Why Cite?

• Avoid plagiarism
• Give proper credit to the information you use
• Allow readers to find your sources
• Avoid serious academic consequences

Determine Citation Styles

• Commonly used citing styles include APA, MLA, and Chicago. [Details]
• Many journals have their own preferred citation styles.
• Check the “Author Instructions” of the journal to find the citation style required.

Use a Citation Manager to manage your citations and cite while you write!

• Put your references into the citing style automatically by using a citation manager such as EndNote or Zotero. 

There are several types of manuals for writing research papers. Known as style guides, they include (but are not limited to) MLA (Modern Language Association) and APA (American Psychological Association). Check with your professor to find out which specific style guidelines s/he wants you to follow when writing your paper.  As you format your paper and bibliography, you may want to consult one of the resources below or these Research Guides.