Why we cite.
Citation are an important part of information literacy and allows us to participate in scholarly conversation. Citing your information helps you trace where your information came from and allows you to support it with evidence. It also acknowledges the writers whose research has come before us and made it possible to make our own contributions. It also links the research you’re completing to the conversations that already are ongoing in the field.
What do we mean by scholarly conversation?
Scholarship is a social process that does not exist in a vacuum! It is a conversation between researchers whose work builds upon and challenges one another’s. When engaging in this research, researchers and scholars become members of a larger community. This community may be chemists, philosophers, or linguists - but the similarity is that their common research interests bring them together. The member of this community will exchange thoughts, ideas, and information both formally (academic presentations and publications) and informally by means that may be unique to their discipline. These interactions and exchanges of information is what we call scholarly conversation.
What is a citation style?
A citation style is the way that citations appear, or are formatted, and depends on a set of established rules and conventions for documenting sources. Citation styles can be defined by an association, such as the Modern Language Association (MLA), publisher, such as the University of Chicago Press, or journal, such as The New England Journal of Medicine.
What citation style should I use?
The citation style that you use often depends on the discipline that you are writing for or where you will be publishing your work. When in doubt, asking your professors which style they are looking for on their assignments.
Where can I find more information on citations?
We always recommend that the library be your first stop if you're looking for more information. We have copies of the style manuals on our shelves, a research guide on citation resources to help assist you, and our librarians are always willing to help answer your citation questions. If you are looking for additional internet sources, you can also check out: