What Is Citation?
Citation involves properly crediting the authors of information sources used in a paper or presentation. Remember to cite not only text-based sources, but also images, video, and other media.
Different disciplines use certain citation styles. Use one of the style guides to the right for the citation guidelines you need.
Citing Sources
Always cite your sources. Follow these Quick Style Guides or the complete style manuals.
Quick Style Guides
Full Style Manuals
Most citation questions can be answered with the quick guides above. For more specific questions, refer to these full manuals, or consult a librarian.
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association by
A WALL STREET JOURNAL, USA TODAY, AND PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BESTSELLER - The newest official release of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Seventh Edition includes four different formats -- spiral-bound and tabbed, paperback, hardcover, and ebook, all of which are full-color. It is the official source for APA Style. With millions of copies sold worldwide in multiple languages, the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Seventh Edition is the style manual of choice for writers, researchers, editors, students, and educators in the social and behavioral sciences, natural sciences, nursing, communications, education, business, engineering, and other fields. Known for its authoritative, easy-to-use reference and citation system, the Publication Manual also offers guidance on choosing the headings, tables, figures, language, and tone that will result in powerful, concise, and elegant scholarly communication. It guides users through the scholarly writing process--from the ethics of authorship to reporting research through publication. The seventh edition is an indispensable resource for students and professionals to achieve excellence in writing and make an impact with their work. The seventh edition has been thoroughly revised and updated to reflect best practices in scholarly writing and publishing. All formats are in full color, with a new tabbed spiral version Improved ease of navigation, with many additional numbered sections to help users quickly locate answers to their questions Resources for students on writing and formatting annotated bibliographies, response papers, and other paper types as well as guidelines on citing course materials Dedicated chapter for new users of APA Style covering paper elements and format, including sample papers for both professional authors and student writers New chapter on journal article reporting standards that includes updates to reporting standards for quantitative research and the first-ever qualitative and mixed methods reporting standards in APA Style New chapter on bias-free language guidelines for writing about people with respect and inclusivity in areas including age, disability, gender, participation in research, race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and intersectionality More than 100 new reference examples covering periodicals, books, audiovisual media, social media, webpages and websites, and legal resources More than 40 new sample tables and figures Expanded guidance on ethical writing and publishing practices, including how to ensure the appropriate level of citation, avoid plagiarism and self-plagiarism, and navigate the publication process Guidelines that support accessibility for all users, including simplified reference, in-text citation, and heading formats as well as additional font options
Call Number: Wells Library - Undergraduate Services - Reference BF76.7 .P83 2010ISBN: 9781433832161Publication Date: 2019-10-01
MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers by Call Number: Wells Library - Undergraduate Services - Core Collection LB2369 .G53 2009ISBN: 9781603290241Publication Date: 2009-01-01
The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition by
Technologies may change, but the need for clear and accurate communication never goes out of style. That is why for more than one hundred years The Chicago Manual of Style has remained the definitive guide for anyone who works with words. In the seven years since the previous edition debuted, we have seen an extraordinary evolution in the way we create and share knowledge. This seventeenth edition of The Chicago Manual of Style has been prepared with an eye toward how we find, create, and cite information that readers are as likely to access from their pockets as from a bookshelf. It offers updated guidelines on electronic workflows and publication formats, tools for PDF annotation and citation management, web accessibility standards, and effective use of metadata, abstracts, and keywords. It recognizes the needs of those who are self-publishing or following open access or Creative Commons publishing models. The citation chapters reflect the ever-expanding universe of electronic sources--including social media posts and comments, private messages, and app content--and also offer updated guidelines on such issues as DOIs, time stamps, and e-book locators. Other improvements are independent of technological change. The chapter on grammar and usage includes an expanded glossary of problematic words and phrases and a new section on syntax as well as updated guidance on gender-neutral pronouns and bias-free language. Key sections on punctuation and basic citation style have been reorganized and clarified. To facilitate navigation, headings and paragraph titles have been revised and clarified throughout. And the bibliography has been updated and expanded to include the latest and best resources available. This edition continues to reflect expert insights gathered from Chicago's own staff and from an advisory board of publishing experts from across the profession. It also includes suggestions inspired by emails, calls, and even tweets from readers. No matter how much the means of communication change, The Chicago Manual of Style remains the ultimate resource for those who care about getting the details right.
