When should you use a Citation?

A good general rule to remember for citing your sources is if your source

provides you with information that you did not know before you read it, you

need to cite it. You must show your readers where you found your information

by placing a parenthetical citation (in the APA or MLA format) or a note (in

the Chicago format) at the end of the sentence containing the information you

have borrowed from your sources (Wood 226). For example:

The APA-Style "direct quote" sentence ending (Author, 2010, p. 1).

According to Author (2010), APA-Style running acknowledgement sentence ending (p.1).

The APA- Style paraphrased sentence ending (Author, 2010, p. 1).

The Chicago-Style "direct quote" sentence ending. ^{Note Number}

According to Author, Chicago-Style running acknowledgement sentence ending. ^{Note Number}

The Chicago-Style paraphrased sentence ending. ^{Note Number}

________________________

^{Note Number} Author, Title of Source (City: Publisher, 2010), page number.

The MLA-Style "direct quote" sentence ending (Author 1).

According to Author, MLA-Style running acknowledgement sentence ending (1).

The MLA-Style paraphrased sentence ending (Author 1).

This will allow your readers to locate and read the same material that you have

read and allow your instructor to check the reliability of your sources and

assess your ability to make correct use of them (Griffith 299). You must cite

your source if you use any information that is not common knowledge

(information that the average person is likely to know), if you use a direct

quote (the exact words used in your source), if you summarize or paraphrase

(putting an idea that is not your own into your own words), or if you use an

idea that has not been assimilated by you (when the idea remains in your mind

exactly as you read or heard it) (Griffith 301). In addition, because many

sources may have different editions, you must "give credit" by citing your

source whenever you make a specific reference to an incident or words in a

work so that your readers will know which edition you used in order to find

the information you have used in your writing project (Griffith 299-300).

Works Cited

Griffith, Kelley. Writing Essays about Literature: A Guide and Style Sheet.

Boston: Thompson Wadsworth, 2006. Print.

Wood, Nancy V. Essentials of Argument. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey:

Pearson Prentice Hall, 2006. Print.