Citing sources is essential in academic writing. Whenever we quote or paraphrase a source, for example, a book, an article, or a webpage, we need to include a citation crediting the original author.
We use citations:
Failing to properly cite your sources counts as plagiarism, since you are presenting someone else's ideas as if they were your own.
The most commonly used citation styles at Niagara College are APA and IEEE.
When do you need to cite sources?
A citation is needed whenever you integrate a sources into your writing. This usually means quoting or paraphrasing:
Citations are needed whether you quote or paraphrase, and whatever type of source you use. As well as citing scholarly sources like books and journal articles, don't forget to include citations for any other sources you use for ideas, examples, or evidence. That includes websites, YouTube videos, and lectures.