Call Number: Wells Library - Undergraduate Services - Core Collection--Z253 .U69 2010ISBN: 9780226287058Publication Date: 2017-09-05
The Concise APA Handbook by
"Most students struggle with learning how to find references, use them effectively, and cite them appropriately in a required format. One of the most common formats is that of APA. The authors all have vast experience teaching writing courses to various levels of students from undergraduates to graduates in other countries. However, there was lacking a book that could explain the basics of APA in simple, easy-to-understand language for non-native speakers of English, who are often unfamiliar with using references and formatting an essay in a particular method. In order to offer English Learner student writers a source of information that is appropriate for their level, and is cost-effective, this updated APA 7th edition guidebook provides students with important information in clear, concise, user-friendly language, as well as to offer practical examples that will help them grasp the concept of secondary research writing. Much of the published materials on the market targets native speakers of English. The problem with this is that they present the nitpicky details of APA in ways that do not make sense to native speakers of English, let alone to those for whom English is not their first language, because the information is presented in very technical terms that are not easy to understand. This handbook presents the same information in simplified terms with images and step-by-step instructions in ways that make sense to both native and non-native English speaking student writers. Additionally, student writers often struggle with understanding the concept of plagiarism, as well as how to find sources, evaluate the appropriateness of sources, and use sources in effective ways (e.g., how to integrate quotes, when to paraphrase, among others). This book provides this important information that is concise and easy to understand."--
ISBN: 9781648021831Publication Date: 2021-02-01
MLA Citation Examples
In-Text Citations
Known Author: (Wordsworth 263)
Example: Romantic poetry is characterized by the "spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings" (Wordsworth 263).
Unknown Author: ("Impact of Global Warming" 6)
Example: [T]his region has "more readily accessible climatic data and more comprehensive programs to monitor and study environmental change . . ." ("Impact of Global Warming" 6).
Reference List
Electronic Journal Article
Dolby, Nadine. “Research in Youth Culture and Policy: Current Conditions and Future Directions.” Social Work and Society: The International Online-Only Journal 6.2 (2008): n. pag. Web. 20 May 2009.
Print Journal
Bagchi, Alaknanda. "Conflicting Nationalisms: The Voice of the Subaltern in Mahasweta Devi's Bashai Tudu." Tulsa Studies in Women's Literature 15.1 (1996): 41-50. Print.
Book
Gleick, James. Chaos: Making a New Science. New York: Penguin, 1987. Print.
*Examples taken from the Purdue OWL MLA Guide
Chicago Citation Examples
Footnote or Endnote
Books
Known Author:
William Faulkner, Absalom, Absalom! (New York: Vintage Books, 1990), 271.
Unknown Author:
Economies of Signs & Space (London: Sage Publications, 1994), 241-51.
Electronic Journals
Known Author:
Henry E. Bent, “Professionalization of the Ph.D. Degree,” College Composition and Communication 58, no. 4 (2007): 141, accessed December 5, 2008, http://www.jstor.org/stable/1978286.
Unknown Author:
“Professionalization of the Ph.D. Degree,” College Composition and Communication 58, no. 4 (2007): 141, accessed December 5, 2008, http://www.jstor.org/stable/1978286.
Reference List
Electronic Journal Article
Bent, Henry E. "Professionalization of the Ph.D. Degree.” College Composition and Communication 58, no. 4 (2007): 0-145. Accessed December 5, 2008. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1978286.
Print Journal
MacDonald, Susan Peck. “The Erasure of Language.” College Composition and Communication 58, no. 4 (2007): 585-625.
Book
Danziger, Susan. Slicing up the Pie: Getting a Bigger Half. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2004.
*Examples from the Purdue Owl Chicago Guide
Quoting vs. Paraphrasing
Many of your assignments require use of both direct quotes and paraphrases.
Both quotes and paraphrases must be cited.
Direct quotes are word-for-word quotations.
Cite them with quotation marks and an in-text citation.
e.g., The Gettyburg Address opens "Four score and seven years ago" (Lincoln, 1863, p. #).
Paraphrases restate someone else's ideas in your own words.
Cite with an in-text citation.
e.g., The Gettysburg Address opens by looking to past decades (Lincoln, 1863, p. #).
Citation Managers
Citation managers format references in the style you choose (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago).
IU students have free access to several citation managers (i.e., "bibliographic software").
NOTE: Always check the accuracy of citations created through these tools. They can be very helpful, but may make mistakes.
Citation Managers at IU