What Is a Citation?
Citing your sources is how to inform your readers that specific information in your work is from an outside source. It enables the reader to find that source again including general information such as:
- the author of the source
- the title of the work
- the name and location of the company that published the source
- the date the source was published
- the page numbers of the material you are borrowing
Why Cite Sources?
It is important for writers to cite sources:
- to prevent plagiarism and uphold academic integrity
- to recognize the work of others
- to provide authority to your work and to position your work in context
- to help future researchers and yourself easily locate sources