APA style = a style for formatting citations and bibliographies used in psychology and other social sciences

author = name of the person who wrote the text of an article, book, chapter, or webpage

citation = information about a book or article such as the title, author, and date which someone can use to find the same book or article

database = an online collection of journal and magazine articles available through the library website or on the internet

journal = an academic magazine in print or online that contains articles about research written by experts in a particular field

MLA style = a style for formatting citations and bibliographies used in English literature classes

plagiarism = the act of using another person's words or images in your schoolwork without giving credit to that person

source = a term used to describe an information source such as an article, book, or website

Citing your sources means saying where you found your information, such as an article or a book.  It is common practice in college papers to cite sources in the body of the paper and to include a bibliography at the end of the paper.  A bibliography is also called a list of references or a list of works cited. Citing your sources makes clear which ideas are yours and which ideas belong to another person.  This practice also helps you to avoid plagiarism, which is when you present someone else's ideas as your own, either on purpose or by accident.

Depending on the source of information being cited, a citation may include the name of a book or magazine, the title of an article or chapter, the author's name, and the page numbers or website address.

Citations and bibliographies are usually done in a certain style, depending on the class.  Popular styles are MLA for English literature, APA for psychology and social sciences, and Chicago for history and humanities.

Click here to see how you can cite your sources in different styles.

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