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Community and Justice Services

Citation Help

Following a recognized citation style by a credible organization (ex. APA, MLA) improves consistency between assignments, helps your professor understand what you have cited, and empowers others to find information for themselves.

When collecting information from a variety of sources, be sure to:

Rewriting an author's words in your own words helps you organize, retain and understand the material you are reading. In your notes, always:

  • Include any information about the source that will help you find it again - author, title, year, database where it was found, etc.
  • Identify the page or paragraph number where the information was found.
  • Distinguish between paraphrases and direct quotes.

Citation managers help you manage citations from library databases and other sources and automatically generate reference or works cited lists in the citation style of your choice. They can really help speed up the citation process, but you do need to check that they are accurate.

Citation Managers

Especially helpful for web pages. Keep your sources organized on your desktop, or save the files to a USB or your Sheridan account. The URL is automatically included in the .pdf footer.

Converting web pages to PDF

Citing your Sources with Integrity

Improper citation can lead to academic integrity violations, like plagiarism. There are many different types of plagiarism. Don't get caught accidentally falling into the plagiarism trap! Browse this summary to learn what not to do:

Before submitting your assignment, download and complete the Checklist for Assignments. Plus, practice these good academic skills to ensure your success:

  • Start assignments early and read them thoroughly so that you understand the requirements.
  • Work on your time management skills to avoid running out of time to cite properly.
  • Take careful notes and include reference information for each source you access.
  • Learn to cite properly; asking a citation specialist if you need help.
  • Use Turnitin before handing in your assignments.
  • Get help with paraphrasing, summarizing and quoting at Tutoring.

Contact the Academic Integrity Office if you have any questions about plagiarism. Learn what can happen if you do plagiarize by reading the Academic Integrity Policy and Academic Integrity Procedure.