Dr. Katie Kalish University of Wisconsin—Marshfield/Wood County Citation Boot Camp Dr. Katie Kalish University of Wisconsin—Marshfield/Wood County

What is citation, anyway? Citation means giving credit to people whose ideas you use in your own work. Good citation will allow your reader to go back and find the sources you used in your paper. Citation is a way of demonstrating that you are a responsible, credible, trustworthy student.

Okay, so what do I need to cite? Any time you include information that is from a source (other people’s ideas), you need to cite it. You DO NOT need to cite your ideas and analysis. You DO NOT need to cite common knowledge.

Common whaaaa? Common Knowledge. Common knowledge is generally understood to be information that most people know, or can be found easily in reference books. --Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President --Paris is the capital of France --Stem cell research offers hope for many people suffering from diseases

So what IS NOT common knowledge? Any other information that you find from a source. Information and definitions from class lectures. Material that you find in a book, article, or website. Lyrics from a CD or dialogue from a movie. Data that you’ve retrieved from someone else’s research. Ideas that you’ve learned about from someone else. IF YOU ARE NOT SURE, ASK!

You need to cite in two places. In Text Citation Works Cited Page

In Text Citation Whenever you use a direct quotation, cite it! In text citation is also called parenthetical citation because you use parentheses. You will be using MLA citation.

In Text Citation of a Quotation Snow is an important theme in The Dead, “A few light taps upon the pane made him turn to the window” (Joyce 152). Notice the placement of the quotation marks and period. Also notice that I’ve used the author’s last name and page number.

You need to cite when you Paraphrase, too. Paraphrasing is taking someone’s idea and putting it into your own voice. In The Dead, snow is an important theme; snow falls over various places in Ireland including the Bog of Allen and a graveyard (Joyce 152). NOT CITING THIS IS ACADEMIC DISHONESTY and will earn you a zero.

What if I just change a word or two? It’s still academic dishonesty because the author needs to get credit for his or her IDEA and the STRUCTURE in which it is phrased. SO, if you’re going to paraphrase, you need to put the idea into your own words and structure and you need to CITE it.

In text citation and the works cited page are related. The in text citation will point your readers to the correct works cited entry. In The Dead, snow is an important theme; snow falls over various places in Ireland including the Bog of Allen and a graveyard (Joyce 152). See  Joyce, James. Dubliners. New York: Dover, 2003.

What goes in the citation? Not quite. Whatever is in the first position of your works cited entry will be what goes in your in text citation. Works Cited Hemingway, Ernest. “Hills Like White Elephants.” The Story and its Writer. Ed. Ann Charters. New York: Bedford/St. Martins, 2003. 647-50. Joyce, James. Finnegans Wake. New York: Penguin, 1999. McHugh, Roland. Annotations to Finnegans Wake. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins UP, 1980. Tindall, William York. A Reader’s Guide to Finnegans Wake. Syracuse: Syracuse UP, 1996.

Upside down school bus. Did you notice how the second line of a citation was tabbed in? That is to make the first item in the works cited page stand out. Also, notice that it’s double spaced with no extra space between entries. McHugh, Roland. Annotations to Finnegans Wake. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins UP, 1980. Tindall, William York. A Reader’s Guide to Finnegans Wake. Syracuse: Syracuse UP, 1996.

Do I guess at the order of information? Nope! The bad news is that you will always have to look this stuff up. The good news is that you don’t have to memorize it!

Three easy steps to building a works cited page. 1. Figure out what you’re looking at. 2. Look up the format in a handbook or online. 3. Copy the format.

Handbooks are expensive. Use this really great online handbook instead. It’s free! www.Purdueowl.com If you use easybib or similar cites to cite websites the citation will be wrong - these are outdated

You can cite everything! Books Articles Personal Interviews Websites Class Lectures Musical Scores Pamphlets Film Reviews Emails Posting to Discussion Lists Cartoons Maps Television Programs And much, much more!

What if I’m not sure about citing something? Ask your teacher!!! And remember, it’s better to err on the side of caution and over cite.

Hmmm, this seems like a lot of work... It is. It’s also a basic expectation that your teachers have of you and that your college professors will have. Keep in mind, though, that you will benefit from careful citation. You will gain a reputation as a smart, honest student.

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