ABSTRACT
Responsible scholars give credit to other researchers and authors by acknowledging ideas that are not their own. This is done through the use of parenthetical citations or footnotes along with a bibliography or reference list. We will briefly discuss MLA and APA guidelines and the reasons for the different styles when citing sources and organizing research findings. Citation and format styles reflect the relative importance of timeliness, language use, authorial identity, and other facets of research sources Plagiarism encompasses a wide spectrum of behaviors, from an outright word-for-word copying of another’s work without giving credit to an artful paraphrase that re-states another author’s idea without acknowledging their work. We provide a checklist to help students navigate the challenge of proper citation within their papers and compiling an appropriate list of resources.
