To know how many sources you need for a specific assignment, check the rubric or assignment description in your courseroom. Ask your instructor if you still need more information.

• As a general rule, initial courseroom discussion posts should have at least 1-2 sources, with as many of them being peer-reviewed as possible.
• The required number of sources for papers and other assignments will vary, so be sure to check the instructions in the courseroom for this information or ask your instructor if it is not available.
• Dissertations typically require 75-100 sources in the final product, but this may vary as well.

Beyond meeting the requirements of the assignment, there is no “magic number” for how many references you should have. Simply get your message across in the body of your text and include citations when necessary. A good paper or post may have 10-20 references, or it may have 2-3 references. It all depends on the content and the kind of assignment you are doing.