Library

Citing Sources

What is citation?

When using sources to write a paper or work on a project you need to "cite your sources". This means you need to include information about the source with your work (title, author, etc.). Citations serve a number of purposes but two major purposes are:

• To give credit to the original creator of the content you are borrowing.
• To allow readers to find more information beyond your work. This helps them widen the scope of their own research.

Why is citation important?

Citation is important because not citing someone elses ideas or research when you use it in your work is plagiarism. Plagiarism is theft; you've stolen someone elses ideas and presented them as your own!

Plagiarism is academically dishonest! Refer to the colleges academic honesty policies for more information.

Use the online resources below to help with citation and understanding plagiarism. Print manuals are also available at the library. If you would like more information or assistance see a librarian or visit the LCCC Writing Center.