Writing the Resource Box so it Makes People click
A resource box is a writing amenity on almost every article, essay, and blog. It's a vertically aligned sentence or two that offers an extensive list of sources and related recommendations. As the author of said article, you are responsible for these bytes to incite further research because people won't take the initiative themselves. In this post, I'll give you all the pointers on how to write an effective resource box that will make people click.
Writing the [Proper] Resource Boxes
So the resource box is usually placed at the end of the article with a section heading, subheading, and a resource box. The resources are listed in bullet format. And this is how it's done:
The BBC Style Guide provides some good pointers on what to do and what not to do:
"Bold references [author, title, page and publisher details] for 'first mention'. Use italics for subsequent mentions. ... If you refer to a source in your copy but want to keep it discreet, use something like 'Author interview' or 'Author interview 2006' rather than naming the person. ... Also, it is important to include an 'About the author' line in your resource list. This tells the reader a little about the specialist knowledge/expertise of the writer of these references."
The Punctuation Style Guide of The Guardian says:
"In general, place commas and full stops inside brackets. Never follow italicised words with a comma. There are exceptions: see below. ... If there is more than one entry in a bracketed reference, separate each one with a semicolon (or a colon for titles). ... Titles of books follow their authors' names: David Gilmour [author]; A Marriage made in Heaven [title]. For articles or chapters see below. ... When a source is first mentioned, it should be bold. ... If you refer to the source in your copy but want to keep it discreet, use something like 'Author interview' or 'Author interview 2006' rather than naming the person."
The Chicago Manual of Style provides this advice:
"Place commas and periods [or colons] outside parentheses (unless they are part of a series within parentheses). Place question marks and exclamation points inside parentheses."
The Art of Writer's Resource Box from OWL at Purdue University suggests that you "Always give full and complete bibliographical information for each reference cited" and also provides this tip: "Use an online journal search engine for locating papers in hard-to-find journals. ... The Google Scholar search engine searches almost a billion publications, including technical reports, working papers, and books in addition to journal articles. ... Google Scholar search results are ordered by their publication date and article relevance. Use the Advanced Search options to give yourself more control over your results."
It's important to rephrase quotes and synonyms used throughout the article so that you don't keep repeating the same words. It's also good for SEO purposes.
Sources for Resource Boxes
When writing a resource box, don't provide just any source. Be selective of which ones you want to use because some are more credible than others; not all sources are equal or suitable for this type of citation. Here are some recommended sources:
Articles written by the same author with the same expertise, or that cover the same topic
Book chapters written by the same author with the same expertise
Books written by the same or a similar author with a similar background or credential
Journals published by organizations that you've been an active member for many years and have trained under
Academic papers published in specialist journals It is also desirable to include any other resources that are relevant and not just plain books. Websites, blogs, case studies, and industry publications are all good sources.
What to Write in a Resource Box?
This is your chance to tell readers honestly about who you are and about why they should read what you have to say. Use the resources you have to back up your ideas. Don't overuse them; but do use them whenever possible.
There are three big questions that need answering in a resource box.
What is the author's expertise on this topic?
How is this book different from all other books on the topic?
What did readers write about in their reviews of this book?
You can also ask readers to share their own recommendations or feedback directly via social media using Twitter, Facebook, and blogs. And lastly, consider whether or not to include any links, e-mail addresses, or phone numbers.
Which Resource Box Should You Use: APA, MLA or Chicago?
All three styles are widely accepted in academia, but I personally prefer to follow the Chicago Manual of Style because it offers more detail. Most of my resources have been listed according to this style; even when I used APA or MLA, I've always modified them to follow the same pattern. In most cases, you can use these three styles interchangeably; but professional writers usually stick with one and consistent their sources with it.
I've provided an example resource box below which follows all the rules mentioned above:
Author Name (Year of publication). Title. [Type of medium]. Retrieved from http://www.eijunningcompany.com.au/blog/2006/2/12/how-to-write-an-effective-resource-box
What is a Citation in a Research Paper?
A citation, often called a bibliography, is a list of references used in your text. It's used to support the evidence and arguments you have presented in your research paper or book chapters. Citations are generally source- and page number specific, but most are also keyword or title focused. Citations should be incorporated into your research papers at the end of each chapter, or whenever needed for easy access at any given time during the writing process.
If you want to know where an idea originated, look in your citations and see where it was quoted by another source. Style guides will tell you to put this information in a Works Cited list at the end of your work.
How Long Should Your Cited References Be?
Most style guides suggest that the longest citation should be no more than seventeen words long, including all punctuation. Some even say ten words or less! Although there is a lot of variation, most academics have settled on thirteen words as length restriction limit. It can also depend on what type of citation it is: an article or noun is likely to be shorter than a verb, etymology, name of a country, or word spelled incorrectly.
Conclusion
Resources in writing papers are important as they help to give you confidence, clarity, and also offer ideas and inspiration. But if you forget to put them in your papers, then plagiarism is totally okay because you have already found the sources for them. Just change a few words or phrases and make a citation. When it comes to writing business research papers, instead of the other way round; academic referencing is important as it keeps plagiarism out of research paper projects. You can easily place your references with the help of APA guidelines or MS Word referencing tools in that way; it's simple and easy to use.