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Why Is It Important That I Cite My Sources Accurately?

Documentating your sources in the form of citations is important because:

Citations help others find the information that you used.
They help establish the credibility of your own research.
They connect your work to the work of other scholars.
It is one way that scholars enter into a dialogue with each other.
It is a way to honor and acknowledge the work of others who have made your own research possible.

Where Do I Cite Sources in My Research Paper?

Citations are usually found in two places:

1. In-text citation - Placed within or next to the sentence or paragraph where you quoted or referred to the source.
  • It always notes the author's name(s), if known.
  • Each citation format (MLA, APA, CSE, or another format) has its own requirements for what needs to go into the in-text citation.
  • The in-text citation is brief and often contains just two elements.
2. Works cited page - Placed at the end of your paper, it is an alphabetized list of each source you cited in the body of your paper.
  • The format of this page is specific to the formatting style your instructor assigns: MLA, APA, CSE, or another format.
  • Each citation will contain enough information for your reader to find a copy of your exact source.
  • Each in-text citation must appear on this page.