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*EDUC 1030: Intro to the Library and Research Sources*

  • Introduction to the LibraryToggle Dropdown
    • Available from the Library
    • Getting Help
  • Finding SourcesToggle Dropdown
    • Types of Sources
    • Choosing Keywords
    • Using the Online Library Catalog
    • The Databases
  • Evaluating Sources
  • Citing Sources
    • Plagiarism

Citing Sources

What does it matter?

Honesty and integrity are key characteristics of a good student and a good citizen.  By citing your sources, you are showing others that you are using information ethically, and you are giving credit to those whose ideas and words you borrow.  You will read more about this in the plagiarism section of this module.  In addition, any sources you cite in the body of your paper or project should appear in your list of sources at the end, either on a Works Cited page or a References page. 

 

What do I need to cite?

Any time you use the words or ideas of another, you need to give credit by using a citation.  This includes direct quotes and  paraphrasing.  If you turn in a paper with a list of sources, but nothing in the text indicates that you have borrowed from someone else, that is a form of plagiarism.

 

Where do I cite my sources?

This is an area where many students have problems.  It is not enough to just include the source in your list of References or Works Cited.  You also need to use in-text citation within your writing.  Someone reading your paper or project should be able to tell whether what you are writing is your own or borrowed.  When you use someone else's thoughts, words, or information, you need to alert the reader.  Not only does this give credit to the source, but it also gives the reader a way to find the original.  In-text citation points the reader to the appropriate source in your list of works cited.

Sometimes you can include the information within the writing, such as "According to so and so..., " "So and so tells us...," or any number of other variations.  Other times, you will include the information about the sources at the end of the borrowed material.  The specifics of how you do this will vary depending on the specific style you are using.  View the resources below about in-text citation to learn more about how to format these citations in both MLA and APA styles.

 

What style should I use?

Always check your assignment and course information to see if there is a specific style your teacher requires.  Sometimes you are given a choice of styles.  If this is the case, I recommend sticking with the same one throughout your course, or use one that is required in your other courses or major discipline.  The two styles you will encounter most often are MLA and APA. 

 

In the sections below, you will find resources to help you with citation in both MLA and APA.

 

MLA Style
 

How to Write MLA Citations, 9th Edition

McMaster Libraries. How Library Stuff Works - How to Write MLA Citations, 9th Edition. YouTube.

 

Citing Journal Articles in MLA 9th Edition

Josh Vossler. MLA Citation Style 9th edition HD. YouTube.

  • MLA Citation Guide
    The MLA Citation Guide provides examples of citations for most types of sources you will use, as well as formatting guidelines for the entire paper.
  • Purdue OWL - MLA Formatting
  • MLA In-Text Citations: The Basics
    In MLA Style, referring to the works of others in your text is done using parenthetical citations. This method involves providing relevant source information in parentheses whenever a sentence uses a quotation or paraphrase.

APA Style

How to Write APA Citations

McMaster Libraries. How Library Stuff Works: How to Write APA Citations. YouTube. Creative Commons Attribution license (reuse allowed)

 

 

  • APA Citation Guide
    The APA Citation Guide provides examples of citations for most types of sources you will use, as well as formatting guidelines for the entire paper.
  • Purdue OWL: APA Formatting and Style Guide
    Contains resources on in-text citation and the References page, as well as APA sample papers, slide presentations, and the APA classroom poster.
  • Official APA Style blog
    Provides clarification and corrections related to information in the APA manual.
  • APA In-Text Citations: The Basics
    When using APA format, follow the author-date method of in-text citation. This means that the author's last name and the year of publication for the source should appear in the text, like, for example, (Jones, 1998). One complete reference for each source should appear in the reference list at the end of the paper.
  • APA In-Text Citations: Author/Authors
    Though the APA's author-date system for citations is fairly straightforward, author categories can vary significantly from the standard "one author, one source" configuration. There are also additional rules for citing authors of indirect sources, electronic sources, and sources without page numbers.
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  • Last Updated: Apr 28, 2025 10:37 AM
  • URL: https://library.northeaststate.edu/c.php?g=1250915
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