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Citation Style Guide

This guide provides information on citation styles, citation management tools, and resources for avoiding plagiarism.

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Citing Sources

Welcome to BU's Citation Style Guide.

Writing papers and doing research require you to cite your sources. Citations are an important part of academic conversation because it gives credit to the original author and establishes your credibility as a researcher. Citing your sources properly is the best way to avoid plagiarism, which is passing off other people's ideas or work as your own.

 

How to use this guide

  • There is no one standard citation style at BU. Different disciplines have their own citation styles and guidelines. Check with your instructor or publisher for the preferred style. 
  • Need help with incorporating your sources? Connect with academic writing centers and learn how to avoid plagiarism in your work. 
  • Citation managers are tools that help you organize and keep track of your references. See Create Bibliographies.

General Citation Guides

FAQs

Citations are a way of giving credit when certain material in your work came from another source. It also gives your readers the information to find that source on their own -- think of it like a roadmap to your research process. Whenever you use sources such as books, journals or websites in your research, you must give credit to the original author by citing the source. 

Source: Adjusted from University of Washington's Citing Sources Guide.

All academic writing requires citations for ethical participation in scholarly works. Citing your sources properly is important for many reasons:

Citations give credit.

  • Giving credit to the original source rewards other scholars for the hard work and creativity they contribute to advancements in their fields. Recognition inspires us to reach new heights. In some fields, citations even lead to career advancement.

Citations establish your credibility.

  • The more you know about your topic, the more credible your arguments become. By citing your sources, you prove that you have researched existing information and multiple viewpoints. In turn, readers will see that your theories and ideas are well-supported.

Citations help your readers.

  • Citations are like a roadmap to the sources you used. Sometimes seeing a quote in its original context helps readers understand it better. Citations can also guide your readers to more information about your topic.

Citations allow you to ethically participate in an academic conversation. 

  • No scholar works in isolation. We develop our ideas by learning about the work of others and researching existing information. In turn, your work contributes to this ongoing intellectual conversation and supports new research. 

Source: Adjusted from Middlebury Libraries Citation & Style Guide.

According to the Boston University Academic Conduct Code, plagiarism is defined as "representing the work or ideas of another as one’s own and/or using another’s work or ideas without appropriately crediting the source."

From Section 3: Violations of this Code

"Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, the following: copying the answers of another student on an examination; copying or restating the work or ideas of another person/persons or artificial intelligence software in any oral or written work (printed or electronic) without appropriately citing the source; using visuals, audio, or video footage that comes from another source (including work done by another student) without permission and/or acknowledgement of that source; and collaborating with someone else in an academic endeavor without acknowledging their contribution. Plagiarism can consist of acts of commission (appropriating the words or ideas of another as one’s own), or omission (failing to acknowledge/document/credit the source or creator of words or ideas)."

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