A citation presents the essential details that identify the source of certain ideas or language. This is important in academic work for several reasons.
A citation:
- Strengthens a piece of work by demonstrating that the author has consulted relevant sources
- Gives the original source credit for their work and can help to prevent accidental plagiarism
- Enables readers to follow the author's research process and, if they wish, to evaluate the author's sources for themselves
- Shows that the author has mastered the conventions of academic research and writing.
Additional information regarding how to document your sources can be found on the Citing Sources guide.
