What are signal phrases and how do I use them in citations?
Answer
A signal phrase is a set of words that introduces a quote or paraphrase. It includes the author's last name along with a "signal" term that means "stated." Signal phrases are an important part of narrative citations. A narrative citation is a citation where the author's name is incorporated into the text as part of the sentence, with the year following in parentheses."
The basic elements of a narrative citation are:
- The author's last name
- The year of publication in (brackets) following the author's name
- A signal phrase that indicates the author is speaking
- For direct quotes, the page or paragraph number in (brackets) following the quote
Example - paraphrasing:
Kenney (2020) indicated that while outcomes similar to Italy and Spain are still possible, Alberta has done a relatively good job at containing the virus.
Example - direct quote:
Visser (2011) acknowledged that "it would be misleading to suggest that philanthropy emerged purely as a Western Tradition" (p. 62).
Examples of possible verbs that can be used in signal phrases:
- Acknowledged
- Addressed
- Argued
- Asserted
- Assumed
- Claimed
- Commented
- Compared
- Concluded
- Confirmed
- Contradicted
- Declared
- Denied
- Discussed
- Disputed
- Emphasized
- Explained
- Insisted
- Noted
- Observed
- Reasoned
- Refuted
- Rejected
- Reported
- Stated
- Suggested
- Showed
- Stressed