Q: How should I reference a book if I use several examples from other sources found in that book?
A book (let's call it B) I am reading and using as a source for my own book has several interesting examples taken from other sources. I want to use some of those examples and have been able to find the original sources. If I use those examples in my own book, basing my text on the original sources, should I explicitly state that I came across the examples in book B? After all, I wouldn't have found the examples had it not been for book B.
This is the primary source vs secondary source consideration. If you do indeed plan to cite those examples and have indeed found the original (primary) sources, you will need to cite them in a manner such as the following…
According to author X (as cited in Y, [year]), the…
You may find more details on this in this previous question asked by another researcher: Should I cite the primary sources if I have come across them in a secondary source?
Additionally, you may find this article useful: Citing books as a source of information
Finally, as you mentioned that you are writing a book, you may find these related queries of interest:
- Is it okay to turn research articles into a book?
- How should I go about writing a book based on my published article?
Hope that helps. All the best for your book!
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