When you use citations (the pieces of information necessary for finding a resource), you help your readers track ideas and wording back to those original authors you used to write a paper, create a PowerPoint, etc. Using citations also helps you follow the Academic Honesty Policy of Olympic College by avoiding plagiarism. The Purdue OWL website defines plagiarism as "the uncredited use (both intentional and unintentional) of somebody else's words or ideas."
Here is a close captioned video from the Lehman Library about why we cite.
Instructors usually specify their citation requirements for papers and other assignments. Most instructors at OC require you to use either MLA or APA citation style.
The Modern Language Association (MLA) and the American Psychological Association (APA) provide handbooks and websites to support the correct use of their citation styles. OC Libraries have also created a guide, and the Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL) offers extensive support. The links below provide most of the information you will ever need to create citations.
This is a great reason to use library resources! Although these citations are typically more accurate than the citations generated by free online tools, you should still check they are correct. Here are citation features to look for in OneSearch:
Zotero, best known for their citation management tool, also offers a very accurate citation building tool. It is ad-free, open-source, and very accurate for both MLA and APA citations.
Remember...you can always get help with citations in our 24/7 Ask a Librarian chat. You can also get online writing help through Olympic College eTutoring. And Kitsap Regional Library (KRL) offers a variety of research databases, eBooks, audiobooks, and online tutoring from 1:00 pm-10:00 pm via BrainFuse (get a KRL library card online).
Happy Researching!
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