Citation Guides and Management Tools Guide — Overview

Whenever you quote, paraphrase, summarize, or otherwise refer to the work of another, you must cite the source.

Your citations are like your paper's family tree. They show the difference between the ideas of others that you are responding to, and your own originality. Citation helps to clearly document the research you have done on your topic, and is very useful as you evaluate evidence and respond to the work of others.

Citations:

• Give credit where credit is due
• Allow your readers to verify your research
• Help your readers situate your ideas within a scholarly conversation
• Allow you to strengthen your argument by properly introducing evidence
• Help you avoid plagiarism

If you have any questions about citations, you can use the Ask a Librarian Chat for help.