APA How-To: Use of Secondary Sources
Sometimes, writers will come across a source within another source that is perfect for whatever argument they are attempting to make. If writers are not careful, this situation can lead to confusing APA-style citation situations. So much so, APA style contains special formatting guidelines for citing this type of secondary source.
According to APA Publication Manual, 6th edition, p. 178, §6.17: “Use secondary sources sparingly, for instance, when the original work is out of print, unavailable through usual sources, or not available in English.” With all the full text available these days, there is an expectation that, if a quote is preferred, its original source should be obtained and read. Otherwise, you are asking your readers needlessly to trust an unknown intermediary.
If you must use a secondary source, however, you can't cite it alone; it’s not that simple. You need to “give the secondary source in the reference list,” according to APA Publication Manual (6th ed., p. 178, §6.17). Then, “in [the] text, name the original work and give a citation for the secondary source. For example, if Allport’s work is cited in Nicholson and you did not read Allport’s work, list the Nicholson reference in the reference list. In the text, use the following citation: Allport’s diary (as cited in Nicholson, 2003).” All of this information is needed because readers need to know your sources; they also need context for the quote from the original, in this case, Allport’s diary.
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Tim McIndoo is a Senior Dissertation Editor in the Walden Writing Center. He came to Walden University in 2007 with over 30 years of editorial experience, including work as translator and photographer. He lives in Minneapolis with four cats.
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According to APA Publication Manual, 6th edition, p. 178, §6.17: “Use secondary sources sparingly, for instance, when the original work is out of print, unavailable through usual sources, or not available in English.” With all the full text available these days, there is an expectation that, if a quote is preferred, its original source should be obtained and read. Otherwise, you are asking your readers needlessly to trust an unknown intermediary.
If you must use a secondary source, however, you can't cite it alone; it’s not that simple. You need to “give the secondary source in the reference list,” according to APA Publication Manual (6th ed., p. 178, §6.17). Then, “in [the] text, name the original work and give a citation for the secondary source. For example, if Allport’s work is cited in Nicholson and you did not read Allport’s work, list the Nicholson reference in the reference list. In the text, use the following citation: Allport’s diary (as cited in Nicholson, 2003).” All of this information is needed because readers need to know your sources; they also need context for the quote from the original, in this case, Allport’s diary.
Tim McIndoo is a Senior Dissertation Editor in the Walden Writing Center. He came to Walden University in 2007 with over 30 years of editorial experience, including work as translator and photographer. He lives in Minneapolis with four cats.
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May Webinar Preview
It's almost May, which means it's almost time for our May webinars! Spring is invigorating in so many ways. With the blossoming flowers also seem to come new, budding inquires about APA style, paragraphing, and more. We love the unique questions that students present during our live, interactive webinars, and we hope you'll join us to present your own questions. You may even hear the chirp of a bird or two if our nearby windows are open.
The full list of May webinars can be found on this page. Should these dates and times not work for you, remember that we record all sessions. The webinar recording archive houses all past webinars. Happy webinar viewing!
The Walden University Writing Center presents weekly webinars on a range of topics related to scholarly writing, APA style, and the writing process. In addition to webinars, the writing center offers paper reviews, live chat, and a podcast to support writers during all stages of their academic careers.
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| Join us this month for some exciting webinars! |
Upcoming Webinars
- Writing at the Graduate Level
7:00PM - 8:00PM Wednesday, May 2, 2018 - When and How to Include APA Citations
1:00PM - 2:00PM Thursday, May 10, 2018 - Practical Writing Skills: Adding Analysis & Synthesis
8:00PM - 9:00PM Tuesday, May 15, 2018 - Mastering the Mechanics Part 3: Revising Sentence Structure
3:00PM - 4:00PM Wednesday, May 23, 2018
The full list of May webinars can be found on this page. Should these dates and times not work for you, remember that we record all sessions. The webinar recording archive houses all past webinars. Happy webinar viewing!
The Walden University Writing Center presents weekly webinars on a range of topics related to scholarly writing, APA style, and the writing process. In addition to webinars, the writing center offers paper reviews, live chat, and a podcast to support writers during all stages of their academic careers.
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The Write Mindset: Managing Time Mindfully
If you’re working on your degree alongside other work
or family obligations, you’re probably looking for ways to make the most out of
your limited time, right? Read on for a mindful time management strategy that’s
working for me as I write my dissertation while working full time and taking
care of a toddler. I promise I’ll keep it short!
A lot of academic advice recommends a project
management approach in which you break down a large project into as small of tasks
as possible and schedule a time to complete each one of these tasks. This seems
like a great way to stay on track and motivated, but I found I was constantly
failing to stick to my plan: just one night when my kiddo wouldn’t sleep would
throw the whole thing off, making me feel guilty and frustrated. I needed to adjust
this approach for it to work for my lifestyle.
First, I make a list of tasks that I plan to complete each
week. I then divide that list in half, marking half of my list as “must do” tasks
for the week and half of the tasks as “bonus,” tasks that would be great to get
done, but that I won’t beat myself up for not finishing. Once I have that list
in place, I categorize the tasks in another important way: by energy level.
I’ve found that some tasks are “high energy” tasks that require the ability to
focus, while other tasks are “low energy” tasks that I can probably manage to
finish even if I’m feeling a little tired or distracted that day.
