When doing research it is often necessary to consult other sources and research. Citations are a way of identifying the sources you have quoted, paraphrased, or used in your research and writing. They let others know that they can trust your work and follow or extend your research.

Citations also help you to build your credibility as a scholar. By citing your sources, you are showing respect for the researchers you got your information from. You are also preventing Academic Misconduct, which can lead to serious consequences, including expulsion from the university.

Scholarly writing about the humanities most often uses Modern Language Association (MLA) guidelines for citations. APA is often used for Communication Studies as well. Other disciplines utilize different citation styles, like Chicago Style. You can find more information, including examples, on the Citation Help guide.

One of the most popular and highly respected resources for citation information is the Purdue OWL website. It is an excellent tool for becoming familiar with APA citation formats.

The librarians at the University of Iowa have created a Citation Help guide that covers the most prominent citation styles.

InfoHawk+ will also generate citations for you, but as with all citation managers/builders - Always Double Check! You can find InfoHawk+'s Citation Generator at the bottom of the resource's record and can select what citation style you need.

This video is published under a Creative Commons 3.0 BY-NC-SA US license by the North Carolina State University Libraries. License, credits, and contact information can be found here: https://www.lib.ncsu.edu/videos/citation-very-brief-introduction.