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Write and Cite

Overview

Writing an academic paper or thesis is the final step in the research process. It is the moment you enter the scholarly conversation by presenting your own argument, supported by the evidence you have gathered. This step covers how to structure your writing, integrate your sources effectively, and cite them correctly to maintain academic integrity.

Prerequisites

Before you begin writing, you should have:

  • A clear, refined research question.
  • Thematically organized notes and a synthesis of your sources.
  • A basic understanding of the citation style required by your faculty.

1. Structure Your Argument

Do not start writing without a plan. An outline acts as a roadmap, ensuring your argument flows logically and every paragraph serves a purpose.

Most academic papers follow a standard structure:

  • Introduction: Introduce the topic, provide necessary background context, and state your thesis clearly (your main argument or the answer to your research question).
  • Body Paragraphs: This is where you present your evidence. Each paragraph should focus on one central idea (a theme from your notes). Start with a clear topic sentence, provide evidence from your sources, and explain how that evidence supports your thesis.
  • Conclusion: Summarise your main points and restate the significance of your argument. Do not introduce new information here. Instead, point out the implications of your findings or suggest areas for future research.

2. Integrate Your Sources

Research writing is a conversation between your ideas and those of other experts. You must integrate their work smoothly to support, challenge, or contextualise your own arguments.

There are three ways to use a source:

  1. Summarizing: Condensing a large amount of information (like an entire book or a long methodology section) into a brief overview in your own words.
  2. Paraphrasing: Rewriting a specific point or finding in your own words. This is the most common and preferred method in academic writing because it proves you understand the material.
  3. Quoting: Using the author's exact words, enclosed in quotation marks. Use quotes sparingly, only when the original phrasing is so unique, powerful, or specific that changing it would ruin the meaning (e.g., a specific definition or a controversial claim).

Avoid "Quote Dropping": Never drop a quote into a paragraph without context. Always introduce the author or the context first, provide the quote, and then explain how it connects to your argument.

3. Cite Your Sources (and Avoid Plagiarism)

Whenever you summarize, paraphrase, or quote another person's work, you must provide a citation. This applies to books, journal articles, websites, interviews, and even visual precedents like architectural plans or corporate logos.

Failing to cite your sources, whether intentionally or accidentally, is plagiarism, which is a serious academic offence.

Faculty Citation Requirements

Different academic disciplines use different rules for formatting citations and bibliographies. You must follow the style mandated by your faculty:

  • Faculty of Architecture and Design (FoAD): Uses Chicago Style (Notes and Bibliography). This uses footnotes or endnotes, which is preferred in the humanities because it leaves the visual flow of the text uninterrupted.
  • Faculty of Business Administration (FoB): Uses APA Style. This is an "author-date" system (e.g., Smith, 2024), designed to highlight the currency of the research.

Detailed Examples: For specific examples of how to format books, articles, and websites in your required style, see the library's guides on Citation Examples: APA and Citation Examples: Chicago.

4. Cite as You Write

Do not leave your citations and bibliography until the very end. Trying to remember where a specific idea came from three weeks after you read it usually leads to accidental plagiarism.

Insert your citations (or footnotes) immediately as you draft each paragraph. The most efficient way to do this is by using a citation management tool like Zotero, which integrates directly with Microsoft Word or Google Docs to insert citations and format your bibliography automatically.

5. Review and Proofread

The first draft is never the final draft. Writing is a process of revision.

  • Check the flow: Read your paper aloud. This is the fastest way to catch awkward phrasing, missing words, or sentences that are too long.
  • Check the argument: Does every paragraph connect back to your main thesis? If a paragraph is interesting but irrelevant to the core question, cut it.
  • Check the formatting: Ensure your margins, font size, and bibliography match the requirements set by your professor or the Thesis guidelines.

Using Generative AI for Writing and Proofreading

Generative AI can be a powerful tool during the writing phase, but it must be used transparently and ethically.

Acceptable uses:

  • Pasting your own draft into an AI and asking it to check for grammar, spelling, and tone (e.g., "Make this paragraph sound more academic").
  • Using AI to help you overcome writer's block by generating transition sentences between two ideas you have already researched.

Unacceptable uses:

  • Asking an AI to write entire paragraphs or sections of your paper from scratch.
  • Asking an AI to generate citations or a bibliography (it will invent fake sources).

Declaration: If you use AI to assist with your writing or proofreading, you may be required to declare this in your methodology or appendix. Always follow your professor's instructions and the library's guide on Making the most of Generative AI.

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