Citing Sources: Introduction

From PhillipsWiki

Citations can seem confusing at first, but there are three important reasons you should use them:

1. Avoiding Plagiarism -- Presenting another person's ideas and writings (no matter what the source) is extremely dishonest and constitutes plagiarism.
2. Providing Authority -- Using other people's ideas helps show support for your thinking and writing.
3. Tracing your Research -- Showing your reader what sources you used allows them to check your research. this is an important step in the academic process.

Contents 1 Introduction to the Citing Sources 2 Citation Styles 2.1 MLA 2.2 Chicago/Turabian 3 Additional Resources 3.1 In-Text Citations 3.2 Works Cited List 3.3 Citation Tools

Introduction to the Citing Sources

Documenting your sources (aka the citation process) can be broken down into two main steps:

• Referencing your sources as you write -- Typically this is done using footnotes, endnotes, or an -"in-text" (parenthetical) style.
• Constructing a Bibliography -- Providing your readers with a list of all the works you used in [putting together your project/paper.

Remember that the two steps work together. If you have a footnote or in-text citation to a particular source -- it should appear in your bibliography (and vice-versa).

citation styles you will use, will help determine you will need to decide if you are going to use footnotes/endnotes (Chicago/Turabian), or the parenthetical are The first occurs as you are writing where you will need to use footnotes (or endnotes) or in-text citations (parenthetical style). The second step is the construction of your bibliography. These two steps are meant to be and Use this Wikiguide to help you navigate the different #Citation Types and #Citation Styles

Citation Styles

The subject of your paper/project usually determines the citation style you will use. You should always check with your teaqcher to see if s/he has a preferred style for your paper/project.

MLA

This is a good option if you are unsure which one to use or your teacher did not specify. It is typically associated with English.

Chicago/Turabian

The style most associated with history and the humanities.

Additional Resources

The websites listed below are an excellent sources for more information.

In-Text Citations

• Diana Hacker's guide to Citing Sources - An easy to use, comprehensive resource from the author of the Writer's Reference.
• The OWL at Purdue's MLA Guide to In-Text citations -- Make sure you scroll all the way to the bottom for more information on citing sources and preparing your Works Cited List.
• The University of Wisconsin at Madison's guide to In-text citations using MLA

Works Cited List

• Diana Hacker's guide to Citing Sources - Diana Hacker also includes an excellent section on preparing the works cited list.
• University of Wisconsin at Madison guide to the Works Cited List - In Addition to the examples, there is also a guide to formatting your works cited list.
• Long Island University's Guide to MLA Style - This color-coded guide has many examples for the different sources listed in a works cited list.

Citation Tools

• The Landmark Project's Citation Machine This tool, although not perfect, will produce citations in the proper format when you enter the citation elements (author, title, etc...)
• RefWorks RefWorks is a bibliographic management tool that helps you organize and format your citations. It works with many of the databases that the OWHL purchases. Click here for an A to Z list of databases. In order to use it, you will need to open a free account. See a librarian for additional help.