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Maynard Jordan Human Services 103: Citation for Beginners

Citation Tips

Basic Citation Tips

  • a citation style is meant to help someone else find that resource
  • different subjects, like psychology versus English, may use different styles
  • citations provide evidence and support of your argument, thesis, or topic
  • everything that isn't common knowledge to someone studying the topic must be cited
  • using a citation manager, like MyBib, is recommended to collect and organize citations

A In-Text Citation is.....

An in-text citation is....

INFORMATION FROM A SOURCE WRITTEN IN YOUR ESSAY

You cannot include an in-text citation without showing a corresponding bibliographical entry.

Example:

The most cold-hardy perennials are the hosta genus, known for their "splash and sprinkle" bright green leaves (Harper, 2019) even in the darkest of winters.

A Bibliography is....

A bibliography is....

ALL SOURCES SHOWN TOGETHER AT THE END OF THE ESSAY

You cannot show a bibliographical entry without including an in-text citation to that entry.

Example:

Harper, Rose. “Cold Hardiness in Perennials.” Modern Gardening,

        vol. 45, no. 2, Oct. 2020, pp. 1–18.

Writing a Citation (Paragraph)

           Zebras are iconic African mammals.  There are

 

two distinct species of zebras ("Horses and Zebras" 11),

 

with large herds roaming the African continent.

 

  • You don't cite "iconic African mammals"  -- these are your words to paint a picture for the reader

  • You cite the idea that there are two distinct species because not everyone knows it, found on page 11 of the document

  • You don't cite "large herds roaming the African continent," because this is a general statement of common knowledge

Works Cited

 

"Horses and Zebras." Animals: A Visual Encyclopedia,

edited by Carrie Love, and Caroline Stamps, Dorling

Kindersley Publishing, Inc., 1st edition, 2008.

Credo Reference,

https://libproxy.kctcs.edu/BigSandy?url=https://

search.credoreference.com/content/entry/dkanimals/

horses_and_zebras/0?institutionId=9789.

Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

5 tips

Citation for beginners