How many Sources should be used in a Research Paper
On the basis of the length of paper, degree level, and topic, the number of sources you should utilize in a research paper is determined. As a means to assist you, we suggest a common instruction:
Suggested Number of Sources by Paper Kind & Length
| Paper Length | Ideal Number of Sources |
| 3–5 pages (short essay) | 3–8 sources |
| 5–7 pages (typical undergrad paper) | 8–15 sources |
| 8–10 pages | 15–20 sources |
| 15–20 pages (senior thesis, major paper) | 20–30 sources |
| Graduate-level thesis or journal article | 30–100+ sources |
Aspects That Impact Source Count
- Kind of Research
- Literature review: Since encompassing extensive perceptions, it requires numerous sources (20+).
- Experimental or data-driven study: It requires major fundamental and recent works but less in number.
- Field
- Humanities and Social Sciences: In order to develop statements with various perceptions, these domains aim to utilize several sources.
- STEM fields: Generally, on smaller, high-efficiency papers (current and peer-reviewed), it is highly dependent.
- Assignment Necessities
- It is significant to examine whether a certain instruction is offered by our journal or mentor (For instance., “Utilize at least 10 scholarly sources”).
The number of sources to be employed in a research paper could vary significantly on the basis of the topic, level of degree, and length of paper. Through this article, we suggest the number of sources based on kind and length of paper. As well as some aspects which impact the count of sources are provided by us explicitly.
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