Shane Landrum, Florida International University, explains how and why historians use footnotes. Many of these concepts are applicable to other disciplines.
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Creative Commons licensed image by Flickr user katiew |
Every scholar (INCLUDING YOU!) must cite their sources, both primary and secondary.
This is to allow other scholars (including you!) to follow the trail of evidence being used to support an argument.
References can be in several formats, depending on the citation style used.
The most common citation styles are:
(Always ask your professor what citation style they want you to use for your writing assignments!)
In Chicago style, the most common formats for references are:
In MLA style, the most common format for references is
In APA style, the most common format for references is
The Research and Citation section of Purdue University's OWL site also includes helpful quick overviews and sample citations from the main citation styles (including Chicago, MLA, and APA)