4. Citing Your Sources
Why cite?
The proper citation of sources is how scholars acknowledge the work of earlier scholars. Ideally, citation provides a method for tracking down the research of others by providing information about the original source so it can be easily found. Citations typically include things like article titles, journal titles, authors, dates, and publication information.
The purpose is to make the original source of any information you reference easily findable by others and also to give credit when you use the original ideas of others. This is our responsibility as researchers. Citation also allows you to avoid plagiarism. Most every educational institution has some sort of academic integrity policy that outlines a student’s responsibilities as a researcher.
The three most common citation styles at Polk State College are MLA, APA, and Chicago. If you are unsure of which citation style to use, consult your professor.
From NCSU Libraries
Links to an external site.
What is MLA?
MLA style is commonly used in English Composition and Literature courses. MLA is an acronym for Modern Language Association.
MLA Style Online Guides
- MLA Formatting and Style Guide (Purdue University OWL)
Links to an external site.
Be sure to check out the sample paper and Works Cited page!
- MLA Basics (Excelsior Online Writing Lab) Links to an external site.
MLA Handbook (8th edition)
Call Number: LB2369 .G53 2016
What is APA?
APA style is often used for writing in the fields of psychology, business, communications, education, nursing, and social sciences. APA stands for the American Psychological Association.
*In October 2019, APA released a new update to the APA Publication Manual. The most recent edition is the seventh, but some Polk State instructors may be using the sixth edition. Double-check which edition your professor prefers.*
APA Style Online Guides
- Basics of 7th Edition APA Style tutorial (official)
- APA Style and Grammar Guidelines-7th edition (official)
- Learning APA Style-6th edition (official)
- APA Style (Excelsior Online Writing Lab)
- APA Formatting and Style Guide-7th edition (Purdue University OWL)
Be sure to check out the sample paper!
APA Publication Manual (7th edition)
What is Chicago?
Chicago Style is unique in that it includes two documentation systems. The first is known as the notes and bibliography style and is more often used in the fields of arts and humanities. The second is the author-date system, used more often in the natural sciences.
Chicago Style Online Guides
- Chicago Style/Turabian for Students (tipsheets and tutorials)
-
Chicago Manual of Style (Purdue University OWL)Be sure to check out the sample paper!
Chicago Style Guide Book (17th edition)
