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Citation & Research redirect : Why Cite?
Why Cite?: sub-module 1 of 4 of how to cite
A citation is a referral to an information source. It is usually provided as a combination of title, author, date and location (e.g. URL or DOI). Citing your sources is the best way to avoid plagiarism. Plagiarism can be deliberate - knowingly using someone else's work as your own. It can also be inadvertent. Sometimes plagiarism accusations are simply the result of not following a specific style properly. The specific citation style you are using will dictate the details. See the Build Citations page on this guide for help with a particular style.
This page is no longer be updated or maintained. See our updated Citation & Research Hub for up to date information. If you have any questions, please contact: info@tlp-lpa.ca
5 Ways to Learn to Cite Like a Pro!
- Know your style!
Know the citation style that your instructor wants you to use (e.g. APA, MLA, etc.) Learn more on our Styles page. - Get into the habit
Make a habit of tracking your sources as you do your research. You need the title, author, publication date, URL, etc. (take notes, take screenshots, bookmark links when you can, etc.) - Manage your time
When you give yourself lots of time to do your research and writing (or creating your presentation, or whatever the assignment is) you are less likely to plagiarize because you won’t be panicking. - Learn the difference between how to use direct quotes and paraphrases.
A paraphrase restates information from a source in your own words. A direct quote is a word for word copy of a phrase, sentence, or paragraph from an information source. Learn more - Opens in a new window - Take advantage of citation generators
Citation generators create the rough draft of a citation, and then you just need to double check it against a trusted citation guide.Learn more at our page on Citation Tools
Know the citation style that your instructor wants you to use (e.g. APA, MLA, etc.) 
Make a habit of tracking your sources as you do your research. You need the title, author, publication date, URL, etc. (take notes, take screenshots, bookmark links when you can, etc.)
When you give yourself lots of time to do your research and writing (or creating your presentation, or whatever the assignment is) you are less likely to plagiarize because you won’t be panicking.
A paraphrase restates information from a source in your own words. A direct quote is a word for word copy of a phrase, sentence, or paragraph from an information source. 
Citation generators create the rough draft of a citation, and then you just need to double check it against a trusted citation guide.Why is Citing Important?
Learn the Why, Where and When of Citing
Learn 6 steps to successful paraphrasing! If you want to learn to paraphrase well, Paraphrase: Write it in your own words at the Online Writing Lab (OWL) from Purdue is a great place to go.