Citing Sources: In-Text Citations and Works Cited Lists
Crediting the work of other authors in your paper is a two step process:
(1) Within the text of your paper, insert a citation that attributes the cited information (quotation, paraphrase, or summary) to the original source.
(2) At the end of your paper, include a list of all of the works you have cited. List your sources alphabetically by author's last name. (If no author is listed, use the first word of the title for alphabetization purposes. Ignore a, an, or the.
Different journals and disciplines use different citation styles. Examples of commonly used styles include MLA, APA, Chicago, and CSE. The exact rules for each style differ.
- Some styles use footnotes or endnotes; others use in-text or parenthetical citations
- Different styles have different names for the list of sources at the end of your paper (Works Cited, Bibliography, References, etc.).
- The formatting and order of elements of a citation or bibliography entry also differ in each style.
The overall goal, though, is the same: attribute ideas to their original source, and include the necessary information about the source that will allow your reader to look it up and consult it.
If you have questions about citing your sources, help is available! Ask your professor, a librarian, or a Writing Studio Associate. Or, consult one of the many resources that are available online or in print:
- Freel Library's Citing Sources LibGuideCreated by MCLA librarians: explains the why and how of citing, with resources for the styles most commonly used at MCLA.
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association by Call Number: REF BF76.7.P83 2010ISBN: 1433805596Publication Date: 2009
