General Research Guide: 7. Citing Sources

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Which citation style you should use depends upon the subject area of the class and the preferences of your professor.

There are three major citation styles:

• American Psychological Association (APA) Style  - commonly used in the social sciences (psychology, education, sociology and others)
• Chicago (or Turabian) Style - commonly used in the humanities (history, philosophy, and others)
• Modern Language Association Style (MLA) - used in the humanities (especially writing on literature and language)
  

Check your assignment to see whether your professor requires that you use a specific style.

If not, choose the style appropriate to the general subject area of your research.

There are many reasons why it is important to cite the resources that you consult when doing research. The most important of these are:

• Gives credit to authors whose works you have used (whether you quote them or not).
• Provides a trail by which others can locate the materials you consulted.
• Provides evidence of your research.
• Properly citing materials is one strategy to help you avoid plagiarizing.

What is plagiarism?

Plagiarism is using another person's work without giving them credit.

At UVM plagiarizing, whether intentional or by accident, is a violation of the Code of Academic Integrity (PDF).

Easy ways to avoid plagiarizing:

• Never cut and paste material into a paper.
• Always cite your sources.

Avoiding Plagiarism from Purdue

Plagiarism.org