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Citing Sources: Home

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Getting Started

What is a citation?
A citation is a description of someone's work (books, articles, speeches, graphs, papers, picture, etc.) that includes, at minimum, the author or creator, title, publisher information, and date of publication or creation.  Citations are a way to give credit to individuals for their creative and intellectual work that you used to support your research.  Citations are also used by others to locate the sources referenced within your work. 

 

Why should I cite my sources?

  • Gives credit to the author or creator of the original source material used.
  • Provides your reader with where they can locate additional information. 
  • Avoids plagiarizing other's work. 
  • Provides valid support for your arguments made. 

 

What style should I use?
Different academic disciplines use different citation styles.  To choose the correct citation style, ask your professor which style to use. 

Citation: A (Very) Brief Introduction

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