1. Identify When to Cite:
By definition, you should know when to cite sources. Cite everything which belongs to someone else–their words, ideas, content–which are not your own. This involves quotes, ideas paraphrased, and any information that you get from another’s published work.
2. Select Your Citation Style:
Once you have established the occasion to cite, then choose which citation style would be best. The most commonly used are APA, MLA, Harvard, and Chicago. Each of the citation styles has its own set of rules and formats for citations, so it’s best to select one according to your field’s assignment requirements.
3. Gather Source Information:
As soon as you have chosen a citation style, gather all the information you have about your sources. For most sources, you will need to know the author’s name and name of the work; when the source was published; the publisher of the source; and where you found access to the source-for example, an online URL or journal name. Generally, having most of this information will save you trouble while trying to create citations.
4. In text citation:
At this point, you will add short citations in your assignment text after every quote or paraphrase. This citation will link to the full reference listed at the end of your assignment, hence achieving consistency and accuracy.
5. Prepare a Reference List or Bibliography:
A final important part of your paper is the complete list of all sources you have referenced. This is often called a “Reference List” or “Works Cited,” depending upon the citation style you are using. Ensure it is formatted correctly and includes all relevant information about each source.
6. Format citations correctly:
Pay special attention to the style’s conventions concerning formatting, like the use of italics for book titles, quotation marks around articles, and punctuation and capitalization rules. Consistency in format is the trademark of a well-written paper.
7. Double check your citation:
Once your citations are above, proofread the work. Whatever happens, you should make sure that you have cited your sources correctly first in the text and then later in the reference list. Thus you could avoid unintentional plagiarism and make your assignment look stronger.
8. Make use of Citation Tools:
You may use citation tools on the web such as QuillBot or Scribbr to make your citation process much simpler. The tools mentioned above will format citations for you. This will therefore save you precious time, not to mention at the same time not committing any mistakes. Still, double-check citations generated with the preferred style guide.