Citing Sources
Why Cite?
A citation is a referral to an information source. It is usually provided as a combination of title, author, date and location (e.g. URL or DOI). Citing your sources is the best way to avoid plagiarism. Plagiarism can be deliberate – knowingly using someone else’s work as your own. It can also be inadvertent. Sometimes, plagiarism accusations are simply the result of not following a specific style properly. The specific citation style you are using will dictate the details. For more information about citation styles, see The Learning Portal’s Building Citations page.
Why is Citing Important?
What is a Citation Style?
You will need to learn which citation style your instructor(s) A citation style is a set of rules that specifies the format and content of a citation. Each style outlines a set of rules for authors to follow. Adherence to the rules is required to make a correct citation. Most academic disciplines have a preferred style, but the style you should use is usually specified by the instructor or noted in the assignment guidelines.
Developing Your Citation Skills
5 Ways to Learn to Cite Like a Pro!
1. Know your style
Know the citation style that your instructor wants you to use (e.g. APA, MLA, etc.). Learn more on The Learning Portal’s Citation Styles page.
2. Get into the habit
Make a habit of tracking your sources as you do your research. You need a title, author, publication, date, URL, etc. (take notes, take screenshots, bookmark links when you can, etc.)
3. Manage your time
When you give yourself lots of time to do your research and writing (or creating your presentation, or any other assignment that requires research), you are less likely to plagiarize because you will not be rushing to get the research done quickly.
4. Learn the difference between how to use direct quotes and paraphrases.
A paraphrase restates information from a source in your own words. A direct quote is a word-for-word copy of a phrase, sentence, or paragraph from an information source.
5. Take advantage of citation generators.
Citation generators create the rough draft of a citation, and then you just need to double-check it against the trusted citation guide. Learn more on The Learning Portal’s page on Citation Tools.
Review
Answer the questions below to check your understanding of some key points about citing sources.
Helpful Resources
APA Style (7th Edition), Centennial College Libraries
Attributions
Text Attributions
- This chapter was adapted from Why Cite? by The Learning Portal. Licensed under a CC BY NC 4.0 licence.
