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FYS: Erasing History 2021: Citation: The Basics

Citation: 2 Types

IN-TEXT CITATION: WITHIN YOUR PAPER

As you write, you will create citations in the text of your paper, to let the reader know when you are using someone else's thoughts.

Some styles use footnotes, other styles use endnotes or parenthetical citations (see citation styles).

BIBLIOGRAPHY/SOURCES CITED: AT THE END

At the end of your paper, you'll provide a complete list of all of the sources you used to write it.

Include everything you used, whether you specifically quoted or cited it in the text of your paper or not.

Depending on the citation style you're using, this may be called "Bibliography," "Works Cited," or "References."

What is citation?

WHAT IS A CITATION?

A citation provides the reader with information about your sources, to help the reader find them. Citations usually include such elements as:

  • title
  • author
  • who published it
  • when was it published

Image used with permission from Hannon Library at Loyola Marymount University http://libguides.lmu.edu/citations

When To Cite

CITE THE INFORMATION IF:

  • You use or describe specific information you have taken from a source
    (as Andrea del Verrocio's pupil Leonardo da Vinci studied in a collaborative environment, sometimes even working with Verrocio himself (Shneiderman, 112).)

  • You refer to a theory or idea from a source
    (Shneiderman believes that collaborative learning increases positive outcomes(224).

  • You  include any image (picture, table, graph) from a source.

YOU DON'T NEED TO CITE IF:

  • The information you use is common knowledge
    (There are two main types of elephants, Asian and African).

  • The information you use can be easily found and verified by most people
    (Abraham Lincoln was 56 years old when he was assassinated) 

Still not sure? Check out this page on how to avoid plagiarism.

Excelsior Online Writing Lab (OWL)

https://owl.excelsior.edu/

Support for student writers: interactive multimedia activities, quizzes, videos, interactive PDFs, and games – all designed to help writers understand important concepts about writing.

Topics: 

  • The Writing Process
  • Research
  • Citation & Documentation
  • Rhetorical Styles
  • Argument & Critical Thinking
  • Online Writing & Presentations
  • Grammar Essentials
  • Avoiding Plagiarism
  • ESL Writing Online Workshop
  • Writing in the Disciplines

Why Cite Sources?