Academic research
Academic research and citation
Start researching Islamic and Arabic sources with a focused question. Learn to select references, compare editions and record citations.
How to get started
Narrow the question
Define the term, period and type of material. Write down the claim you want to substantiate or compare.
Consult the source
Start with the text or edition you plan to cite. Compare it with a commentary where helpful, and record the edition and passage location.
Document your reasoning
Separate quotations from your analysis. Check who made the claim and reread the passage in context.
A practical citation template
Record the author, title, editor if applicable, publisher, edition and year, volume and page. For digital sources, add the URL and access date. Include the shelfmark when citing a manuscript.
Articles and publications