Engl 1102 Library Research Unit Guide for Students

Citation is about more than avoiding plagiarism. It plays an important role in the creation of scholarly conversation-- that is, the conversation between researchers publishing in a certain area, each one of them adding something new to the discussion. Proper citations allow readers to see the past work that a researcher is building upon and to understand the full context that a source exists within. 

When you create work that cites sources, you are practicing being a part of a scholarly conversation. Don't write in a vacuum! Instead, include and respond to the ideas of others, acknowledging their contributions to what we know about a topic.

The following resources can help you learn to accurately cite sources:

• The library's Citing Your Sources Research Guide
• Purdue OWL's APA Style and Formatting Guide
• Purdue OWL's MLA Style and Formatting Guide

An easy way to create citations is by using the "citation" button in the library catalog. When you click on a search result, scroll down to the section labeled "Send to." Select the "citation" button, then select the citation style you wish to use. Remember that these citations are auto-generated. You should always check that they are correct before using them in an assignment.

Understanding Citation Elements

Citations are made up of identifying information about the item. When you understand what each component represents, it will be easier to read and create citations. Below you will find the citation for a scholarly article in three common citation styles: MLA, APA, and Chicago Style. Each of the elements are highlighted according to the following key:

Author name   Article title  Journal title  Volume and issue number  Date  Page range

MLA Citation

Turner, Keaghan. "Sherlock Holmes and the 'Agony Column': A Study in Convergent Media." English Literature in Transition, 1880-1920, vol. 61, no. 4, 2018, pp. 427-449.

APA Citation

Turner, K. (2018). Sherlock Holmes and the 'agony column": A study in convergent media. English Literature in Transition, 1880-1920, 61(4), 427-449.

Chicago Style Citation

Want to learn more about the components of scholarly articles? The interactive resource below can help you understand how articles are organized and formatted: