Citing resources
9 October 2024 2024-10-11 13:28Citing resources
What is a citation?
A citation is a way to indicate within your text that you have used words, ideas, data, images, or other content from another source. It provides a brief reference to a published work (such as a book, article, chapter, or website) and helps readers find the original material. Citations are usually listed in bibliographies, reference lists, and article or book databases.
A typical citation includes key details needed to identify and locate the source, such as:
Author(s), Titles of books, articles, or journals, Publication date, Page numbers an Volume and issue numbers (for journal articles)
Why is citing important?
Citing sources in your research is essential for several reasons:
– It demonstrates that you’ve conducted thorough research by listing the sources that informed your work.
– It shows scholarly integrity by giving proper credit to other researchers and acknowledging their contributions.
– It helps you avoid plagiarism by clearly referencing the words and ideas borrowed from others.
– It allows readers to locate the original sources you used by providing accurate citations through footnotes, a bibliography, or a reference list.
What to cite
You should cite:
– Facts, figures, ideas, or any information that is not considered common knowledge.
– Ideas, words, theories, or specific language that someone else has used in their work.
– Sources that need to be cited include books, book chapters, articles, web pages, theses, and more.
If you’re using someone else’s exact words, make sure to quote and cite them to give proper credit.
Citation Styles
Different academic organizations and disciplines have their own specific guidelines for citing sources and formatting research papers. You may have come across or used some of these citation styles before.
Here are both print and online style guides that provide examples for citing sources within your paper and in a bibliography or reference list:
ACS: American Chemical Society
Quick Guide: ACS Citation Style from McGill University
APA: American Psychological Association (Social Sciences)
APA Formatting and Style Guide
CMS: Chicago Manual of Style (Various Subjects)
Chicago-Style Citation Quick Guide
Chicago Style from Southern New Hampshire University
MLA: Modern Language Association (Humanities)
MLA Formatting and Style Guide
IEEE: Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (Engineering)
How to Cite References: IEEE Documentation Style from IEEE
