
3. What comes after the title of the site?
4. Where is the date written?
5. What comes before the date?
6. Who wrote the article?
7. What word introduces the hyperlink presented?

7
WHAT I HAVE LEARNED

Now, since you have completed the previous tasks, it time to highlight the
points you have learned in citing sources applying the conventional rules in APA.

Question My answer

1. What I can remember?

2. What I have learned?

3. What I have realized?

4. What is my plan?

WHAT I CAN DO

Looking back at your synthesis above on Computer Games, your next task is
to organize the sources in a bibliography entry applying the rules in the previous
tasks. Always remember that we have difference sources of information like books,
magazines, websites, etc. Keep in mind that each source has different style when
making bibliography.

Directions: Below are the three sources in random where we got the information in
Computer Games. Organize the three sources into a bibliography. Remember to
arrange them in alphabetical order based on the author’s surname.

https://www.theguardian.com/ technology/2016/ aug/08/positive-link-between-video-

games-and-academic-performance-study.
The Guardian.
Accessed May 27, 2020.

Math teachers’ perspectives on using educational computer games in math

education.
Demirbileka, M., lema Tamer, S.
(2010). Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 9, 709–716.

(2007)
Violent effects on aggressive thoughts, feelings, physiology, and behavior.
Anderson, C.A. and Gentile, D.A. al.,

8
Media violence and children. Westport: CT, pp. 229 – 270.
Retrieved from http://www.scopus.com/record/display.

Bibliography
________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________.

________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________.

________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
________________________________________________.

ASSESSMENT

The table below composed of different views on social media taken from
different sources. Study the relationship of the three works of different authors. Then,
develop a well-structured paragraph synthesis. Use the rules/conventions that you
have learned in the previous tasks. After writing your synthesis, prepare the list of
bibliography of the three sources below your paragraph synthesis. Apply proper
citations, punctuations, alphabetical list of entries, and indentions. Good luck!

Author’s Work Source

Social networking media gave a sense Martin, Chuck
of belonging to an academic 2010
community, as the students online with Social Networking Usage and Grades
their friends were mostly they met in among College Students
college. New York
New York University

Generally, Social Media users largely Wang, Qingya

are from Teens and Generation Y 2011
(internet users age 18-32), according to The Effects of Social Media on College
the survey conducted by Pew Internet & Students
American Life Project entitled California
Generations Online in 2009. LTD Publishing House Inc.

These younger generations are Mary Grace Torrecampo

significantly more likely than their older 2019
counterparts to seek entertainment The Nature of Social Media to Young
through online videos, online games, People

9
and virtual worlds, and they are also Quezon City
more likely to download music to listen University of the Philippines Research
to later. Department

Social Media
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

Bibliography
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES

Activity 2
Direction: Identify the specific bibliographical entries found in the box.

R 391.009599 De la Torre, Visitacion R

D278a c1 Advertising in the Philippines: (its historical, cultural and social
dimensions)
-- Philippines Tower book House 1989
Xiii, 474 p: col.ill—( )
1. Fashion – Philippines 2. Advertising Philippines- History
3. Embroidery- Philippines-History 4. Costume- Philippines- History
5. Barong tagalog

1. What is the title of the article?

A. Fashion- Philippines
B. Advertising in the Philippines :( its historical, cultural and social dimensions)
C. Philippines Tower book House
D. Fashion, Advertising, History, Embroidery, Costume Philippines

2. Who is the author of the article?

A. Philippines Tower Book House
B. De la Torre, Visitacion R.
C. Costume- Philippines-History
D. Advertising in the Philippines

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3. Who is the publisher of the book?
A. De la Torre, Visitacion R.
B. Advertising in the Philippines
C. Barong Tagalog
D. Philippines Tower Book House
Bravo, Helen, Water, Water! Quezon City: Quezon Press 2000
Castillo, Sonia, Waiting for Rain. Manila: Castillo Publication, 2005
Cruz, Roman. The Energy Situation in the Philippines. Quezon city: ABC
Press,2005

4. Who is the author of “All About Energy”?

A. Falla, Mario
B. Castillo, Sonia
C. Soriano, Marta
D. Bravo, Helen
5. Who published the “Scientific Explorations” by Marta Soriano?
A. ABC Press
B. Quezon Press
C. Castillo Publication
D. Vibal publishing House

REFLECTION

After you have finished all the learning tasks, it istime to reflect and write...

3 MOST SIGNIFICANT PIECES OFLEARNING

_________________, ____________________, _____________________
2 WAYS TO APPLY SUCH LEARNING
_______________________, _________________________
1 QUESTION I HAVE IN MY MIND
_______________________________

ANSWER KEY

11
WHAT I KNOW
6. B
7. D
8. B
9. B
10. C
WHAT IS IT
1. Computer games on physical health
2. Computer games can cause physical problem.
3. The health problem is not caused by computer games but by hardware.
4. Do the two work make agreement about the main idea? Why or Why not?
5. No, the two works don’t make an agreement. Brown believes that computer
games cause health problem; Smith believes that it is cause by hardware not
the game.
6. Renato sums up by indicating that health problem from computer gaming is
caused by long period of playing.
WHAT’S MORE
(Main point) Studies show that computer gaming has bad and good effects to
students. (citation 1) Dockrill (2012) concluded that students who regularly spend
time playing online games are developing analytical and problem solving skills that
can also help them in their schoolwork. Docktrill also said that when you play online
games you’re solving puzzles to move to the next level and that involves using some
of the general knowledge and skills in math, reading, and science taught during the
day (Dockrill, 2012). (Citation 2) In like manner, Computer games have become one
of the most important entertainment tools for children, teenagers, and even adults all
around the globe. Allowing access to the virtual world with unlimited possibilities,
computer games compulsively attract many people. In fact, they have become an
integral part of human society (Demirbileka& Tamer, 2010). (Citation 3) On the other
side of the coin, others that have decreased academic performance in relation to
involvement in playing video games. Andersons and Dill (2007) studied video games
and aggression and suggested that not only does gaming have impact on
performance directly, but it also triggers a higher level of aggression, which is often
linked to problems in school and decreased academic performance. (conclusion)
This shows that if computer gaming has good effects; it has also downside. The
extreme of the effects defend on the players’ discipline.
Book: Calfee, R. C. (1991). APA guide. Washington, DC: American
Psychological Association.
1. The name of the author is written in family name follow by initial.
2. The date is enclosed with parentheses.
3. The title is written in italics and follows sentence capitalization.
4. It is punctuated with period, and it uses semi-colon.
5. The last item is the publisher.
6. It ends with a period.
Journal article: Jourls, H. F. (1983). Fundamentals of medicine. Journal
of Medicine, 46, 837-845.

