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Cite Your Sources

There are many ways to cite sources in a research paper or project; always use the citation style recommended by your instructor. We have resources to help you in the following formats:

  • APA (American Psychological Association) is the most common method of documentation in the social sciences.
  • MLA (Modern Language Association) is the most common method of documentation for the humanities.
  • Chicago (Chicago Manual of Style) is a method of documentation for some social sciences and humanities.
  • Other citations styles include specialized format methods in science & medicine, social sciences, government & law, and journalism.

Select the citation style you are using from the side menu.

What should you cite?

Always cite the following:
  • Direct quotations from any published or unpublished source. Examples of unpublished sources include lecture notes, telephone interviews, or email correspondence.
  • Photographs, videos, images, or any multimedia you did not create yourself.
  • Statistics, ideas, theories, or facts you learned through any outside source.
Things that do not need to be cited:
  • Your own opinions or experiences.
  • Ideas or facts that are considered common knowledge.
  • Images, videos, or other multimedia of your own creation.

*If you are unsure, err on the side of caution and cite your source*

In-Text Citations

  •   Required if you use a direct quote, summarize or paraphrase an idea
  •   How you format an in-text citation is heavily dependent on two things:
    • the style (MLA, APA or Chicago) you're using
    • how you're incorporating the quote/summary/paraphrase into your work
  •   In-text citations should correspond to a full reference entry