IN-TEXT CITATIONS, OR, “HOW I LEARNED TO AVOID PLAGIARISM” A short lesson on Academic Writing

Why you cite a source, reviewed  You always provide a citation when:  You use a direct quote—as short as the “apt phrase” or as long as many paragraphs  You paraphrase the author’s work—no quotations marks, but still a citation  You use an idea that is the author’s—usually you will be summarizing it

When don’t I cite?  No citation is necessary IF  The information is common knowledge (e.g. “The Great Depression occurred in the 1930s…” or “When the stock market crashed in 1929…”)  You are an expert in a field, and writing for experts and a piece of information is common knowledge among your peers (e.g. Sister Nicholas Marie when writing about many theorems)

How to Cite: the Basics  If you cite something in your paper it MUST have a place on your Works Cited sheet at the end  The point of your citation is to give the reader enough information that he can find your citation in the back and then find the information in the work you are citing  Usually you give the author’s last name and page number of the information you are citing in the following form (author, #) after the statement and before the final punctuation mark

Some examples  Ducks eat small creatures living in ponds and streams (Mallard, 33).  You have given author and page number. However, if you were citing several Mallards, you may have to give first initial or first name (i.e. Mindy Mallard, 33)  You may say the following: According to Mindy Mallard, ducks eat small creatures living in ponds and streams (33).  In this example the author is in the statement, so only a page number is needed.

What if I have no author?  If you have no author, you give the first piece of information you do have: the title.  In your works cited page you will alphabetize according to the title as well.  Example: Ducks are quasi-amphibious creatures (“Ducks”). Which refers back to this citation without an author: “Ducks.” Discovery Channel. Discovery Communications, Web. 18 Jan

So, web sources?  Again: Ducks are quasi-amphibious creatures (“Ducks”). Which refers back to this citation without an author: “Ducks.” Discovery Channel. Discovery Communications, Web. 18 Jan  In this citation, we have used the web page title, and no numbers, since the web page is not paginated (has no page numbers) nor are there paragraph numbers. IF your source has either of these things, then you must include them.  If you had two web pages named the same thing, then you give the title of the website (“Ducks,” Discovery Channel) to distinguish from (“Ducks” Encyclopedia Britannica Online)

Sample Works Cited  From our Mommas and Babies From