Citation Guides: Citing Sources and Avoiding Plagiarism
Conducting ethical research is important for all members of the academic community. A critical component of ethical research includes providing accurate citations for the resources consulted. This guide will provide assistance in correctly citing both your print and and electronic resources. Not citing your sources can lead to charges of plagiarism. Citing sources for research papers has become increasingly complex with the near-ubiquitous presence of electronic resources. The following resources and guidelines are gathered generally to assist users with citing electronic resources in the big three styles (APA, Chicago, MLA.) If your're not sure which citation style is appropriate for your paper, consult with your teacher or editor. APA (American Psychological Association) citation style is widely used in the sciences, social sciences, and education. The print version of the most recent edition (15th ed., 2001) is available at the Ready Reference Desk [Call Number BF 76.7 .P83 2001] When in doubt about APA, it is always best to consult the print version and the updated information available on the APA Style website. The Chicago Manual of Style allows for two different types of reference styles: the author-date system and the documentary-note style. Traditionally, the humanities and social sciences prefer the documentary-note style. The sciences often use the author-date system. When in doubt, be sure to ask which style type is required for your project. The most recent edition of The Chicago Manual of Style (15th ed., 2003) is available at the Ready Reference Desk [Call Number Z 253 .U69 15th 2003] When in doubt about the Chicago style, it is always best to consult the print version and the updated information available on the style website. The following guides may also be of use: MLA (Modern Lanuage Association of America) style guide is documented in the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers and has been a standard citation guide for the humanities for decades. The most recent edition of the MLA Handbook (6th ed., 2003) is available from the Ready Reference Desk [Call Number LB 2369 .G53 2003] Additional information is available from the MLA Website. The following online guides also provide information on the MLA style: The MSU Honor Code defines plagiarism as "the appropriation of another person's ideas, processes, results, or words without giving appropriate credit." The following resources may help you engage in ethical research practices and avoid plagiarizing sources. If you need additional access to information not covered on this page, contact Deborah Lee at (662) 325 - 0810 or email dlee@library.msstate.edu.
American Psychological Association (APA)
The Chicago Manual of Style
Modern Language Association of America
Avoiding Plagiarism
