UVM Libraries Research Guides: Why Citations Matter: Home

Introduction

There are many reasons why it is important to cite the resources that you consult when researching a paper. 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.

Choosing a Citation Style

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 Style (APA) - the most common style in the social sciences (psychology, education, sociology etc.)
Chicago (or Turabian) Style - commonly used in the humanities (history, philosophy, and etc.)
Modern Language Association Style (MLA) - used in English and in some other disciplines in the humanities

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).

Strategies for Avoiding Plagiarism

Never cut and paste material into a paper.
Learn to properly quote or paraphrase others' work in your writing
Cite your sources using the style recommend by your professor.

Learn More about Plagiarism

Avoiding Plagiarism (OWL at Purdue)
Plagiarism.org

Related Guides & Tutorials

Reading and Working with Citations
Find out how to interpret the bibliographies attached to materials you you've already found and use them to find more information.