Documenting Sources

Library: Documenting Sources

There are two major systems for documenting sources and it is best to check with your teacher as to which system you should use for a particular class. The overall goal of each system is to help your reader find the resources you used.

Any researcher should be able to find the same information you did with the citations you provide. Note that academic integrity demands that you provide this information, and that you are guilty of plagiarism if you do not give accurate source information, whether the error is intentional or not.

OPTION 1:
PARENTHETICAL REFERENCES WITH WORKS CITED

This system uses in text parenthetical references to denote authors and page numbers, and a list of “works cited” to show documentation. The Works Cited should only include the sources you quoted in your paper. Examples:

In June, 1946 Rachel Carson visited Maine’s Boothbay Harbor, a place which “was to have a lasting influence on both her life and her writing” (Lear 134).

According to biographer Linda Lear, Rachel Carson had become anemic from cobalt radiation, which resulted in her receiving “four or five blood transfusions” (478).

-This system is preferred by many language, science and social science disciplines and was developed by the a variety of organizations, including the Modern Language Association (MLA) and the American Psychological Association (APA) .

Examples for Works Cited with Correct Punctuation:

Books:
Lastname, Firstname. Title of the Book. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year.
Lear, Linda. Rachel Carson: the Life of the Author of Silent Spring. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1997.
Magazines, and Journals:
Lastname, Firstname. “Title of Article.” Title of Magazine. Date: Page number(s).
Simons, Lewis M. “Weapons of Mass Destruction: an Ominous New Chapter Opens on the Twentieth Century’s Ugliest Legacy.” National Geographic. November, 2002: 2-35.
Newspaper Articles:
Lastname, Firstname. “Title of Article.” Name of Newspaper. Date: Page number(s).
Sanger, David E. and Schmitt Eric. “War Plan for Iraq Calls for Big Force and Quick Strikes.” New York Times. 10 Nov 2002: 1+.

OPTION 2:
FOOTNOTING WITH A BIBLIOGRAPHY

-This system, established by the University of Chicago, uses footnotes and a bibliography for documentation and has the distinct advantage of not breaking up the text with bibliographic references. The bibliography itself should include all sources you consulted as a part of your research, whether you quoted from them or not. Complete citations are required for both the footnote and the bibliography.

1Linda Lear, Rachel Carson: the Life of the Author of Silent Spring, New York, Henry Holt and Company, 1997, p 134.

2 Ibid., p. 478

-This system is preferred by many history and humanities disciplines.

Examples for A Bibliography with Correct Punctuation:

“100 Best Wildlife Pictures,” National Geographic, November, 2002, p. xxxvi

Lear, Linda, Rachel Carson: the Life of the Author of Silent Spring, New York, Henry Holt and Company, 1997.

Sanger, David E. and Schmitt Eric, “War Plan for Iraq Calls for Big Force and Quick Strikes,” New York Times, November 10, 2002, p. 1.

_____, “Title of Article,” New York Times, Date, page number.

Simons, Lewis M., “Weapons of Mass Destruction: an Ominous New Chapter Opens on the Twentieth Century’s Ugliest Legacy,” National Geographic, November, 2002, p. 2-35.

Documenting Electronic Sources:

The conventions are still developing on how best to do this, but it is generally best to provide the same information you would if the information was coming from a printed source; then, you can add the electronic data.

Example for the Parenthetical References/ Works Cited System:

Lastname, Firstname. “Title of Article.” Title of Magazine. Date: Page number(s).
Holland, Kitty. “Number of Homeless is Increasing, Says Simon.” Irish Times. 6 Nov 2002: 6. Found on November 14, 2002 at http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb

Example for Footnoting/Bibliography System:

First Name, Last Name, “Title of Article,” Title of Newspaper, Date, Page number(s).

1 Kitty Holland, “Number of Homeless Is Increasing, Says Simon,” Irish Times, November 6, 2002, p. 6. Found on November 14, 2002 at http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb

Complete listings for documentation procedures can be found through the following web sites, which are sponsored by the Purdue University Writing Lab and the Chicago Manual of Style.

For MLA:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_mla.html

For APA:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_apa.html

For Chicago Manual of Style:
http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools.html