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STEP 1102 - STEP Into College: What Is Plagiarism?

Citations are important

It is important to properly cite the sources used when writing your academic paper in order to:

  • Give credit to others' ideas and scholarship
  • Avoid plagiarism
  • Allow others to locate sources used
  • Demonstrate authority of information

Citation elements often include:

  • Author name(s)
  • Title of publication (e.g., articles, journals, books)
  • Date of publication
  • Page numbers
  • Volume and issue numbers (for journals, magazines, and other periodicals)
  • Publisher name and location (for print books and reports)
  • URL or DOI locators (for electronic sources)

If your instructor asked you to cite in APA:

If your instructor asked you to cite in MLA:

Style Guide

For many of your style and citation questions, it's best to go straight to the source! Find a copy of the MLA style manual at the Help Desk or in the stacks.

MLA Online Guides

MLA Citation Style is used when writing or citing works in the humanities.

Helpful Links