Introduction to Citations
A citation is a reference to a source whose ideas you are using in your own work. There are several reasons why we cite, and the method of citing (called a citation style) will vary depending on the academic discipline. Here is some introductory information about why, when, and how we cite:
For the drop-down menus below, click on each to expand them; click on the arrow to obtain a link for each specific item that you can copy or email to yourself.
Citation in a research paper or project is the equivalent of reporting the steps of your experiment in a lab-based project, or showing your work when solving a math problem: it allows other scholars to understand your learning process and recreate your research in order to validate it. It also helps you think through your own learning process or argument as you write and allows you to enter the conversation already happening between people interested in your topic. For more on why we use citation in research, see “Academic Integrity” and the VCU Library Research Guide “Why We Cite and Avoiding Plagiarism.”
You should cite your source any time you are using information that does not come directly from your own personal experience or is considered common knowledge. This is true whether the material you are using is a direct quotation or a summary of a source in your own words (a paraphrase). The VCU Libraries Guide page “When do we cite?” has helpful videos that will walk you through this process. You can also review our “Quoting and Paraphrasing” pages for MLA or APA to see how each citation style demonstrates source use.
When choosing a citation style, check with your instructor: many instructors will ask you to use a specific style for a given assignment. If your instructor has left the choice up to you, in general, match the subject and/or methodology of your writing to your citation style: sciences tend to use APA, literary humanities tend to use MLA, and history and religion tend to use Chicago.
For more information on the differences between citation styles, see the following reading selections:
- “Everything Changes, or Why MLA Isn’t (Always) Right” – Writing Spaces
- Why Are There Different Citation Styles? – Yale University
Yes! Summarizing in your own words, or paraphrasing, is describing ideas learned from a research source in your own voice, and must be cited. Think of it this way: even if you are not citing individual words, it is important to give credit to the source for the ideas you learned from that source. In fact, this is the most common way of using a source in your own writing, and should make up the majority of your source use in a research paper. See our “Quoting and Paraphrasing” pages for MLA or APA to see how each citation style demonstrates source use.
In American academic culture in general and VCU in specific, it is assumed that in each semester, any work you have submitted for credit for a course is new work you have generated to satisfy the specific requirements of that course. Unless you tell your instructor otherwise, they will assume that any text or work you submit is something you have made by yourself, without anyone else’s ideas or information, for that course and only that course.
Plagiarism is therefore any instance in which you present someone else’s work or your own old work as your own new work. Plagiarism includes unintentional plagiarism (forgetting to cite a source or not knowing that you needed to cite a source) as well as intentional plagiarism (deliberate misrepresentation of sources or their information). When you enrolled in a course at VCU, you agreed to be bound by VCU’s Honors Code, which describes several kinds of academic dishonesty, including plagiarism.
For more information on academic misconduct, see the VCU Honor System page. If you are currently enrolled in a UNIV 111, 112, or 200 class, you can see your course syllabus or policy guide for more information on plagiarism, as well as asking your instructor. You can also learn more about plagiarism and how to avoid it in the “Academic Integrity” section on this site, and the VCU Library Research Guide “Why We Cite and Avoiding Plagiarism.” For in-person assistance with getting started on correct citation format, you can see your instructor, as well as make an appointment at the Writing Center or with a librarian.
For most FI courses, you will be asked to use either the MLA (Modern Language Association) or APA (American Psychological Association) citation style. Select one of the following style guides, based on your field or on guidance from your instructor.
If you need additional help with writing or document formatting, consider visiting the Writing Center at VCU. For help finding or assessing the quality of a resource, talk with a research librarian at one of the VCU Libraries. And of course, it’s always a good idea to speak with your professor for these and any other assignment-related questions you might have.