Citing Sources
Why is citing important?
It's important to cite sources you used in your research for several reasons:
- To be a responsible scholar by giving credit to other researchers and acknowledging their ideas
- To allow your reader to track down the sources you used by citing them accurately in your paper by way of footnotes, a bibliography or reference list
- To uphold BU's Academic Conduct Code, which establishes an environment of professionalism that helps to assure each individual receives appropriate recognition for their work
What is plagiarism?
- Plagiarism is using someone else’s ideas or words without giving them proper credit. Plagiarism can range from unintentional (forgetting to include a source in a bibliography) to intentional (buying a paper online, using another writer’s ideas as your own to make your work sound smarter)
- Beginning writers and expert writers alike can all plagiarize
- The best way to avoid plagiarism is to properly cite every source used in your work
What is academic integrity?
- The International Center for Academic Integrity defines academic integrity “as a commitment, even in the face of adversity, to six fundamental values: honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility, and courage. From these values flow principles of behavior that enable academic communities to translate ideals to action"
- For more information about plagiarism and academic integrity, see the Boston University Academic Conduct Code
CSE (Council of Science Editors) Style
Scientific Style and Format by Location: Science & Engineering Library Stacks T11 .S386 2014Developed by the Council of Science Editors (CSE), the leading professional association in science publishing, this guide encompasses all areas of the sciences.. Style instructions for physics, chemistry, genetics, biological sciences, and astronomy have been adjusted to reflect developments in each field. It remains the essential resource for those writing, editing, and publishing in the scientific community.
APA Style
APA stands for the American Psychological Association and is the format designed for use within the field of psychology. However, other disciplines use APA as well, so always use the format your professor chooses.
Publication Manual 7th Edition of the American Psychological Association by Location: Mugar Reference BF76.7 P83 2020
Pickering Educational Resources Library Reference BF76.7 P83 2020 cop. 2ISBN: 9781433832161Publication Date: 2019-10-01The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Seventh Edition is the official source for APA Style. With millions of copies sold worldwide in multiple languages, it is the style manual of choice for writers, researchers, editors, students, and educators in the social and behavioral sciences, natural sciences, nursing, communications, education, business, engineering, and other fields.
- APA Style GuideThe APA maintains its own website with multiple examples of how to format your paper and cite your sources.
NLM (National Library of Medicine Style)
Citing Medicine: the NLM style guide for authors, editors, and publishers
The official style manual for the National Library of Medicine (NLM), and suggested when citing documents from the associated databases MedLine and PubMed. The online edition supercedes the print edition as the most up to date.
General Citation Guides
- EasyBib.comEasyBib.com has partnered with WorldCat, and can format, alphabetize and print a bibliography based on APA, MLA, or Chicago styles.
- Excelsior Online Writing Lab: Citation & DocumentationThis section features instructional videos that show you how to set up your papers in APA, MLA, and Chicago formats, interactive checklists, and visual support for both in-text documenting and referencing at the end of your paper.
- Purdue Online Writing LabThe Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University houses writing resources and instructional material. Students, members of the community, and users worldwide will find information to assist with many writing projects.
