A citation is a reference to the source of specific information. It indicates to the reader where the information came from, and credits the original researcher or author.
Citing your sources helps validate your personal research and argument.
Plagiarism is when you use someone's work without indicating you've done so. It discredits you as a researcher, scholar, and student.
Citations are found in-text, at the bottom of the page (footnotes), or at the end of the paper (endnotes). Where your citations are found in your paper depend on the citation style specified by your professor or field.
APA, Chicago, and MLA are the primary citation styles used; however, there are many other styles. We cover the "how to" for the primary styles as well as several others.
This guide also covers citation management software that is supported by Brandeis (EndNote & Zotero), and suggests other management tools. You can also sign up for an appointment to learn more about Zotero or EndNote:
Brandeis Library offers free workshops for members of the Brandeis community. Use the calendar links located below to sign up for our citation support workshops.
