Should You Cite Sources In Your Introduction?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Whenever you use information from a source, you must cite it

, even if the will occur in the introduction of your paper. For more information on in-text , visit the In-Text Citations page of the APA Guide.

How do you cite sources in a introduction?

In the citation

use the name of the author of the introduction, foreword or preface

, even if they are not the author of the book (e.g. an introduction written by an editor). When the author name is not mentioned in the text, the citation consists of the author's name and the year of publication in brackets.

Why is it important to cite sources in an introduction?

Why citing is important

To show your reader you've done

proper research by listing sources

you used to get your information. To be a responsible scholar by giving credit to other researchers and acknowledging their ideas. To avoid plagiarism by quoting words and ideas used by other authors.

Do you need to cite sources in a personal essay?

For convenience in a personal essay,

it is acceptable to cite sources

—especially if you use just one or two—in numbered footnote form at the bottom of the page. However, if you have more than a few sources, a separate section entitled “References” at the end of the essay is best.

Is it okay to have citations in an introduction?


The APA guidelines do not require or prohibit citations in an introduction or conclusion

. … The choice of using a citation in the introduction or conclusion is up to the writer. If using an interesting statistic to grab the reader's attention, be sure to cite it.

How do I start my introduction?

  1. Attract the Reader's Attention. Begin your introduction with a “hook” that grabs your reader's attention and introduces the general topic. …
  2. State Your Focused Topic. After your “hook”, write a sentence or two about the specific focus of your paper. …
  3. State your Thesis. Finally, include your thesis statement.

What is in-text citation example?

Using In-text Citation

APA in-text citation style uses

the author's last name and the year of publication

, for example: (Field, 2005). For direct quotations, include the page number as well, for example: (Field, 2005, p. 14). For sources such as websites and e-books that have no page numbers, use a paragraph number.

How do you cite sources in an essay?

You must cite all information used in your paper, whenever and wherever you use it. When citing sources in the body of your paper,

list the author's last name only

(no initials) and the year the information was published, like this: (Dodge, 2008). (Author, Date).

How do you cite your sources?

MLA citing format often includes the following pieces of information, in this order:

Author's Last name, First name

. “Title of Source.” Title of Container, other contributors, version, numbers, publisher, publication date, location.

How do you quote a source?

To quote a source,

copy a short piece of text word for word and put it inside quotation marks

. To paraphrase a source, put the text into your own words. It's important that the paraphrase is not too close to the original wording.

Why is it important to cite the sources or references?

Citing or documenting the sources used in your research serves three purposes:

It gives proper credit to the authors of the words or ideas that you incorporated into your paper

. It allows those who are reading your work to locate your sources, in order to learn more about the ideas that you include in your paper.

Why is APA citation important?

APA Style provides

clarity to papers on often complex topics

. It makes papers easier to read and understand. When sources are cited the same way each time and the paper is written in a uniform format, it gives it better flow and helps keep the focus on the content of the paper.

Why is it important to reference?

Referencing is an important part of academic work. It puts your work in context, demonstrates the breadth and depth of your research, and acknowledges other people's work. You should

reference whenever you use someone else's idea

.

How do you cite a personal essay?

MLA Essay Citation Structure:

Last, First M. “Essay Title.” Collection Title, edited by First M. Last, Publisher, year published, page numbers. Website Title, URL (if applicable).

How do you reference your own work?

Citing Your Own Work

According to the MLA Style site authors should

cite their work the same way they would cite

any other source (book, article, etc.). In the text you can refer to yourself (e.g. “In my work…”).

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.

Juan Martinez
Author
Juan Martinez
Juan Martinez is a journalism professor and experienced writer. With a passion for communication and education, Juan has taught students from all over the world. He is an expert in language and writing, and has written for various blogs and magazines.