Citing your sources is an essential skill when writing a research paper. By citing your sources and creating a Bibliography or Works Cited list, you are:
- Giving appropriate credit to others for their ideas and contributions
- Providing evidence to back up your arguments and conclusions
- Demonstrating your ability to find and evaluate sources of information
- Preventing accusations of plagiarism
There are many style guides that describe how to cite sources. Your professor will let you know which style guide you should use for your research paper. Below is information about the most popular styles, including MLA and APA.
MLA – Modern Language Association
MLA is most commonly used when writing papers and citing sources in the liberal arts and humanities.
Additional MLA Style Resources:
- MLA Handbook, 9th edition (Print Book at Library Reference Desk)
- MLA Style Center
- Purdue OWL MLA Formatting and Style Guide
APA – American Psychological Association
APA is most commonly used when writing papers and citing sources in the social sciences.
Chicago Manual of Style
American Sociological Association
