Citations

Citation Is Key to Effective Research

When we talk about research, we often talk about the process: digging through library shelves, poring over Google results, or scanning a YouTube video to transcribe the exact right quote.

In this process, we sometimes undervalue one of the most important tools for tracking and locating information from outside sources: citation.

Citation as Process

When conducting research, the goal is to read and review as much relevant information about your topic as possible in the time you have available.  It's simply impossible to read everything — there is simply too much information available, especially with the advent of the World Wide Web.

In this, citation serves three main purposes:

• It indicates the reliability of your research by describing the sources of your information.

• It provides readers with additional reading, in case they decide to follow up on your work.

• It shows that you are actively engaged in research rather than simply copying the work of others to share as your own.