Here is an example of what my to-do list might look like:
- Freewrite for 10 minutes at the beginning of each day on a topic related to my current chapter
- Respond to email from my mentor
- Transcribe notes from book I read last week, and add it to my literature review matrix
- Read and take notes on next books in my literature review
- Email lead about a research question I have
- Read and take notes on next book in my literature review
In this list, I have bolded my “must do” tasks for the week, and the “bonus” tasks are in regular font style. The “high energy” tasks are highlighted in yellow, and the “low energy” tasks are highlighted in blue.
Integrating mindfulness into my project management has helped my writing process tremendously. I’ve become better at prioritizing my time and making sure I’m focusing on what’s important each week. Knowing that I have a list of tasks I can work on even when I’m tired makes me more likely to sit down at my desk and get a little bit done rather than blow off a dissertation session entirely. Finally, because my task list is more manageable, I actually accomplish it, which makes me feel better about the project overall.
If other time management systems aren’t working for
you, think about giving this one a try! And please share your favorite
strategies in the comments—we’d love to hear from you!
Cheryl Read is a Writing Instructor in the Walden University Writing Center. She’s so interested in time management that she sometimes finds herself procrastinating by dreaming up the next “perfect” schedule. When she’s not helping student writers at Walden, Cheryl stays busy playing with her son and working on her dissertation.
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Let's Get Personal: Utilizing 1st Person Point of View in Academic Writing
A little something to remember: Even when we include our personal experiences, we have to
follow APA style guidelines and general best practices in academic writing. Here
are some of the resources you may find useful when including first person point
of view and personal experiences in your academic writing.
- First person point of view overview: This page from our website explains what first person is and when to use it
- How and when to use first person pronouns: Our blog post will explain how to use first person pronouns appropriately in academic writing
- An overview for including personal narratives: This is the first in a multi-post series about how to include narrative writing in academic writing
- Citing personal communication: If you interview someone as part of your personal experience, that conversation can (and should) be cited
- Citing yourself: Referring to something you have worked on in the past can be another way to include personal experience, but we have to remember to cite ourselves
The Walden University Writing Center creates and organizes material related to all aspects of scholarly writing. Explore our blog posts, modules, webinars, website content, and more by starting at our homepage: https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter
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The Write Mindset: Creating Mindful Writing Spaces
As a Writing Instructor, a large part of my workday is spent
writing emails, academic resources, and paper reviews. Because I work from home, some mornings the
desire to hit snooze three times, roll from my bed to my couch, and write in my
pajamas all day is too real! To avoid making a permanent indent in my couch,
I’ve created a mindful writing space where I look forward to spending my day. I shaped this space
by asking myself three questions.
What helps me to stay productive?
I know from experience that I cannot remain productive if I
plop down with my laptop in front of the TV. I do my best work in a bright,
organized space, (away from distractions) where I have everything I need. To
create this space in my tiny apartment, I turned the dining room into my office.
Out went the dinner table, and in went my over-sized, industrial work desk—one
of my treasured, vintage finds. I have dual-monitors, which allows me to keep my
email open on one screen and my paper reviews on the other. Spread out in front
of me are my agenda, phone, to-do lists, and all of my favorite office supplies.
With everything in arm’s reach, I never have to track down a pen or my phone.
The light coming in from the windows and lamps keeps me alert, and if all else
fails, I am only a couple steps away from the coffee maker.
What makes me feel comfortable?
For me, part of staying on task is making sure I am
comfortable; otherwise, it is too easy for me to become distracted by the
smallest things in my environment. For example, I get cold easily, so in the
winter I set up a little space heater near my desk, and I always have a sweater
handy. I enjoy working in a clean space, so I tidy up every morning before I
even open my email. Also, I have a sensitive nose, and certain smells help me
stay alert. For example, diffusing grapefruit essential oil throughout the day
keeps me happy. These little steps make my workspace pleasant to work in, and
they are comforting if I am having a particularly busy or stressful day.
What is and isn’t in my control?
While I have taken a number of steps to prepare my workspace
for productivity and comfort, all of the preparing in the world may not solve a
bad case of writer’s block. Some days, I write a new email and the words pour onto the screen.
Other days, I can get stuck for hours writing a grammar tutorial. My
thoughtfully curated workspace does not always help me write at 100%. On these
occasions, I have to check-in with myself to figure out what’s going on. I ask
myself if I’m hungry, or cold, or under-caffeinated, but if these basic needs
have been met, then maybe something else is getting in my way. I could be stressed
about another project or distracted by a personal matter. If this is the case,
I actually step away from my writing space. I may take my dogs for a walk or
head to the gym. I find that if I move to a completely different location, I
can usually clear my head. On days where I am just stuck, and the only things I
can control are my actions and thoughts, walking away from my writing and my
desk helps keep my workspace a positive, productive place.
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| A Writing Space of One's Own |
Share your writing space with us!
I hope sharing my writing space with you inspires you to
create (or return) to your own mindful spot. Do you have a special nook set up
in your home? Or, do you hunker down in your local coffee shop? Please share
pictures of your writing space with us on our Facebook page, or describe your
writing space for us in the comments below!
Tasha Sookochoff is a writing instructor in the Walden University Writing Center. Along with earning degrees from the University of Wisconsin, Stout and Depaul University, Tasha has written documentation for the U.S. House of Representatives that increases government transparency, blogged for DePaul University, copy-edited the Journal of Second Language Writing, tutored immigrants and refugees at literacy centers, and taught academic writing to college students.
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