Citation Overview

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A Brief Overview

In the college setting, any academic paper that uses outside sources will require some form of citation. A citation is a reference to another source of information. The two most common citation styles are Modern Language Association (MLA) and American Psychological Association (APA). These two are the most commonly used formats in the First Year Writing Program at EMU, but other citation styles, such as Chicago and Council of Science Editors (CSE), may be required in other classes. Usually professors will make their preference clear, but if not this Wiki page will provide a brief overview of both citation styles to help you determine which best suits your paper.

First, it’s important to understand why we use citations. They:

  • Credit others’ work
  • Lend credibility to your work by linking yourself to reputable sources/scholars
  • Establish your integrity as a student working in an academic community
  • Demonstrate the effort and research you’ve done to craft a paper
  • Lead your reader toward several sources that they could, in turn, examine as part of their research process

Using outside resources makes your work more credible. Think of it this way: instead of standing alone defending your work, you have a chorus of voices standing behind you reinforcing your ideas. Anytime you incorporate another’s work, you should include a citation, whether you’re quoting directly or paraphrasing (for an overview on what constitutes direct quotations or paraphrasing, see our Wiki entry entitled “Quotation & Paraphrase”).


General Information

APA

APA style is most commonly associated with the social sciences, such as nursing or psychology, but occasionally it is also used in advertising and public relations, rhetoric, writing studies, composition, and technical communication. APA is concerned with source relevancy, which is why the author’s name and the year of publication are always first on the References page. APA considers publication date important because researchers want to be able to know when a study was published, which factors into the source’s credibility and relevance. This style also uses only last names and initials because in order to reduce any stigma associated with gender.

MLA

MLA documentation, according to the official website, is “widely used in the humanities, especially in writing on language and literature.” At EMU, most introductory English classes (i.e. ENGL120 and ENGL121) will use this style. It features simple, parenthetical in-text citations that link to a separate Works Cited page. Most typically, an in-text citation includes the source author’s last name and the page number: for example, (Smith 135). MLA focuses on writers and their work, which is why the author’s name and the title of his/her work are always first on the Works Cited page.

In papers that use MLA style, citations appear in two places: in-text as parenthetical documentation and at the end of the essay on the Works Cited page.


Resources

General

APA vs. MLA

Not sure which style to use for a particular paper?This chart provides a breakdown of the similarities and differences between MLA and APA style.

Citation Generators

EasyBib and KnightCite

These websites allow you to select the citation format you are using and plug in information, and then convert your information into a citation. They are helpful to use if you have never cited anything before as it will acquaint you with format conventions in a paper. However, please beware: these website are almost never 100 percent accurate. As such, you should always check the generated citation against a reliable website (see below).

APA

American Psychological Association’s Website

Since they are also the producer of the APA manual, their website only provides a brief background and overview of APA style. If you’re looking for in-depth help on APA formatting, other websites will be more useful.


APA Manual (Print)

Written by the American Psychological Association, this book provides the most accurate information on APA style. It is a bit less user-friendly than some other resources, but the most important chapters are six and seven. In chapter six, you will find information about how to cite sources in the text. Chapter seven provides detailed examples of the various ways to cite sources in the reference page.

The APA style manual is currently in its sixth edition, and updates every few years. Copies of this book are available in Halle Library or at the University Writing Center. If you would like to purchase the book, you can do so by following the link posted above.


Diana Hacker APA

If you’re more of a visual learner, this website features a drop-down tab that allows you to select the source you have. It then explains the information required to properly cite that source along with an example of the finished product. In addition, this site provides a sample paper with side commentary to explain the various formatting rules.

MLA

Modern Languages Association Website

Since they are also the producer of the MLA manual, their website only provides a brief background and overview of MLA style. If you’re looking for in-depth help on MLA formatting, the websites below will be more useful.


MLA Manual (Print)

Written by the Modern Languages Association, this book provides the most accurate information on MLA style. Chapters five (“Documentation: Preparing the List of Works Cited”) and six “Documentation: Citing Sources in the Text”) will be most helpful for your purposes.

The MLA style manual is currently in its seventh edition, and updates every few years. Copies of this book are available in Halle Library or at the University Writing Center. If you would like to purchase the book, you can do so by following the link posted above.


Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL)

If you’re looking for a thorough review of MLA style, this online resource provides explanations and examples of nearly any source you can think of. The website is updated frequently with the most current MLA rules and regulations. The left side of the website has tabs that feature various aspects of MLA style.


Diana Hacker MLA

If you’re more of a visual learner, this website features a drop-down tab that allows you to select the source you have. It then explains the information required to properly cite that source along with an example of the finished product. In addition, this site provides a sample paper with side commentary to explain the various formatting rules.