What minimum percentage of the total writing for a documented paper (research paper) should be your own words in other than quoted material from sources.

Answer 1

It is generally recommended that at least 70-80% of the total writing in a documented paper should be in your own words, with the remaining 20-30% consisting of direct quotes or paraphrased material from sources. It is important to maintain a balance between including information from sources to support your ideas and arguments, while also showcasing your own analysis, interpretation, and synthesis of the topic. Over-reliance on direct quotes can make the paper seem like a collection of disjointed pieces from different sources, rather than a cohesive and original piece of writing.