When using the ideas of others in your work, you'll have to give them credit! This section of the tutorial provides suggestions for appropriately citing the work of others. Check in with your instructor to see how closely you'll need to follow official style guidelines.
If you're using information from others in an assignment, you've likely been told to "cite your sources." While it may seem like busy-work, citing your sources allows you to:
SLCC defines plagiarism as: "Presenting within one’s own work the ideas, representations, or words of another person without customary and proper acknowledgment of that person’s authorship is considered plagiarism. Students who are unsure of what constitutes plagiarism should consult with their instructors. Claims of ignorance will not necessarily excuse the offense" (SLCC Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities). Please work with your professors if you have questions about plagiarism.
Popular citation styles at SLCC include APA, MLA, and Chicago (there are hundreds more). Find tips on using each style from the SLCC Writing Center's Student Resources page.
Yes... but you're the one being graded on it, not the database, so use it as a draft! Most library databases now offer a “Cite” tool that will provide you with a draft of a citation in the style of your choosing. In OneSearch and other EBSCOHost databases, simply open an item record and look on the right hand side of the screen for the tool menu. “Cite” will open up a drop-down menu for you to select the citation style you need. From here you can copy and paste the citation and use a style guide or manual to correct any errors you see.
Select a citation style in the box below to practice creating a reference for a journal article in APA or MLA format. This activity is not connected to your grade.
