Citing Sources of Information

Why should I provide citations?

Using other writers’ ideas, statements, text or point of view without giving credit is plagiarism. It is required that writers are credited for their work. It is also helpful for readers if sources are documented in detail.

When should I cite an author's work?

You should cite direct quotations, paraphrase and summarize other writers and, someone else's ideas.

How should I correctly cite an author's works?

Guidelines known as Style Manuals are used for citing sources. They are produced by different organizations such as the APA (American Psychological Association), the MLA (Modern Language Association), and the AMA (American Medical Association) . There are other style manuals available, but the following examples are from the APA, MLA and AMA style manuals. The purpose of these guidelines is to give enough information to cite your source and to be precise in the way you cite it.