Citation Formats
Why Cite?
Citing tells your reader where you found information. It shows that you did research and gives credit to the original author. When you cite, others can check the source themselves. Good citations also protect you from accidental plagiarism.
How to Cite
A basic citation includes three parts:
- Author – the person or group who created the work.
- Title – the name of the book, article, website, or video.
- Year – when the work was published or posted.
Write these details in the order the style guide asks for you. For example, a simple list might look like:
- Author: Jane Doe
- Title: Dinosaurs
- Year: 2022
If you use a website, add the URL after the year. Keep the format the same for every source you list.
Simple Example
Imagine you read a paragraph about volcanoes from a website called Science Kids written by Alex Rivera in 2021. Your citation could be:
- Author: Alex Rivera
- Title: Science Kids – Volcanoes
- Year: 2021
- URL: https://sciencekids.org/volcanoes
Place this citation at the end of your report or in a bibliography section. This lets anyone see exactly where the facts came from.