Throughout the research process, you’ll likely use various types of sources. The source types commonly used in academic writing include:
Academic journals
Books
Websites
Newspapers
Encyclopaedias
The type of source you look for will depend on the stage you are at in the writing process. For preliminary research like definitions and broad overviews, you might consult an encyclopaedia or a website. For original insights or an in-depth analysis of your topic, you might consult scholarly books and journal articles.
Published on
2 September 2022
by
Eoghan Ryan.
Revised on
14 February 2023.
Loquacious is an adjective meaning ‘given to excessive talk’. Depending on the context, it can be used positively or negatively.
While loquacious is often used interchangeably with ‘talkative’, it can also have a more nuanced meaning. In some instances, it implies that the speaker is particularly articulate or eloquent in a way that ‘talkative’ does not.
Example: ‘Loquacious’ in a sentenceOn the topic of whales, Carmen is loquacious.
Jude, who’s usually quite aloof, was loquacious that afternoon.
At the party, I was stuck talking to the loquacious woman everyone else was trying to avoid.
Other interesting language articles
If you want to know more about commonly confused words, definitions, and differences between US and UK spellings, make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations, examples, and quizzes.
Published on
2 September 2022
by
Eoghan Ryan.
Revised on
2 December 2022.
Mea culpa is an interjection meaning ‘through my fault’. It can also be used as a noun referring to an admission of guilt.
‘Mea culpa’ originates from a prayer of confession in the Catholic Church, but it’s now used in a more general sense to admit that something was your fault or to refer to a formal acknowledgment of wrongdoing.
Examples: ‘Mea culpa’ in a sentenceMea culpa! I accidentally broke your favorite cup.
The governor’s mea culpa in response to the funding scandal seemed insincere.
The magazine issued a mea culpa for their slanderous statements about the deputy prime minister.
Published on
1 September 2022
by
Eoghan Ryan.
Revised on
3 October 2023.
Vice versa is an adverb meaning ‘the other way around’.
It’s used to indicate that a statement is also true if the order is reversed. For example, in the sentence ‘we should be respectful of our neighbors, and vice versa’, it suggests that the statement is also true the other way around (i.e., ‘our neighbors should be respectful of us’).
Examples: ‘Vice versa’ in a sentenceSam hates her boss, and vice versa.
When I’m sad I eat too much, and vice versa.
We can go to the cinema and then for dinner, or vice versa.
All cats are animals, but not vice versa.
Vice versa is a term of Latin origin (like ‘ad nauseam‘ and ‘et al.‘), but it has been used in the English language for hundreds of years, so it doesn’t need to be italicised. It also should not be hyphenated (‘vice-versa’), and the spelling ‘vice a versa’ is incorrect.
Published on
1 September 2022
by
Eoghan Ryan.
Revised on
7 November 2024.
Indubitably is an adverb meaning ‘certainly’ or ‘without doubt’. It’s related to the adjective ‘indubitable’.
The word is quite rare in modern English and comes across as very formal. It is most commonly used as an interjection in instances where someone is affecting snobbishness or being facetious.
Its opposite, ‘dubitably’, is even rarer.
Examples: ‘Indubitably’ in a sentenceKarim is indubitably a charming man.
The actress is indubitably talented.
Hard work will indubitably pay off!
Indubitably!
A Scribbr Grammar Check can help ensure you use words like ‘indubitably’ correctly in your writing.
Published on
1 September 2022
by
Eoghan Ryan.
Revised on
7 November 2024.
Eponymous is an adjective used to describe a person or thing after which something is named (such as an inventor, discoverer, creator, or founder). It can also be used to describe the thing itself that has been named after someone or something.
In literary contexts, ‘eponymous’ is often used to describe works that have been named after their protagonist (e.g., Jane Eyre).
Examples: ‘Eponymous’ in a sentenceThe Victorian era includes the full reign of the eponymous Queen Victoria.
Edmund Halley was the first to calculate the orbit of the eponymous Halley’s comet.
Don Quixote is the eponymous hero of Miguel de Cervantes’s famous novel.
Led Zeppelin’s eponymous debut album is seen as a landmark in hard rock.
A Scribbr Grammar Check can help ensure you use words like ‘eponymous’ correctly in your writing.
Published on
30 August 2022
by
Eoghan Ryan.
Revised on
7 November 2024.
Facetious is an adjective meaning ‘inappropriately humorous’. It can also be used in a less negative way to mean ‘amusing’ or, more negatively, to describe someone as ‘treating serious issues lightly’.
Examples: ‘Facetious’ in a sentenceHelena doesn’t like Leo because he made a facetious remark at her wedding.
Throughout the meeting, Noah kept making facetious comments.
I wasn’t being facetious when I said I liked your sense of style.
A Scribbr Grammar Check can help ensure you use words like ‘facetious’ correctly in your writing.
Published on
30 August 2022
by
Eoghan Ryan.
Revised on
10 October 2022.
Judgment and judgement are two different spellings of the noun for the act of forming an opinion, the ability to form an opinion, and the opinion itself. It’s also used to refer to a formal legal decision made by a court.
The spelling varies based on whether you’re writing UK or US English.
In US English, ‘judgment’ (no ‘e’) is the only correct spelling.
In UK English, ‘judgement’ (with an ‘e’) is standard, but ‘judgment’ is used in legal contexts.
Examples: ‘Judgment’ and ‘judgement’ in a sentenceI always listen to Lily’s advice because she has good judgment/judgement.
Carol made a hasty judgment/judgementof Meera’s character.
Andrew sometimes wishes he had better judgment/judgement.
Published on
29 August 2022
by
Eoghan Ryan.
Revised on
20 October 2022.
Protagonist is a noun meaning ‘principal character in a fictional work’. It can also be used more broadly to refer to the main participants in a real-life event. And it can be used to refer to the leader of a cause or a supporter of an idea, though this meaning is less common.
The word ‘protagonist’ comes from an ancient Greek term for an actor who plays the main role in a drama. In fiction, a protagonist is traditionally a heroic figure, opposed by a hostile antagonist.
Examples: ‘Protagonist’ in a sentenceAn interesting protagonist should overcome obstacles and grow as a character.
A story can have multiple protagonists.
The protagonists of the Hundred Years’ War were France and England.
