Introduction

Citations are an integral part of any academic or professional writing. It is one of the most common ways to avoid plagiarism. But what exactly is a citation and why is it important to cite the work of other authors in your paper? Well, understanding the profound importance of citation is like unlocking the secret sauce that adds flavor and authenticity to your work. 

What is a citation?

Citation is a reference or a way to acknowledge the efforts of original authors and to inform your readers that a certain idea is taken from a particular source. It is important because it allows the reader to retain more information on a topic apart from your paper.  

It gives information about the author, published date, name of the company, title of work, and the number of pages you have borrowed ideas from.  

What is the importance of citation?

The importance of citation can never be ignored. When you are writing a paper, you need to consult various sources to understand the topic in detail and to ensure that your content is well-researched. However, when you fail to credit the sources, your work will be plagiarized which can harm your reputation. This is where citation comes in as it protects you from copyright infringement and accidental or intentional plagiarism.  

Why should I cite sources?

Considering the importance of citation, apart from avoiding plagiarism, there are several reasons why you should cite the sources properly. Some of them are: 

• Citations help the reader to get more information about a similar topic while bolstering your credibility. 
• Citations promote honesty and integrity by acknowledging and crediting the original author. 
• Citations demonstrate your credibility by allowing the reader to understand how many new thoughts or ideas you have created. 
• Citations also show the amount of research you have done to support your arguments. 
• Citations can work as a bridge between your work and the extensive knowledge base. 
• Citations help the readers to understand and trace recent developments in a certain context.  
• Citations foster a culture of integrity and transparency. 

Citing the source is crucial in academia as well as professionally. Therefore, it is essential to know the importance of citations along with the different forms and formats of citations.   

Forms of citation

There are several styles of citation like MLA, APA, Chicago, etc. Every style comes with specific requirements and different formats. However, there are some common types of citations: 

In-text citation

As the name suggests, an in-text citation is added within the context of your paper. It helps the reader to point out the source from where you have taken the information. 

It is usually required when you quote or paraphrase a source to allow the readers to verify your claims. 

For Example

APA style In-text citation  

The environment is drastically changing due to the excessive use of CFCs (John, 2010, p.2), and has become a challenging situation for countries to control them. 

Here, an in-text citation gives the information of the author, publishing date, and even page to allow the reader to follow up the research. 

Parenthetical Citation 

It includes the information within the brackets. It is somehow similar to the in-text citation, but it is always placed at the end of a paragraph or sentence.  

For Example

APA style Parenthetical citation  

The environment is drastically changing due to the excessive use of CFCs (John, 2010, p.2). It has become a challenging situation for countries to control the use of CFCs. 

Works Cited 

This form of citation is used in MLA where you have to cite detailed information about each source. However, in other styles the references list or bibliography is used. 

For Example

MLA style Work Cited 

Andrew, John. “Challenge to the environment.” ResearchGate, 2010, pp. 2.  

You can use our citation generation to cite your work for free! 

When are citations required? 

Now that you are aware of the importance of citations, it is necessary to note down the situations when you require citations. Citations are needed when: 

• You are using direct quotations  
• You are paraphrasing the text  
• You are expressing the idea that someone else has already used or published 
• You are referring to the terminologies  
• You are writing historical background 
• You are using someone else’s work to develop your content 
• You are utilizing content from different sources like videos, images, websites, etc. 
• You are borrowing the theories from other authors 

However, each style of citation requires different rules. So, you should follow the style preferred by your institution or field of study to ensure credibility in your work. 

How to cite sources properly? 

If you don’t know how to cite the source properly then knowing the importance of citation and its requirements would be in vain. Before adding the citations, you must: 

• Collect accurate information about the sources that you have used in your paper. 
• Select the appropriate or acceptable citation style according to your field or institution. 
• Include the proper in-text citations to indicate the use of someone else’s idea. 
• Compile the Works Cited or References list at the end of your essay. Make sure it is added on a separate page  
• Whatever format you are using, follow the rules and guidelines effectively. 
• Use the citation generator tools to organize and generate your citations. 

However, each style (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc..) has a few common points in them that entail the information of the source. Each citation style contains: 

• Title of the original work 
• Date of publication 
• Place of publication 
• Name of author/s 
• Name of publisher/editor 

If you want to know how to cite in different formats like MLA, APA, or Chicago, get assistance from our experts. 

Does citing make your work seem less original? 

Absolutely not.  

The more you cite the more well-researched your paper is because citation brings credibility to your work and empowers originality as readers can distinguish your ideas from the ideas mentioned in the sources. 

Conclusion

Citation is not just a formality, but it is an integral part of academic and professional writing. Although there are different styles of citations but all of them serve the same purpose. Without citations, dishonesty would be dominated, and plagiarism would prevail. So, next time you are set to craft a well-researched paper, don’t forget to add your citations. 

If you are still confused about citing your sources properly, Skyline Academic is just a click away!  

We have a plagiarism checker and citation generator that can not only detect the percentage of plagiarism in your work but will also generate citations for your paper.