Answered By: Research Help Desk
Last Updated: Jun 19, 2023     Views: 202

When conducting research and writing papers, you will sometimes use direct quotations from the work of others. You may also summarize the ideas of other writers or paraphrase (put in your own words) things that you have read. Any time you use someone else's work (words, ideas, graphics, programs, etc.) you must acknowledge the source by documenting it.

Different academic disciplines (e.g., psychology, English, etc.) require different styles or formats for citation and documentation. Some of these styles include APA (American Psychological Association), MLA (Modern Language Association) and Chicago Style. Your professor will tell you which style to use. 

To learn how to use these different styles properly, see the resources listed on the Patrick Power Library's Style Guides and Citations page. You can manage your citations and generate bibliographies in a range of citation styles using RefWorks. For more help, visit the Writing Centre.