What is a Citation?
A bibliography (aka "Works Cited," "References," or other) is your list of sources of information. You should include sources from which you quoted, reproduced a figure or other graphic material, AND sources whose information you paraphrased or restated. Each citation in your bibliography should clearly and precisely identify the source you used.
A citation typically includes:
- Author(s)
- Year of publication
- Title of work (article, book chapter, paper)
- Source (journal, book title, conference proceedings, patent number)
- Format information if relevant--Web address, e-mail, personal communication, etc.--and date accessed by you
- Page numbers used
Your instructor may require a particular style. If there is not an assigned style, then choose a style and be consistent with that style throughout your work.
For more details on citing sources, see our Citation Guide.
Trying to cite artificial intelligence tools? Check out Seth's helpful guide to Citation and Artificial Intelligence.
Online Citation Resources
- IEEE Citing Style Tutorial - Texas A&MTutorial on using IEEE style and tips for citing author, title, etc.
- Purdue Online Writing LabDetailed guide to APA, MLA, and Chicago citation styles.
- Writing Tutorials and ResourcesConnect to a variety of writing tutorials, including information on writing processes and types of writing. Review further resources online through a generous agreement with Colorado State University:
- IEEE Citation StyleA LibGuide from the Dudley Knox Library showing examples and guidelines for the IEEE Citation Style
Citation Management Tools
With these tools you can collect book and article citations from the library catalog and databases. Then using a plugin for MS Word, you can insert those citations into your paper in the appropriate format.
-
ZoteroZotero is a free, open source citation management tool that comes as a Firefox extension or a standalone program for other browsers. It offers plugins for MS Word and Open Office so you can insert citations as you write your paper.
-
MendeleyMendeley is not only a citation manager, but it is also a social network for scholars. Download the free desktop app that works on any platform. It has plugins for MS Word and Open Office. Mendeley offers a mobile app too.
-
EndNote WebEndNote Web is the web-based version of the long-standing citation management tool. EndNote Web offers a plugin for MS Word so you can insert sources as you write your paper.
-
EndNoteEndNote is desktop software for citation management.
Why Cite Your Sources?
1. Citing sources is the hallmark of professional and scholarly communication. As a scientist or engineer, you communicate how you built your work and reached your conclusions.
2. You give others the credit they deserve for their work--just as you want future authors to give you credit.
3. Your readers can use your citations to put your work in context and explore further--your work isn't a dead end.
4. Citing sources encourages you to think. By documenting how others' ideas connect to yours, you get the concepts more firmly in your head. Anything else is cheating yourself on your education.
and finally,
5. Plagiarism is bad. Whether you content-scrape, buy another's paper, or just don't keep track of what you're doing, it's a breach of professional ethics if intentional, and also a sign of incompetence if unintentional. Either way, be aware of what constitutes plagiarism, and don't do it.