Whether you’re writing an essay, a research paper or a dissertation, you need to cite sources in order to protect your academic reputation and ensure that your work is not plagiarized. Failure to cite an article or other source can result in your essay being flagged as plagiarism, which may affect your grade.
When citing an article, you will usually include the author’s name and the page number of the source you are quoting. You can do this using either the Modern Language Association (MLA) or the American Psychological Association (APA) citation format. You can also use the Chicago citation style, which provides a variety of citation options.
The Chicago style is one of several methods used for citation, including the MLA and APA styles. The Chicago style is the most commonly used in scholarly journals, and many students choose to follow it. It is not the only style available, however; other citation formats are also used in many college and university papers.
Citations can take many different forms, depending on the type of source you are citing and the specific information you need to include. The following guidelines will help you determine the best citation method for your particular situation:
For Books, Chapters, and Articles with One or More Authors
The most straightforward way to cite a book is by citing the book’s author’s name and the date of publication in parentheses at the end of your sentence or within parentheses at the beginning of your sentence. You can also cite an article by mentioning the author’s name in the body of your sentence, and then using a parenthetical citation to include the page number of the article at the end of your sentence.
Other types of sources are more complex. Often, you’ll need to cite multiple authors of the same work and a variety of editions of the same work. These sources are referred to as “translations” and may include works of literature, religion or classical nonfiction that have been published more than once.
If you’re citing a translation of a classic text, you should also list the translator’s name and the year of publication or translation. If the translator’s name and date are unavailable, you can omit them.
When citing a non-print source, such as a website, you can omit the author’s name and cite the URL instead. If the URL is no longer available, you can use a shortened title of the Web site or its full URL address, followed by a page number if a page is accessible.
For Longer Works, Including Plays and Movies
When you refer to a longer work, such as a play or a television series, italicize the title. If the title is not easily accessible, such as an online article or a podcast, you can use a shortened title with quotation marks and italics, followed by a page number if the page is accessible.
In addition to the usual citations, you should also mention any quotes and paraphrases that you have used in your paper. This is an important part of your argument and demonstrates your own familiarity with the material you are discussing. For more on how to cite a quote or paraphrase, see the section on citations and references in our guide to writing an academic essay.
