Citing Sources
What is Citing?
Citing is how you give credit to the sources you have used in your paper and avoid plagiarism. It allows other scholars (and your professor) to find those sources and verify your research.
When writing a paper, you MUST identify the source of any
- quotation
- facts
- idea or opinion that is not your own
What is a Citation Style?
A Citation style is a collection of guidelines used to make sure written papers follow a clear and consistent format. Some common elements of citation style are: headings, punctuation, presentation of numbers and statistics, construction of tables and figures and citation of references (Source: Official APA Website)
What Citation Style Should I Use?
Most disciplines have a specific citation style that they follow. If you are not sure, consult with your instructor to determine what citation style is required for your particular course.
Zotero
- Zotero
Zotero is a powerful organizational research tool. You can store, organize, and annotate sources within the interface. It also connects to MS word so you can automatically import your citations as you write. Reach out to a librarian for assistance getting started with Zotero.
Help with Common Citation Styles
- APA style (Excelsior OWL)This APA guide is maintained by the Online Writing Lab at Excelsior College.
- APA Style (Purdue OWL)This APA guide is maintained by the Online Writing Lab at Purdue University.
- MLA style (Excelsior OWL)This MLA guide is maintained by the Online Writing Lab at Excelsior College.
- MLA Style (Purdue OWL)This MLA guide is maintained by the Online Writing Lab at Purdue University.
- JWM Style (for FWLD)FWLD students frequently use the style guide of the Journal of Wildlife Management. Visit this guide for guidance and examples.