Citation is your indication that certain material in your work came from another source. It also provides readers with the information necessary to find that source again. Giving credit to the original author by citing sources is the only way to use other people's work without plagiarizing.
The following situations almost always require citation:
Adapted from: Plagiarism.org
A citation serves two main purposes: it gives credit to the author, artist, or creator, and it allows your reader to find the book, article, or photograph.
A style guide shows you how to format your footnotes, bibliographies, or works cited lists. The style format you use (ALA, MLA, Chicago) depends on your field of inquiry.
Citation style manuals are available at the Reference Desk as well as online.
Learning to create, assess and use various types of media is not just for the classroom, it's an everyday skill you'll use for life. Use the tools in our Media Literacy research guide to explore this topic in greater depth and build your knowledge!
