What is a Citation?

A "citation" is the way you tell your readers that certain material in your work came from another source. It also gives your readers the information necessary to find that source again, including:

• Information about the author
• The title of the work
• The name and location of the company that published your copy of the source
• The date your copy was published
• The page numbers of the material you are borrowing

1. Why should I cite sources?

   Giving credit to the original author by citing sources is the only way to use other people's work without plagiarizing. But there are a number of other reasons to cite sources:

   • Citations are extremely helpful to anyone who wants to find out more about your ideas and where they came from.
   • Not all sources are good or right - your own ideas may often be more accurate or interesting than those of your sources. Proper citation will keep you from taking the rap for someone else's bad ideas.
   • Citing sources shows the amount of research you've done.
   • Citing sources strengthens your work by lending outside support to your ideas.

2. Doesn't citing sources make my work seem less original?

   No, on the contrary, citing sources actually helps your reader distinguish your ideas from those of your sources. This will actually emphasize the originality of your own work.

3. When do I need to cite?

   Whenever you borrow words or ideas, you need to acknowledge their source. The following situations almost always require citation:

   • Whenever you use quotes
   • Whenever you paraphrase
   • Whenever you use an idea that someone else has already expressed
   • Whenever you make specific reference to the work of another
   • Whenever someone else's work has been critical in developing your own ideas.

4. How do I cite sources?

   This depends on what type of work you are writing, how you are using the borrowed material, and the expectations of your instructor.

   First, you have to think about how you want to identify your sources.

   If your sources are very important to your ideas, you should mention the author and work in a sentence that introduces your citation. If, however, you are only citing the source to make a minor point, you may consider using parenthetical references, footnotes, or endnotes.

   There are also different forms of citation for different disciplines. For example, when you cite sources in a psychology paper you would probably use a different form of citation than you might in a paper for an English class.

Finally, you should always consult your instructor to determine the form of citation appropriate for your paper. You can save a lot of time and energy simply by asking, "How should I cite my sources," or "What style of citation should I use?" before you begin writing.