Citations

The following are a set of very informal notes to help students identify when and how to include citations in papers. Grammar textbooks and writing style manuals can offer further guidance.

Why citations?

• Indicates that you have read the material & can use it
• Recognizes sources from which you draw ideas & factual support
• Basic fairness to recognize what is ‘others’’ & what is ‘yours’
• Plagiarism, the most serious form of not citing, is equivalent to stealing ‘intellectual property’ from its owner/creator. Plagiarism is illegal.

How to cite in papers; three levels of using other ideas, moving from the most specific instance to the most general:

Using examples from de Léry, History of a Voyage to the Land of Brazil …:

Direct quote:

• "But note that since polygamy, that is, a plurality of wives, is common in their region, men may have as many as they please; in fact, the make a virtue out of a vice, so that those who have the greatest number are deemed as the most valiant and bold.…" (de Léry, 152)

(Here, the author of the paper uses the exact words that the original author [de Léry] used when raising the issue. You need to recognize that you are not only using the concepts & ideas of the another author; you also need to recognize that you are using their words. You should limit the length and number of direct quotations that you use; the extent to which you use them should correspond to the length of the paper. Also, remember that in my classes I do not allow the use of direct quotes in mid-term or final exams.)

Specific idea:

• De Léry found the Amerindian acceptance of polygamy to be notable. (de Léry, 152)

(Here, the author of the paper refers to a specific idea that de Léry raises – polygamy. This idea is specifically discussed on page 152; it needs to be noted.)

Concept:

· De Léry discussed the marriage customs of the Amerindians with whom he became acquainted (de Léry, 152-157).

(Here, the author of the paper refers in a very general manner to the topic of the "marriage customs.")

Format of cites:

Many formats for citations are possible; see Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Term Papers... for a selection. For my classes, when only basing papers on 1 or 2 readings, you may use any style of citation you prefer, as long as you use it consistently and correctly. If you use in-text citations (sometimes called scientific citations), you must include a bibliography at the end of the paper to give your reader full bibliographic information.

Form of full bibliographic citation:

Author last name, first name. Title (underscore book "quote for article"). Journal title(if applicable); City of publication: publisher, year: page(s).