Why is citing important?
It is important to cite any source that you use in your research.
- Citing gives proper credit to the original creator of the work.
- Citing shows all of the sources you consulted in your research and displays your research process.
- Citing provides a trail to help others find the sources you used.
- Citing helps you to avoid plagiarism by showing where the information you used came from.
What to Cite
You must cite any work that is not your own. This includes:
- Text
- Graphics
- Photographs
- Works of art
- Music
- Anything that is not considered common knowledge (something that is known by most people)
If you're not sure, cite it!
Manage Your Sources
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EasyBibEasyBib is a citation generator that allows you allows you to create citations in MLA, APA, and Chicago formats for your bibliography. You can also save sources and export your bibliography as a Word document.
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ZoteroZotero is a free, open-source research tool that helps you collect, organize, and analyze research and share it in a variety of ways.
Using Information Ethically
What is plagiarism?
Plagiarism is the act of taking someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as one's own.
You cannot use someone else's work without permission; therefore, you must give proper credit to the original creator. Plagiarism is a serious offense.
At BHCC, plagiarism is considered an act of academic dishonesty and can result in disciplinary action. BHCC defines plagiarism in the Student Handbook as:
"The use, by paraphrase or direct quotation, of the published or unpublished work of another person without full and clear acknowledgement. It also includes the unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in the of term papers or other academic materials. Taking credit for work done by another person or doing work for which another person will receive credit. Copying or purchasing other’s work or arranging for others to do work under a false name. (p. 57)"
Useful links about plagiarism:
Plagiarism: What It is and How to Recognize and Avoid It from the University of Indiana
Plagiarism.org a guide to plagiarism from the creators of turnitin.com
Plagiarism article from The Corner Bar Library Newsletter
Plagiarism Overview from Purdue OWL
About Citations
Your citations need to contain certain information, called elements. The exact elements and the order in which they appear in the ciation will depend on which citation style you are using (usually MLA or APA).
The most common citation elements are:
Author
Date
Title
Publisher
Place of Publication
Medium (print, audio, web, etc.)
URL