Academic writing requires the citing of sources used, both in the body of the paper (referred to as "in-text citations") and in a list at the end of the paper (referred to as a bibliography, reference list, or works cited page).
What style should I use?
There are several citation styles, and the one to use depends on the discipline in which you are writing. Thus, you might use APA style for a paper in psychology and MLA style for a paper in your English class. The tabs on this page contain resources that explain the importance of citation, as well as the various citation styles, the disciplines which use them, and how to format each style.
If you are unsure which citation style you should use for a specific paper, check the syllabus for that course and/or ask your professor.
What information should I cite?
- Direct quotes - Always cite when you use someone else's exact words.
- A paraphrase or summary - Cite when you use someone else's ideas, even if you express them in your own words.
- Information which may be unfamiliar to your reader - Always consider your audience; even "common knowledge" should be cited if your reader might not be familiar with it.
- Statistics - Always cite the source of statistical information, so your reader can confirm it.
What sources should I cite?
Cite any source you that you use for information - books and articles, of course, but also interviews, websites, TV programs, and even tweets. Whenever you are not sure whether something should be cited, err on the side of caution, and cite your source.
To get started:
- Determine the citation style your instructor wants you to use (APA, MLA, etc.).
- Identify what type of document you are citing (book, book chapter, reference work entry, scholarly journal article, website, government document, etc.). For help with this, consult a reference librarian.
- Use the resources in this guide to find a sample citation for that document type and style.
