Why are citations necessary

But : What if the URL breaks? What if your reader doesn't have access to Geisel Library's databases? Report a problem. Subjects: English , Research Assistance. Willis N. Hackney Library. Search this Guide Search. It also provides access to resources explaining plagiarism and how to avoid it.

Home Citations? What are citations? Why do we need citations? Not at all. On the contrary, citing sources actually helps your reader distinguish your ideas from those of your sources. This will actually emphasize the originality of your own work. They are found in bibliographies and reference lists and are also collected in article and book databases. Citations consist of standard elements, and contain all the information necessary to identify and track down publications, including:.

Citations may look different, depending on what is being cited and which style was used to create them. Choose an appropriate style guide for your needs.

Here is an example of an article citation using four different citation styles. Notice the common elements as mentioned above:. Author - R. Source Title - Science. Volume and issue - Vol , issue Publication Date -