1. The name begins with family name followed by initial.

2. The date follows punctuated with parenthetical marks.

12
3. Journal of Medicine
4. The article titles Fundamentals of medicine.
5. 46
6. 837-845
7. Name, date, titles, issue number, page number

Magazine article:
Henry, W. (2001, April 19). Making the grade. Time, 135, 28-31.

6. Author’s name
7. Written in complete date enclosed with parenthetical marks
8. Time
9. Making the grade
10. Issue number followed by page

Website:
Kraizer, S. (2011). Preventing bullying. Retrieved from
http://safechild.org/categoryparents/preventing-bullying/
All things Nittany. (2006). Retrieved from http://www.psu.edu/ur/about/nittanymascot.html
1. Preventing Bullying
2. Safe Child. Org
3. date
4. Enclosed with parentheses
5. Title of the website or author’s name
6. Kraizer, S.
7. retrieved

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WHAT I HAVE LEARNED

1. I remember that copying an idea without proper citations is an academic

dishonesty.
2. I have learned that citations make me a better writer.
3. I have realized that I used to steal ideas of others before I learned citations.
4. I plan that every time I use ideas from other sources I will make citations. I will
apply the rules I learned in this lesson every time I make citation.

WHAT I CAN DO

Anderson, C.A. and Gentile, D.A. al., (2007). Violent effects on aggressive thoughts,
feelings, physiology, and behavior. Media violence and children. Westport: CT,
pp. 229 – 270. Retrieved from ttps://www.scopus.com/record/display.
Demirbileka, M., lema Tamer, S. (2010). Math teachers’ perspectives on using
educational computer games in math education.Procedia Social and
Behavioral Sciences, 9, 709–716.
Dockrill, L. (2012). The Guardian. Accessed May 27, 2020.
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/aug/08/positive-link-between-
video-games-and-academic-performance-study-suggests.

ASSESSMENT
Social networks offer a virtual environment. Martin (2010) stated that social
networking media gave a sense of belonging to an academic community, as the
students online with their friends were mostly they met in college. Generally, Social
Media users largely are from Teens and Generation Y (internet users age 18-32),
according to the survey conducted by Pew Internet & American Life Project entitled
Generations Online in 2009 (Wang, 2011). In similar view, Torecampo (2019)
concluded that these younger generations are significantly more likely than their
older counterparts to seek entertainment through online videos, online games, and
virtual worlds, and they are also more likely to download music to listen to later. It
indicates that social network is not limited to group of people at the same age.

Bibliography
Martin, C. (2010). Social networking usage and grades among college students. New
York City: New York University.
Wang, Q. (2011). The effects of social media on college students. California: LTD
Publishing House, Inc.
Torrecampo, M. (2019). The nature of social media to young people. Quezon City:
University of the Philippines Research Department.

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES
1. B
2. B
3. A
4. Hindi ko alam
5. Hindi ko alam

REFLECTION
Answers may vary.

14
REFERENCES:

Bryson, D. (2012). Using research papers: citations, referencing and

plagiarism. Journal of Visual Communication in Medicine, 35(2), 82–84.

Clarke, R. (2006). Plagiarism by academics: More complex than it seems. Journal of

the Association for Information Systems, 7(2), 5.

Culwin, F., & Lancaster, T. (2001). Plagiarism issues for higher education. Vine,
31(2), 36–41.

Demirbileka, M., lema Tamer, S. (2010). Math teachers’ perspectives on using

educational computer games in math education. Procedia Social and
Behavioral Sciences, 9, 709–716.

Evergreen.edu.http://archives.evergreen.edu/webpages/curricular/2001-
2002/poliecon2001/ synthesis.htm accessed May 27, 2020.

[email protected]://www.hws.edu/academics/ctl/pdf/synthesis.pdf.
Retrieved May 27, 2020.

Karami, M., &Danaei, G. H. (2016). A brief review of plagiarism in medical scientific

research papers. Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Research, 2(2), 1–8.
Klompien, K. (2001). The Writer and the Text: Basic Writers, Research Papers and
Plagiarism. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Conference on College
Composition and Communication, Denver, Colorado. (Retrieved
from http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED452547).

Lumen: Introduction to Research. Retrieved May 28, 2020 from

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/atd-fscj-introtoresearch/chapter/
conventions-for-citing-information/

Six Reasons of Why Citing of Sources Is Important. Accessed February 28, 2019.
https://falconediting.com/en/blog/6-reasons-why-citation-of-sources-is-
important-when-writing.

Web App. In. Edu. Retrieved February 28,

2019https://webapp.ln.edu.hk/ceal/elss/sites/default/files/exercise/cate/writing/
Synthesis/Synthesis/index.htm

15