Definition and descriptions in scholarly writing requires the use of scientific language and terminologies which in turn make the writing trustworthy to an academic readership.
Therefore, it is important to draw upon sources that -
Example
Blended learning has been broadly defined as any combination of "face-to-face teaching with computer technology" (Hockly, 2017, p. 97).
For the writer
This category of citation can be useful for providing accurate descriptions of the research context, and defining terminologies.
For the reader
Citing such sources for descriptions or definitions ensures the accuracy and credibility of the explanation.
Every subject has an expert or certain publications that have significantly contributed to its development. These citations help the researcher gain legitimacy by recognizing the foundational resources of the literature.
Example
Garrison and Kanuka’s (2004, p. 96) definition of blended learning as a “thoughtful integration” of in-person and computer-based technology that has been widely used in the literature (Hrastinski, 2019).
For the writer
This category of citations are useful for demonstrating an awareness of the literature and recognition of the important voices in it.
For the reader
The researcher should treat such citations as acknowledgement to the research that has come before them.
Narrowing the focus of the research topic is an exercise in identifying the problems in literature until the researcher arrives at the gap they seek to address. An important tool in such narrowing of focus by trimming the problem area is the resource that helps the researcher critique the literature to indicate what is lacking in other studies.
Examples
Despite the popularity of blended learning in the past two decades, there has been little research that has focused on defining what should be included in “thoughtful integration” in order to ensure a successful application of blended-learning in the classroom (Forkosh-Baruch et al., 2021).
For the writer
These sources help the writer develop an informed critique of the literature and by implication outline the gap that their study will fulfill.
For the reader
Such citations legitimize the writer's position in disagreeing with or critiquing certain studies.