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First-Year Composition
Where to Begin
WHEN IN DOUBT, CITE YOUR SOURCE
A citation is needed usually when:
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You are stating someone else's words, thoughts, or ideas
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New information that is considered "uncommon knowledge"
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You refer to or use an image, clip, tweet, post, website, etc.
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You use your own words, thoughts, or ideas that you have stated in previous work.
A citation is not usually needed when:
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You are stating YOUR opinion on a subject (i.e. I really do not think the new Star Wars movie was as good as it was hyped up to be.)
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It is common knowledge (i.e. Nashville is the capital of Tennessee in the United States.)
Herbert Writing Center
The Judith Anderson Herbert Writing Center provides free and individualized help for both undergraduate and graduate students throughout the writing process including citation assistance! Trained tutors can help with in-text citations and references for APA, MLA, Chicago, and many more!
Check out their website for more information about services and how to schedule an appointment!
writingcenter.utk.edu
Frequently Used Citation Styles
AMA (American Medical Association)
The AMA Manual of Style: A Guide for Authors and Editors, Eleventh Edition is mainly used for medical or scientific publishing. Below are some great resources to cite in AMA.
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AMA Manual of StyleOnline version of the AMA Manual of Style.
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Take A Tour of AMA Manual of StyleProvides a video tour for using the AMA Manual of Style's online site. It also includes print versions of tour information.
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Style QuizzesAn extensive list of resources for assistance in following the AMA Manual of Style guidelines.
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SI Conversion CalculatorConversion calculator for a variety of measurements including metric measures and selected laboratory tests with reference ranges and conversion factors.
APA (American Psychological Association)
The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Seventh Edition is commonly used to cite in the social and behavioral sciences, natural sciences, nursing, communications, education, business, and engineering to name a few. Please check with your department or professor to see what citation style is preferred. Some resources include:
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Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th (Print)Location: Public Services/Research Assistance Desk (2nd floor, Hodges)Call Number: BF76.7.P83
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APA Style and Grammar GuidelinesBreaks down the APA Style as described in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Seventh Edition.
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APA Style BlogHave a difficult citation and not sure how to cite it? Check out the Style Blog for assistance.
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Instructional AidsProvides access to tutorials and webinars, handouts and guides, and sample papers to assist anyone wishing to learn more about APA.
Looking for 6th edition resources? Check out the APA Style Sixth Edition Resources page for links to the archived style blog, sample papers, quick answers, and supplemental materials.
Chicago/Turabian
This style is mainly used in Historical Research. Below are some great resources to cite in Chicago or Turabian.
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The Chicago-Style Citation Quick Guide
Descriptions of Chicago's two basic documentation systems and examples from the 15th ed. (2003) -
The Chicago Manual of Style FAQFrequently asked questions - and answers - from the manuscript editing department at the University of Chicago Press
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Turabian Help GuideExamples from the Turabian manual, 7th ed. (2007)
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How To Cite Primary SourcesA guide by the Library of Congress on how to cite the most common primary sources
MLA (Modern Language Association)
The MLA Handbook, Eighth Edition is mainly used to cite in the humanities. The MLA Style Center is a great place to start when beginning to format your paper in MLA. Additional resources include:
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MLA Handbook, 8th edition (Print)Location: Public Services/Research Assistance Desk (2nd floor, Hodges)
Call Number: LB2369.G53 2009 -
Using MLA FormatFrom the MLA Style Center. Provides resources for getting started with MLA style. Includes a Works Cited Quick Guide, Digital Citation Tool, and more!
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MLA Style FAQAnswers basic as well as more complex questions about the MLA Style Manual.
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Sample Papers in MLA FormatShowcases essays that won the 2019 MLA Student Paper Contest that provide excellent examples of the MLA paper formatting and style.
Tutorials
Citing Your Sources and Creative Works
This interactive module provides scenarios and explanations about how to cite sources.
Applied Learning
• Quiz questions are included throughout the module.
• Certificate of Completion available.
Tutorial Information
- Tutorial completion time.
- Takes 10-30 minutes.
- Which device types will tutorial work on?
- Works best on desktop / laptop or tablet.
- Which browsers will tutorial work on?
- Works on all major browsers.
https://tiny.utk.edu/citing-sources-works
Learning Objectives
After completing this tutorial, learners will be able to:
- Articulate the purpose of citations and their significance in academic and creative works.
- Employ effective strategies to avoid plagiarism and responsibly integrate sources into their work.
- Distinguish between plagiarism and copyright infringement, recognizing the distinct ethical and legal considerations associated with each.
- Demonstrate awareness of available research assistance services at the University Libraries, including reference materials, expert guidance, and online resources.
What is PowerNotes?
PowerNotes is a tool to help you save, annotate, organize, and cite sources you access from databases and the Web. PowerNotes helps you take notes on and keep track of your online sources, create a research outline, avoid accidental plagiarism, and more.
You can:
- Capture online source material: PowerNotes allows students to highlight and file away information to one of their custom topics in a project.
- Annotate online sources while they read: To add a thought to any highlighted text, students simply type a note, and they don't need to copy/paste in the URL of the site—PowerNotes does this automatically.
- Organize sources: Highlights, notes, and URLs are saved to custom topics in a project—an organized and accessible way to preserve what students have collected.
- Download outline and notes: When it’s time to write the paper, students can download their project to Word.
More Citation Resources
- Purdue Owl Chart for using MLA, APA, and ChicagoHelpful chart detailing how to cite different types of sources in MLA, APA and Chicago. Also helps clarify the differences between the styles.
- iThenticateUT's Office of Research and Engagement provides access to iThenticate, a premier plagiarism detection tool for faculty and student researchers.
- Citation Management (Endnote/Zotero)/Style GuidesThis guide will introduce you to Endnote and Zotero, two citation management programs available to students at UTK.