Information Literacy: Using and Documenting Information Effectively

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* 1. What is a citation?

A book title.

An article title.

“A citation is a way of giving credit to individuals for their creative and intellectual works that you utilized to support your research. It can also be used to locate particular sources and combat plagiarism.”—from the University of Pittsburgh

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* 2. When do I have to cite a source?

If you remember.

Only if it is required.

Every time you mention an idea that did not come from you (unless it is common knowledge—e.g., the earth revolves around the sun, January is the first month of the year, etc.). We always need to give credit to original work (e.g., a research article, an editorial, a piece of artwork, etc.).

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From: Harris, Robert A. The Plagiarism Handbook: Strategies for Preventing, Detecting, and Dealing with Plagiarism. Los Angeles: Pyrczak Publishing, 2001.

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* 3. Do you have to cite a source every time you use it in an assignment?

You can if you feel like it.

Of course not.

Yes, even if you have already cited it! It is important to note every instance of an idea that originated elsewhere.

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* 4. What happens if I don’t cite a source?

Nothing.

You try to remember to do it next time

You are plagiarizing. This could cause you to fail your assignment or course.

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* 5. Who can help me format my citations/sources?

A professor.

Tri-C's Writing Center.

Consult with a Librarian (online chat, phone, email, and in-person): https://www.tri-c.edu/learning-commons/library/index.html

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* 6. How do I know a source is good?

It's on the first page of a google search

It aligns with my opinions

We wish the answer was simple! Consider things like the author’s credibility, how current the information is, and the relevancy to your topic.
You can use the CRAAP test to evaluate a specific source:
CRAAP Test: https://library.csuchico.edu/sites/default/files/craap-test.pdf