When writing research papers students are often required to create a "resources used" page, a "bibliography," or a "list of works cited." This guide is designed to help students with this process.
Why cite sources? To give the author(s) credit for the original work and to enable your readers to consult the same sources:
"Whenever you quote or base your ideas on another person's work, you must document the source you used. Even when you do not quote directly from another work, if reading that source contributed to the ideas presented in your paper, you must give the authors proper credit.
Citations allow readers to locate and further explore the sources you consulted, show the depth and scope of your research, and give credit to authors for their ideas. ... Think of documenting your sources as providing a trail for your reader to follow to see the research you performed and discover what led you to your original contribution." (From the citation guide of the University of California, Berkeley, available online here.)
KEEP TRACK OF YOUR RESOURCES!
When accumulating the resources you will use for your paper, keep track of the information you will need to cite that resource if in fact you use it in your paper. That means, write down the information typically used in a citation, for example, the author(s)' name(s), complete title of the resource, publisher, date, etc. Perhaps you can make and keep copies of the first pages of the resource, whether print or electronic, for easy citation later.
The reason for this tip is that if you don't keep good records, you may end up trying to re-locate that resource. This can be a time consuming, frustrating, and ultimately unsuccessful endeavor!
Citation Generator:
EasyBib will help you create your citation list.
Style Manuals:
2. Cite ALL of your sources (including images) using:
3. Some Tips:
When in doubt, cite!