When you research a topic you may use information from articles, books, or the Open Web to support your ideas. Building upon the ideas and knowledge of other people is the way we as individuals build and contribute to the knowledge around us. When you integrate other peoples' ideas and work into your own, it is important to give those authors credit for their hard work.
Tips for researching and citing:
When to Cite
1. If you quote a resource, cite it.
2. If you paraphrase someone else's idea or statement, cite it.
3. If you're unsure, cite it.
4. If you state a fact that is not common knowledge, cite it.
An in-text citation is like a tag within a paper, presentation, poster, etc. It tells the reader or listener where to find a source's information in the associated bibliography.
A reference is the actual source's information such as author, title, and year of publication. This information appears within a bibliography.
Different types of sources will dictate the inclusion of different elements in a reference. Consult the Styles Guides page for more examples in different styles.
