Citing sources means that the writer shows that they took information—a quote, data, image, idea, etc.—from another source. The main reasons to cite sources properly include:
Here are the common situations where citations are necessary:
When in doubt--CITE!
There are several different citation styles. The most commonly used ones include for example:
Which citation style to use depends on your teacher. Always ask your teacher before starting your bibliography!
Here are the common things that DO NOT need to be cited:
What is "Common Knowledge"?
Generally speaking "common knowledge" is considered to be information that most people know (ex.George Washington was the first president of the United States) or can be easily accessed from multiple sources (ex. United States GDP).
NoodleTools is a citation management website subscribed to by Pescosolido Library. It will manage your sources, provide proper footnote format, export your Bibliography direct to Google Docs, and manage online notecards. Many databases including JSTOR and GALE export sources directly into NoodleTools.
Creating a NoodleTools account through the school will give you free access to the full version of NoodleTools with more options than the free version.
DIRECTIONS FOR CREATING A NEW ACCOUNT: