8 Citing Sources and Academic Integrity

Why citation matters

Academic writing builds on other people’s research and ideas. Citation makes that relationship visible: readers can distinguish your contribution from material drawn from others, check the evidence, and locate the original source. Follow the style and assignment instructions set by your instructor or discipline, because citation rules differ across styles.

When to cite

Give credit whenever you use a source’s distinctive ideas, claims, data, wording, images, or other material. This applies whether you quote, paraphrase, or summarize it.

Your own analysis and conclusions do not need citations, though the evidence supporting them may. Widely known facts may not require citation, but cite when unsure or when a fact is not common knowledge for your intended readers.

Connect citations to source lists

A complete citation system usually has two connected parts:

• An in-text citation or note identifies the source near the borrowed material.

• A reference list, Works Cited list, or bibliography gives readers enough publication information to find the source.

Every in-text citation should point to the correct full entry. In many styles, the final list includes sources actually cited in the work; a bibliography may also include works consulted but not cited. Use the list type required by the assignment.

Use citation styles consistently

A citation style determines what information appears in citations, how it is ordered and punctuated, and how the final source list is organized. Use one style consistently rather than combining formats. Examples below show basic patterns, not complete entries; source types and special cases require additional rules. Follow the official manual or an authoritative guide for the assigned style.

• APA commonly uses author–date citations, such as (Lee, 2022). A direct quotation usually also includes a page or other locator, such as (Lee, 2022, p. 14). The final list is titled References.

• MLA commonly uses an author–page citation, such as (Lee 14). If it makes the citation clearer, include the author in the sentence instead: Lee argues … (14). The final list is titled Works Cited.

• Chicago offers two systems: notes and bibliography, which uses numbered footnotes or endnotes and usually a bibliography; and author–date, which uses parenthetical citations and a reference list.

Paraphrase and summarize responsibly

A paraphrase restates a specific idea or passage in your own language and sentence structure. A summary condenses a source’s main point or a larger portion of its argument. Both require citation: changing the wording does not make another person’s idea your own.

To paraphrase responsibly:

1. Read the passage until you understand its meaning.

2. Set it aside and explain the idea in your own words and structure.

3. Compare your version with the original to check accuracy and avoid copying its phrasing.

4. Put quotation marks around any distinctive words or phrases retained from the source.

5. Cite the source, adding a page or other locator when useful or required by the style.

Merely changing a few words, rearranging a sentence, or substituting synonyms is not an adequate paraphrase. This is often called patchwriting and can still present a source’s expression as if it were your own. For example, if a source says, “Shaded streets can reduce heat exposure during summer,” replacing reduce with lower while keeping the same sentence structure is too close. A genuine paraphrase would recast the idea substantially and cite the source.

Quote accurately and explain quotations

Use a direct quotation when the original wording is especially precise, significant, or worth analyzing. Copy it exactly, mark it with quotation marks or the appropriate block-quotation format, and cite it. Include a page number, paragraph number, timestamp, or other locator when available and required by the style.

Introduce quotations and explain how they support your point; a quotation should not stand in place of your own reasoning. If you change or omit words, follow the citation style’s conventions for marking those changes, and do not alter the source’s meaning.

When quoting a source that you encountered inside another work, cite the source you actually read and identify the original only as your style guide directs. Do not imply that you consulted the original.

Protect academic integrity

Plagiarism is presenting another person’s words or ideas as your own by failing to give appropriate credit. It can happen through intentional copying or through mistakes, including missing citations, unmarked borrowed wording, or inaccurate attribution. Reusing your own previously submitted work without permission or disclosure may also violate course or publication rules; ask what is allowed.

Good practices can help prevent these problems:

• Record full source details and page numbers while taking notes, and clearly distinguish exact quotations from your own comments and paraphrases.

• Place citations close enough to the relevant borrowed material that readers can tell what they support.

• Check that quotations match the source and that each in-text citation matches the correct reference entry.

• Use citation generators as a starting point, then verify their details and formatting against the required style.

• Follow institutional rules on collaboration, reuse, and attribution, and ask your instructor when expectations are unclear.