{"id":1321,"date":"2025-04-25T16:04:28","date_gmt":"2025-04-25T16:04:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/englishcomp1\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=1321"},"modified":"2025-07-13T04:13:58","modified_gmt":"2025-07-13T04:13:58","slug":"using-and-citing-sources-background-youll-need-1","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/englishcomp1\/chapter\/using-and-citing-sources-background-youll-need-1\/","title":{"raw":"Using and Citing Sources: Background You'll Need","rendered":"Using and Citing Sources: Background You&#8217;ll Need"},"content":{"raw":"<section class=\"textbox learningGoals\" aria-label=\"Learning Goals\">\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Explain why citing sources is important and the purpose of citation styles<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/section>\r\n<h2>Why Cite?<\/h2>\r\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"2626\" data-end=\"2755\">Citing the sources you use in your work is essential to ethical and effective academic writing. Here's why:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li data-start=\"2759\" data-end=\"2841\">citations help others find the information you used in your research paper<\/li>\r\n \t<li data-start=\"2759\" data-end=\"2841\">citing your sources accurately helps establish the credibility of your research<\/li>\r\n \t<li data-start=\"2759\" data-end=\"2841\">citations connect your work to the work of other scholars<\/li>\r\n \t<li data-start=\"2759\" data-end=\"2841\">citations are one way that scholars enter into a dialogue with one another<\/li>\r\n \t<li data-start=\"2759\" data-end=\"2841\">citations are a way to honor and acknowledge the work of others who have made your own research possible<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nCiting sources is a fundamental part of participating in academic and professional communities, where ideas are shared, built upon, and honored through careful attribution.\r\n<h2>Standardized Systems for Citing<\/h2>\r\n<p data-start=\"37\" data-end=\"229\"><img class=\"wp-image-1309 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/107\/2016\/07\/28174539\/traffic-light-876050_1280-300x167.jpg\" alt=\"Decorative image.\" width=\"303\" height=\"169\" \/>If you drive in the U.S., you know green means \"go\" and red means \"stop.\" These standardized signals prevent confusion and keep roads safe. Imagine the chaos if a city suddenly changed them!<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"231\" data-end=\"399\">Academic writing follows a similar system of standardized guidelines to ensure clarity and consistency. Different disciplines use specific formatting styles, such as:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<ul data-start=\"400\" data-end=\"569\">\r\n \t<li data-start=\"400\" data-end=\"478\"><strong data-start=\"402\" data-end=\"439\">MLA (Modern Language Association)<\/strong> \u2013 Common in language and literature.<\/li>\r\n \t<li data-start=\"479\" data-end=\"569\"><strong data-start=\"481\" data-end=\"525\">APA (American Psychological Association)<\/strong> \u2013 Used in behavioral and social sciences.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p data-start=\"571\" data-end=\"821\">Your instructor may require MLA, APA, or both. Following these citation styles allows readers to easily trace your research sources and ensures your work is properly formatted with in-text citations and a References (APA) or Works Cited (MLA) page that appropriately gives credit to the authors who inspired your work.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<section class=\"textbox proTip\" aria-label=\"Pro Tip\">MLA periodically updates its style guide. As of 2021, the <strong data-start=\"900\" data-end=\"915\">9th edition<\/strong> is the latest, but it does not change in-text or Works Cited citations from the 8th edition. You can see a <a href=\"https:\/\/style.mla.org\/ninth-edition-whats-new\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">full list of 9th edition changes at the MLA website<\/a>.<\/section><section aria-label=\"Pro Tip\"><section class=\"textbox watchIt\" aria-label=\"Watch It\">This video further explains what citations are, and why they matter. In this module, you will learn how to properly cite in MLA and APA format, as shown toward the end of the video.\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/iframe_api \"><\/script>\r\n<p class=\"cc-media-iframe-container\"><iframe id=\"tpm-plugin-hccbhebf-kn-yPffxmlw\" class=\"cc-media-iframe\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/kn-yPffxmlw?enablejsapi=1 \" frameborder=\"0\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"3p-plugin-target-hccbhebf-kn-yPffxmlw\" class=\"p3sdk-target\"><\/div>\r\n<p class=\"cc-media-iframe-container\"><script type='text\/javascript' src='\/\/plugin.3playmedia.com\/ajax.js?cc=1&cc_minimizable=1&cc_minimize_on_load=0&cc_multi_text_track=0&cc_overlay=1&cc_searchable=0&embed=ajax&mf=13492953&p3sdk_version=1.11.7&p=20361&player_type=youtube&plugin_skin=dark&target=3p-plugin-target-hccbhebf-kn-yPffxmlw&vembed=0&video_id=kn-yPffxmlw&video_target=tpm-plugin-hccbhebf-kn-yPffxmlw'><\/script><\/p>\r\nYou can view the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/course-building.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/English+Comp\/Transcripts\/What's+a+Citation+and+Why+Does+It+Matter%3F_transcript.txt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">transcript for \u201cWhat's a Citation and Why Does It Matter?\u201d here (opens in new window).<\/a>\r\n\r\n<\/section><\/section>","rendered":"<section class=\"textbox learningGoals\" aria-label=\"Learning Goals\">\n<ul>\n<li>Explain why citing sources is important and the purpose of citation styles<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/section>\n<h2>Why Cite?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"2626\" data-end=\"2755\">Citing the sources you use in your work is essential to ethical and effective academic writing. Here&#8217;s why:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-start=\"2759\" data-end=\"2841\">citations help others find the information you used in your research paper<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2759\" data-end=\"2841\">citing your sources accurately helps establish the credibility of your research<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2759\" data-end=\"2841\">citations connect your work to the work of other scholars<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2759\" data-end=\"2841\">citations are one way that scholars enter into a dialogue with one another<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2759\" data-end=\"2841\">citations are a way to honor and acknowledge the work of others who have made your own research possible<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Citing sources is a fundamental part of participating in academic and professional communities, where ideas are shared, built upon, and honored through careful attribution.