RELS-255: Research & Writing in Religious Studies

Citing sources is a key part of your research; it documents what sources you have used in researchin and writing your paper, and gives credit to the author's work that you have used. It also gives information to identify and retrieve the cited sources.

A word of advice -- keep track of your information sources as soon as you begin the research process. Fortunately, many of the electronic databases you will be using offer the option to download, print or email the citations to the material you find but it is always more difficult to backtrack to find the one that got away.

There are many citation styles available and the preferred style varies between disciplines. (Prof. Richard Ascough's website contains a section on Footnote & Bibliography Format  for an overview and subject-specific examples.)

• Purdue OWL: APA Formatting & Writing Guide
• Publication manual of the American Psychological Association

• The Chicago Manual of Style (print copy at Stauffer Library)
• Chicago-Style Citation Quick Guide

Plagiarism 

You Quote It, You Note It!

Student Academic Success Services, located on the main floor of Stauffer Library near Speaker's Corner, has developed a useful webpage for helping students avoid plagiarism.