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Citing your sources

When in doubt, cite it!
You must cite your source when
  • you quote, paraphrase or summarize the ideas or words of another author
  • you use an image, graph, artwork, music or other work that was created by someone else
You don't have to cite your source when
  • the information is common knowledge (it is known and accepted as fact by the general public)
    • e.g., the earth revolves around the sun
  • you're writing about your own experiences, ideas or observations
  • you use your own artwork, music, videos, or other creative works
In-text citations

Whatever you put in your Works Cited or References page must have an in-text citation for the source in the body of your paper. The two go hand-in-hand.

Citation guides

Always check your course syllabus or with your instructor about the citation style format to use and if there are any additional requirements.

Other Links

 

Build Your Skills

Complete the "Write & Cite" section to learn time-saving techniques to write and cite your paper effectively.

Save Time

noteKeep track of your resources right from the start. If you don't, it may be challenging to refer back for more information or for citing and creating your bibliography.

For each resource, record the:

  • Article title
  • Publication or book title
  • Database or website name
  • Date, page numbers, etc. 

Disclaimer

Yavapai College does not necessarily endorse nor condone content found on third-party websites. Links are provided as a convenience only.