Skip to Main Content

Citing Sources: Citing Sources

Get help with citing the sources you used in your research paper.

What is a Citation?

ci•ta•tion

sī-tāˈshən n.

  • A quoting of an authoritative source for substantiation.
  • A source so cited; a quotation.
  • Enumeration or mention, as of facts, especially:

"citation." The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2007. Credo Reference. Web. 11 June 2012.

Why Cite?

"There are three reasons to cite the materials you use:

  • To give credit to others' work and ideas, whether you agree with them or not. When you use their words, you must give them credit by using both quotation marks and citations.
  • To show readers the materials on which you base your analysis, your narrative, or your conclusions.
  • To guide readers to the materials you have used so they can examine it for themselves. Their interest might be to confirm your work, to challenge it, or simply to explore it further."
Lipson, Charles. Cite Right: A Quick Guide to Citation Styles-Mla, Apa, Chicago, the Sciences, Professions, and More. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2011. Print.

Citation Guides

Main Campus Library & Learning Commons: 215-751-8394 | NERC Learning Commons: 215-972-6270 | WERC Learning Commons: 267-299-5848