Why Cite Sources
You must always cite the information you use in a paper or project. There are many reasons for citing sources beyond your instructor's requirements for the project:
- It allows the reader to verify sources for themselves.
- It boosts credibility and support for your arguments.
- It gives credit to the author or source of the work.
- It helps you avoid plagiarism.
Styles & Formats
Academic papers are written using standard formatting rules, or style guides. There are different style guides for different academic disciplines:
- MLA: Modern Language Association. MLA is most commonly used in the humanities.
- APA: American Psychological Association. APA is most commonly used in the social sciences and health fields.
- Chicago: University of Chicago. Chicago is most commonly used in historical research. It uses footnotes or endnotes instead of in-text citations.
- AMA: The American Medical Association (AMA) style is most commonly used in the health sciences and medical fields.
- CSE: The Council of Science Editors (CSE) Style Guide is most commonly used in the sciences.
Make sure you check with your faculty member or your course syllabus and use the citation format required for your assignment.
MLA Style
MLA (Modern Language Association) format is most commonly used to cite sources in the humanities. The following examples use MLA 9th edition.
More MLA Info - but not as detailed as website.
APA Style
APA (American Psychological Association) style is most commonly used to cite sources within the health and social sciences disciplines. The following examples use APA 7th edition.
More APA Info - but not as detailed as website.