Citing Sources

When referencing the work of others in your own research, it is necessary to give credit to the original source.

The major citation styles (below) provide a structure to citing sources when writing in a discipline.

• APA Style (American Psychological Association) is commonly used in the Social Sciences.
• MLA Style (Modern Languages Association) is utilized in Fine Arts and Humanities.
• Chicago Manual of Style is used by select Humanities and Social Science disciplines like Art History and History.

Most citation styles utilize two elements:

• Notation within your text that indicates to the reader what specific source you are referencing (also called in-text citation) 
• A full bibliographic citation in a bibliography or references page

Tips:

• Choose one style and be consistent throughout your paper.
• Consult with your syllabus or ask your professor which style guide is appropriate.
• Visit the research desk in Hewes Library with specific citation questions.
• Additional citation assistance, in-text citation examples, academic honesty information, and plagiarism avoidance tips can be found on the Library Research Process: Legal/Ethical webpage.

There are several citation styles, but the most frequently used on campus are MLA, APA, and Chicago citation styles. The library maintains copies of each print style guide in the Reference Collection on the main floor, organized by the call numbers below.