Why Cite Your Sources

This video discusses the importance of properly citing your research. To cite a source means to point to the evidence You need to show where you found the evidence on which your argument is based in a research paper. It does not matter what type of source it is It can be in print, or online It can be an image, or even a conversation Here are just some examples We could go on forever, but you get the point. You need to use a citation whenever you quote or paraphrase from another source To quote, is to use the exact words of the author in your text, marked by quotation marks When you paraphrase, you'll be using another person's ideas in your own words and sentence structure. Students often wonder whether they'll need to cite information available for free on the Internet. It does not matter where the information comes from or how it is paid for. If it is someone else's idea or work, you need to give that person credit. Aside from avoiding plagiarism citing your sources has some other benefits It lets your reader know the original source of your information. This lends authority to your work and lets the instructor know that you did your research It also lets your reader identify and retrieve the sources you found for their own work. The citation has two parts The in-text citation And a reference in your list of sources at the end of your paper The list of sources at the end of your paper can be called a bibliography, works cited, or reference list Style manuals are guides that tell you exactly how to cite your sources in different disciplines. Your assignment prompt or instructor should let you know which style to use. If you're not sure whether you should cite a source it's probably better to err on the site of caution and include a citation You can always ask your professor for advice Or, you can go the OU Libraries home page at ohio.edu/library and use the link to Ask a Librarian someone is available to help you at all hours that the Learning Commons is open This video is brought to you by the Cooperative Library Instruction Project and the Ohio University Libraries