Avoid both undercitation and overcitation
. Undercitation can lead to plagiarism and/or self-plagiarism. Overcitation can be distracting and is unnecessary. For example, it is considered overcitation to repeat the same citation in every sentence when the source and topic have not changed.
Do you have to cite every sentence in a research paper?
If you're writing from knowledge that you had already before you did any research, you don't need to cite a source. … So
you need to cite every time to use material from your research
. You should place a citation in any sentence in which you use words, thoughts, facts, or opinions that you learned from a source.
Does every sentence have to be cited?
Each instance of quoted or paraphrased information within a paragraph needs a citation. … In order to make it clear that quoted or paraphrased information is not your own work,
cite every quotation
and every new instance of paraphrased information in your paragraphs.
Do you have to in-text cite every sentence MLA?
If your entire paragraph is paraphrase of info you got from one of your sources, just put the citation at the very end, like you said.
You don't have to mention the author or do an in-text citation for every sentence
.
How many citations is too many?
Using too many references does not leave much room for your personal standpoint to shine through. As a general rule, you should aim to
use one to three
, to support each key point you make. This of course depends on subject matter and the point you are discussing, but acts as a good general guide.
What things do not have to be cited?
- Writing your own lived experiences, your own observations and insights, your own thoughts, and your own conclusions about a subject.
- When you are writing up your own results obtained through lab or field experiments.
How many times do you have to cite the same source in a paragraph MLA?
Including
just one citation at the end
of a paragraph is not sufficient unless the last sentence is the only information in the paragraph that came from the cited source. Cite sources often and correctly throughout a paragraph in order to avoid unintentional plagiarism.
Should I cite if I paraphrase?
Paraphrasing is putting another person's ideas in your own words. …
Paraphrasing ALWAYS requires a citation
. Even if you are using your own words, the idea still belongs to someone else.
Do I have to cite the same source multiple times?
Although it may not be necessary to repeat the full in-text citation for the paraphrase in each sentence, it is still
necessary to begin subsequent paragraphs with
a full in-text citation (APA, 2020, p. 270).
Why is self-citation bad?
But excessive self-citation can
be considered rather crass and unprofessional
, and in some cases is unethical. Anyhow, in some cases, self-citation (even excessive self-citation) may be valid and forgivable. For example, if you are in a restricted field of research, self-citation may be unavoidable.
What is considered self-citation?
Self-citation occurs in
an article when an author references another of their own publications
. This can be a legitimate way to reference earlier findings; but self-citations can sometimes be unduly made in attempt to inflate an individual's citation count.
What is a good amount of citations?
What is a good number of citations? With
10 or more citations
, your work is now in the top 24% of the most cited work worldwide; this increased to the top 1.8% as you reach 100 or more citations. Main take home message: the average citation per manuscript is clearly below 10!
When should you not cite?
- Common knowledge (2,3). Common knowledge includes facts that are found in many sources. …
- Generally accepted or observable facts (2,4). When a fact is generally accepted or easily observable, you do not need a citation. …
- Original ideas and lived experiences (4).
Do you have to cite the source if you rewrite the sentence in your own words?
Paraphrasing is the rewriting of an author's idea in your own words. Paraphrase rather than quote when you want to present an author's idea but the exact language is not significant.
When you paraphrase, you must cite the source
. You also must fully rewrite the original language and original sentence structure.
What are 5 things that must be cited or documented?
- Quotations, opinions, and predictions, whether directly quoted or paraphrased.
- Statistics derived by the original author.
- Visuals in the original.
- Another author's theories.
- Case studies.
- Another author's direct experimental methods or results.
What if I use the same source repeatedly?
If you consecutively cite the same source two or more times in a note (complete or shortened), you may use
the word “Ibid”
instead. … If you're referencing the same source but different page, follow ‘Ibid' with a comma and the new page number(s).
