When do you reference a cite for research paper

Because knowledge is a cumulative process built on the research and writing of other researchers, your instructor needs to see the quality of the sources you used and how you developed your ideas.

To get started and to see examples, select the citation style from the dropdown menu on the left. In general, you must document sources when you provide information that you ordinarily would not have known before conducting your research, and when you provide information that it cannot be assumed the reader knows.

You must cite a reference when you:. While you are doing research and locating sources, be sure to document materials thoroughly, noting the author, title, publisher, place of publication, date, and page numbers of all sources used.

Note the URL of any website you consult; depending on the source, you may need it for the reference. APA style no longer requires a database name for most references; MLA style still requires it as part of your citation. In either case, make a note of it in case you need to retrieve it at a later date. Things that are common knowledge do not require citation.

For example:. However, if someone draws an original conclusion from a common fact, then you must cite the source:. Very impressed with the turn around time and the attention to detail needed for the assignment. Our Team How to Order. Log In Sign Up. All Posts General Guides. Conclusion Precis Hypothesis.

Essay Writing. Literature Reviews. Formatting Styles. Other Articles. Written by. Get Help Now. Get Help with Your Paper! Proceed To Order. Table of Contents. Latest Customer Reviews. Toggle navigation. What Types of References Are Appropriate?

Highly appropriate: peer-reviewed journal articles In general, you should primarily cite peer-reviewed journal articles in your research papers. Tips for finding and using peer-reviewed journal articles: Many databases, such as PsycINFO, can be set to only search for peer-reviewed journal articles.

Other search engines, such as Google Scholar, typically include both peer-reviewed and not peer-reviewed articles in search results, and thus should be used with greater caution. Even though a peer-reviewed journal article is, by definition, a source that has been carefully vetted through an editorial process, it should still be critically evaluated by the reader.

Potentially appropriate: books, encyclopedias, and other scholarly works Another potential source that you might use when writing a research paper is a book, encyclopedia, or an official online source such as demographic data drawn from a government website.

Tips for using books, encyclopedias, and other scholarly works: When using books, encyclopedias, and other scholarly works that is, works written or produced by researchers, official agencies, or corporations , it is important to very carefully evaluate the quality of that source.

If the source is an edited volume in which case in the editor s will be listed on the cover , is published by a reputable source such as Academic Press, MIT Press, and others , or is written by a major expert in the field such as a researcher with a track record of peer-reviewed journal articles on the subject , then it is more likely to be trustworthy.

The role of whisker length in mouse J Physiol 61 3 The role of estrogen in J Physiol 2 6 Bugjuice et al. Author s Unknown or Not Named. If the authorship of a paper or other document is not provided, cite the author using the word "Anonymous" in the place of the authors name s.

Department, Popville, Maine. Anonymous OR Anonymous Gumwad, G. Behavior patterns of mice. New York: Harper Gumwad OR Gumwad Huth, J. Robinson, P. Scientific format and style The CBE manual for authors, editors, and publishers.

Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Huth et al. Kuret, J. Adenohypophyseal hormones and related New York: Pergamon. Citing References in the Body Intro and Discussion of the Paper Throughout the body of your paper primarily the Intro and Discussion , whenever you refer to outside sources of information, you must cite the sources from which you drew information.