Introduction to Research

Citing sources is a crucial step in the research process. Citation is the practice of showing your reader where you found a given fact or idea when you write your research paper draft. There are many different citation styles, so make sure to carefully review the assignment guidelines so that you choose the correct citation format. The most common citation formats are MLA and APA.

Citations generally come in two different flavors. First, you will use in-text citations in your sentences and paragraphs to attribute any information you found in outside sources. Second, you will provide a detailed record of each source you cite in-text at the end of the paper. This bibliography is usually called either a reference or works cited page.

This section will provide a basic introduction to citations for a research paper. For detailed information on how to use citations in your work, check out the Sprague Library Citation Guide. 

In-text Citations: For in-text citations, you’ll need to create a parenthetical record within any sentence in which you refer to information from an outside source. Referencing outside information without providing a citation is considered plagiarism regardless of your intentions, so make sure to get in the practice of using in-text citations any time you include ideas or evidence that you found in a source or that wouldn’t be considered common knowledge to most people.

• MLA Example: Carbon-14 is the isotope that scientists use to determine the age of rocks, minerals, and fossils (Birkeland and Larson 44).
• APA Example: Carbon-14 is the isotope that scientists use to determine the age of rocks, minerals, and fossils (Birkeland and Larson, 1989).

Works Cited or References: In addition to in-text citations, you’ll need to create a works cited or reference page at the end of your research paper. Each academic style guide has specific rules for which information you should include here, so make sure to consult the corresponding guidelines for MLA, APA, Chicago, etc. There are two approaches to creating works cited or reference page citations. 

• MLA Example: Birkeland, Peter W. and Larson, Edwin E. Putnam's Geology. 5th ed., Oxford University Press, 1989.
• APA Example: Birkeland, P. W., & Larson, E. E. (1989). Putnam's geology (5th ed.). Oxford University Press.

Electronically Generating Citations: 
The quickest and easiest option is to use the citation tool in a source’s entry in the Sprague Library database or catalog record for that source. These citations are usually accurate, but you should always consult the MLA or APA style guide just to be safe. 

Manually Creating Citations: 
For sources you find outside the Sprague Library collections (usually web sources), you will need to manually create your citations. This involves a bit of detective work, as you’re required to search for details like the author’s name and publication date within the source itself. While there are “free” citation generator web sites, their citations are often incomplete or inaccurate, which could impact your grade.