<\/p>\n<h2>Standardized Systems for Citing<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"37\" data-end=\"229\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1309 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/107\/2016\/07\/28174539\/traffic-light-876050_1280-300x167.jpg\" alt=\"Decorative image.\" width=\"303\" height=\"169\" \/>If you drive in the U.S., you know green means &#8220;go&#8221; and red means &#8220;stop.&#8221; These standardized signals prevent confusion and keep roads safe. Imagine the chaos if a city suddenly changed them!<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"231\" data-end=\"399\">Academic writing follows a similar system of standardized guidelines to ensure clarity and consistency. Different disciplines use specific formatting styles, such as:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"400\" data-end=\"569\">\n<li data-start=\"400\" data-end=\"478\"><strong data-start=\"402\" data-end=\"439\">MLA (Modern Language Association)<\/strong> \u2013 Common in language and literature.<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"479\" data-end=\"569\"><strong data-start=\"481\" data-end=\"525\">APA (American Psychological Association)<\/strong> \u2013 Used in behavioral and social sciences.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"571\" data-end=\"821\">Your instructor may require MLA, APA, or both. Following these citation styles allows readers to easily trace your research sources and ensures your work is properly formatted with in-text citations and a References (APA) or Works Cited (MLA) page that appropriately gives credit to the authors who inspired your work.<\/p>\n<section class=\"textbox proTip\" aria-label=\"Pro Tip\">MLA periodically updates its style guide. As of 2021, the <strong data-start=\"900\" data-end=\"915\">9th edition<\/strong> is the latest, but it does not change in-text or Works Cited citations from the 8th edition. You can see a <a href=\"https:\/\/style.mla.org\/ninth-edition-whats-new\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">full list of 9th edition changes at the MLA website<\/a>.<\/section>\n<section aria-label=\"Pro Tip\">\n<section class=\"textbox watchIt\" aria-label=\"Watch It\">This video further explains what citations are, and why they matter. In this module, you will learn how to properly cite in MLA and APA format, as shown toward the end of the video.<br \/>\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/iframe_api\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p class=\"cc-media-iframe-container\"><iframe id=\"tpm-plugin-hccbhebf-kn-yPffxmlw\" class=\"cc-media-iframe\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/kn-yPffxmlw?enablejsapi=1\" frameborder=\"0\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<div id=\"3p-plugin-target-hccbhebf-kn-yPffxmlw\" class=\"p3sdk-target\"><\/div>\n<p class=\"cc-media-iframe-container\"><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"\/\/plugin.3playmedia.com\/ajax.js?cc=1&#38;cc_minimizable=1&#38;cc_minimize_on_load=0&#38;cc_multi_text_track=0&#38;cc_overlay=1&#38;cc_searchable=0&#38;embed=ajax&#38;mf=13492953&#38;p3sdk_version=1.11.7&#38;p=20361&#38;player_type=youtube&#38;plugin_skin=dark&#38;target=3p-plugin-target-hccbhebf-kn-yPffxmlw&#38;vembed=0&#38;video_id=kn-yPffxmlw&#38;video_target=tpm-plugin-hccbhebf-kn-yPffxmlw\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>You can view the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/course-building.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/English+Comp\/Transcripts\/What's+a+Citation+and+Why+Does+It+Matter%3F_transcript.txt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">transcript for \u201cWhat&#8217;s a Citation and Why Does It Matter?\u201d here (opens in new window).<\/a><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"menu_order":2,"template":"","meta":{"_candela_citation":"[{\"type\":\"copyrighted_video\",\"description\":\"What\\'s a Citation and Why Does It Matter?\",\"author\":\"\",\"organization\":\"Cypress College Library\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/kn-yPffxmlw\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"arr\",\"license_terms\":\"Standard YouTube License\"}]","pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"part":308,"module-header":"background_you_need","content_attributions":null,"internal_book_links":[],"video_content":null,"cc_video_embed_content":{"cc_scripts":"<script type='text\/javascript' src='https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/iframe_api'><\/script><script type='text\/javascript' src='\/\/plugin.3playmedia.com\/ajax.js?cc=1&cc_minimizable=1&cc_minimize_on_load=0&cc_multi_text_track=0&cc_overlay=1&cc_searchable=0&embed=ajax&mf=13492953&p3sdk_version=1.11.7&p=20361&player_type=youtube&plugin_skin=dark&target=3p-plugin-target-hccbhebf-kn-yPffxmlw&vembed=0&video_id=kn-yPffxmlw&video_target=tpm-plugin-hccbhebf-kn-yPffxmlw'><\/script>\n","media_targets":["tpm-plugin-hccbhebf-kn-yPffxmlw"]},"try_it_collection":null,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/englishcomp1\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1321"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/englishcomp1\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/englishcomp1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/englishcomp1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/englishcomp1\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1321\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3200,"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/englishcomp1\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1321\/revisions\/3200"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/englishcomp1\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/308"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/englishcomp1\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1321\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/englishcomp1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1321"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/englishcomp1\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=1321"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/englishcomp1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=1321"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/englishcomp1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=1321"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}