Citing Sources

Citing sources means telling your reader where you got your information. When you use facts or ideas from a book, website, or article, you should give credit to the original author. This is honest and helps your reader check the facts. Citing sources is an important part of writing reports and essays.

Why Cite Sources

Citing sources shows that your information is based on real facts. It gives credit to the people who did the original work. It helps your readers find more information if they are interested. Using someone else's words or ideas without giving credit is called plagiarism, and it is not honest.

How to Cite Sources

A basic citation includes the author's name, the title of the work, and when it was published. For a website, include the web address and the date you visited it. Your teacher may ask you to use a specific format. A bibliography or works cited page at the end of your report lists all your sources.

Fun Facts

• There are several different citation styles, including MLA, APA, and Chicago.
• Footnotes are citations placed at the bottom of a page.
• Even professional writers and scientists must cite their sources in their work.

Did You Know?

The practice of citing sources goes back hundreds of years to when scholars first began publishing their research in books and journals.