SIP Format
ParenthesesAfter any chunk of information (one or more sentences), include parentheses like this ( ). Parentheses turn the valve off and let readers know that information is no longer "flowing." This creates a boundary between source ideas (giving credit) and your own ideas/explanations (taking credit). When the information is written in subsequent sentences, you only need to include the parentheses at the END of the “chunk,” not after each individual sentence.
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Fill the parentheses!What goes inside parentheses? Include the FIRST THING LISTED in the Works Cited entry for the source you need to "GIVE CREDIT" to for those ideas.
Double-check your punctuation: the period for the sentence should come after the parentheses, and not before... "like this" (Smith 3). There is only one exception: when quoting, if the quote ends in a question mark or exclamation point, include that punctuation within the quotation marks and place the period after parentheses like this... "what?" (Smith 3). Eliminate RedundanciesWithin a single sentence, if you notice redundancies such as the author's name included in the signal phrase AND the parentheses, you can eliminate one of these (S or P). Typically, it is wise to eliminate the redundancies within parentheses instead of the signal phrase since the signal phrase helps boost your own credibility with readers.
Should I ever eliminate the signal phrase? If you're including information that readers will trust whether or not you reference the credibility of the source in a signal phrase (for example, historical information that most readers know, in general), you can lighten up your sentences by eliminating signal phrases; just keep the parentheses so the information can be verified. You may also wish to eliminate the signal phrase if you are including information in your introduction/hook that would otherwise be disrupted in style if you provided a signal phrase. But, think twice! ISP format might do the same trick, for instance. And, if the information you're including spans multiple sentences, you'll need to include parentheses for every sentence since you are working outside of the valve on/ valve off metaphor. |
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