Webpages expire, books and articles get lost, photographs and films degrade. Citations are necessary to assure that the next researcher can find the same information through different means.
Citing is important for your scholarly credibility, and for building on previous research. You may have a good idea, but simply stating it does not make it true or believable. Give your ideas validity and support by citing established authors.
Avoiding plagiarism is key to academic honesty. Claiming someone's original work as your own is fraud. Citations give authors their due credit.
You must cite:
When in doubt, be safe and cite your source!
At UVA Wise, many faculty require students to use a specific edition of APA, MLA or Chicago style so always make sure you are using the correct edition your Professor has requested:
This guide provides an overview of how to cite your sources, and APA and MLA styles.
The welcome video will walk you through the many resources on Excelsior's OWL that are ready for you to discover! Or, dig right into the Online Writing Lab
This is a wonderful citation and grammar source.
Citing ChatGPT: Be aware that UVA Wise does not have a campus policy on AI so students should always verify with each individual Professor whether AI usage is appropriate for the various tasks from information seeking or research, problem solving, prewriting including brainstorming, writing, and revising or editing in each course.