Citing sources is a way to credit the sources you use to inform your academic work. Citation helps you support your own ideas with evidence and previous research and make connections between your ideas and those of others. Use clear references and citations to indicate from whom the ideas come.
Avoid inserting source information without adding your own analysis; instead include your own voice and your own analysis and ideas. You will likely want to include sources which are are in agreement AND in disagreement with your own views. This way you can recognize and respond to multiple perspectives on the given issue. In doing so, you can make your own argument stronger.
When you use sources to think and write about a topic, you will almost always need to cite those sources following a specific citation style. Below are guides for the most common citation styles. We note below which style different disciplines (majors) most commonly use but you should always double-check your assignment to see what format your professor requires.
It is interesting to note that the citation formats have big differences that highlight what the different disciplines value. Please note that many formats require a "hanging indent" in the reference list or bibliography page. In Microsoft Word, you can create a "hanging indent" under the Paragraph menu options. In Google Docs you can find this feature under Format --> Align & Indent --> Indentation Options --> Special.
In-text citations are included in the main body of a text in APA, APSA, and MLA styles. They are NOT used in Turabian. They usually appear in the following contexts:
For more detailed information, please see the Purdue Online Writing Lab on Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing
A reference list (sometimes called a bibliography or works cited page) appears at the end of a written text. It includes the full citations for all referenced sources. Each style has different rules for how entries should be formatted in a list at the end of your paper. Make sure you follow the rules for the style you are required to use.
Using the components below will help you integrate sources into your writing.
Contact the UWG Writing Center for more in-depth help with integrating sources.