ANTH3011: Public Engagement in Anthropology: Citing Sources

Why Cite Resources?

• Citations allow readers to locate and further explore the sources you used to develop your thoughts and outcomes expressed in your paper. 
• Citations are the method used to give credit to authors for their ideas and research.
• Citations provide the evidence for your arguments.
• Citing is standard practice in the world of academia.

What is a citation?

A citation is a way you inform the readers that certain materials in your paper came from another source. It also gives your readers the information necessary to find the source. Your citation should include the following elements in both your footnotes and bibliography.

• Author
• Title of work
• Place of publication
• Publisher
• Date published
• Page numbers where the material is located.

When do I need to cite?

You need to acknowledge whenever you borrow quotes or ideas. The following are when you need to cite:

• Whenever you use direct quotes.
• Whenever you paraphrase.
• Whenever you use an idea that someone else has already expressed.
• Whenever you make specific reference to the work of another.
• Whenever someone else's work has been critical in developing your own ideas.

The following resources will help you to cite your research in a variety of styles. If you have questions about citing, or need help getting started, contact the Reference Desk or visit the Writing Center.

APA Style

American Psychological Association

• American Psychological Association (APA) Guide to Style, 7th ed.
• APA Formatting and Style Guide (Purdue OWL)

MLA Style

Modern Language Association

• MLA Handout (8th edition) - 2016 (Cheng Library)
• MLA Handout (7th edition) - 2013 (Cheng Library)
• MLA Formatting and Style Guide (Purdue OWL)
• MLA Style Center

Purdue University's Online Writing Lab has one of the best websites devoted to academic writing and citing sources. With definitions and examples, visit the site to learn how to create an annotated bibliography.