Citing Sources
More often than not, writing papers and completing projects in college requires research. And with research comes the expectation that the sources of information you use (including books, articles, images, websites, and interviews) will be documented – or cited – in order to avoid plagiarism.
Plagiarism is taking someone else’s ideas or words and using them as your own, without giving credit to the originator. For an overview of plagiarism please see the tutorial Me? Plagiarize? (used by permission!) from the Hartness Library at Vermont Technical College.
Many people don’t realize that simply restating something in your own words doesn’t mean that you are covered. Even when restating information, citations must be used to show where you got your ideas from. Along with references within the assignment itself, citations officially give credit to those whose thoughts or words you’ve used.
Citations include author, title, publication information, and anything else needed to help others find the original source.
Why is it important to cite your resources?
- In order to acknowledge borrowed words and ideas.
- In order for the reader to track down your sources for themselves.
- In order to show that you are aware of sources which are relevant to your topic.
- In order to give authority to and strengthen your arguments.
- Because failing to give credit is considered plagiarism, and NECI’s policy on Academic Honesty prohibits plagiarism.
How do I properly use information from the sources I’ve found?
You’ve done your research. Now how do you use the information you’ve found, while making sure to give credit to the original authors? Quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing are three ways to incorporate others’ ideas and thoughts into your own work without plagiarizing.
Quoting
Quoting is taking text from a source, strictly word for word from the original, and placing it into your own document. When quoting, you must give credit to the author of the original source.
Paraphrasing
Paraphasing is restating information from a source using your own words. When you paraphrase, you still must give credit to the creator of the original information.
Summarizing
Summarizing is putting the main ideas or key points from a source into your own words. Summaries are shorter than the original work and take an overarching view. As with quotations and paraphrasing, you need to acknowledge what source(s) your summary is based on.
Creating a Works Cited
The MLA (Modern Language Association) style guide is what is used at NECI for writing research papers and creating a works cited at the end of your assignment.
There are a number of free citation tools available to help you keep track of your sources and create a works cited in the MLA style.
The following links provide guidance on how to use the MLA style and how to manually create a works cited list:
- Purdue's OWL (Online Writing Lab) provides guides to writing and creating citations
- MLA Documentation Guide from the University of Wisconsin-Madison
The Library recommends that you consult the published style manuals for clarification and additional assistance. These can be checked out from the NECI Library:
- A Pocket Style Manual: Third Edition, by Diana Hacker – call # 808.02 H118p
- MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (New York: MLA) – call # 808.02 M72m
Citation Tools
EasyBib http://www.easybib.com/
Create a free account; this site can format citations for you in MLA style and will compile a bibliography.
EasyBib the app http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/easybib/id436768184?mt=8
A free iPhone app that allows you to scan a book’s physical barcode with your camera phone and have a citation created for you. As you are doing your work, you can scan barcodes and then email the citations to yourself.
Word 2007 There are citation features in Word 2007 which are helpful in creating a bibliography: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word-help/create-a-bibliography-HA010067492.aspx
A step-by-step guide available through Florida Gulf Coast University: http://www.fgcu.edu/support/office2007/word/references.asp
Zotero http://www.zotero.org/
A free download used with the Firefox web browser that helps you collect, manage, and cite your research sources.
Confused?
Don’t be afraid to ask for help! If you're still not sure whether you are citing material correctly or even if you need to, keep in mind that it is always best to err on the side of caution and cite too often or too much.
If you are facing the stress of a looming due date and plagiarism seems the only way to get your work in on time, stop and remember there are alternatives to plagiarism.
Take advantage of the resources available to you:
Make an appointment with Learning Services
At Learning Services you can get assistance with organizing and creating your citations, as well as how to best incorporate quotes, paraphrasing, and summarizing.
Talk to your instructor
Ask your instructor for advice about citations and plagiarism. Consider how voicing your questions about these issues during class can give other students the gumption to speak up and share their own thoughts.
If you need more time on a particular assignment, contact your instructor and request an extension — they’re human too! At worst, the instructor will not grant the extension, but even so, a poor grade is a better result than disciplinary action. If you are found responsible for academic dishonesty, sanctions may range from disciplinary probation to suspension, and sometimes even expulsion.
Contact the NECI Library
Don’t forget that the NECI Library is here to help you, too. Along with helping you to find good sources, we can also help you find information about correctly citing those sources. This website offers a number of different ways to contact the library, from phone or email, to setting up a one-on-one appointment.
