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ENGLISH 386K: Science Fiction: Citing Sources

Plagiarism

Plagiarism charges can be brought against you for the following offenses:

  • Copying, quoting, paraphrasing, or summarizing from any source without adequate documentation
  • Purchasing a pre-written paper (either by mail or electronically)
  • Letting someone else write a paper for you
  • Paying someone else to write a paper for you
  • Submitting as your own someone else's unpublished work, either with or without permission

Warning Signs

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Confused

Don't Know Whether to quote or cite?

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Stressed

The Pressure to Get an A is more than you can take
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Swamped

You're overwhelmed and running out of time
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Frustrated and embarrassed

You're trying to use difficult material

What & How to Cite?

What do I cite? For your latest research assignment, you consulted books, journal articles and web sites, viewed a film pertinent to your topic, and even interviewed your roommate. Now, you are ready to write. Do you really need to cite all these sources? The short answer is yes. If you are incorporating an author’s ideas into your paper, or if the work of another has influenced your thinking on a topic, then the source must be cited. It doesn’t matter what the source is. It could be a book, journal article, web site, message from a listserv, television program, speech or a government document. Just remember, if you are using another’s words or ideas, cite them.

Citation Tools: You may choose either one and it helps you to organize your citations and create bibliography with your desided style in a minute.

  • Zotero: A free and friendly citation management software.
  • EndNote: EndNote allows you to search online bibliographic databases, organize references and create and format instant bibliographies. It's integrated with Microsoft Word as well.

Which Style to Use?

  1. Follow the format your professor suggests.
  2. Ask your professor what to use if no format was assigned.
  3. If you have no advice from your professor, try these:

    Humanities (especially literature or languages):Modern Language Association (MLA) Handbook

    Social sciences (especially psychology and behavioral science):American Psychological Association (APA) Publication Manual

    Physical and natural sciences:CSE (Council of Scientific Editors) Manual

    A general guide:Turabian is used by students in all disciplines. It is designed to complement the Chicago Manual of Style, but be simpler and easier to use.

    A very detailed guide:The Chicago Manual of Style is used by scholarly writers in all disciplines. It contains two separate styles, one for writers in literature, history, and the arts, and one for writers in the physical, natural and social sciences.