Maple Woods Library Info

Citations are how we give credit to the sources we drew information from. You will need to cite sources for many assignments throughout your college career, so it is important to familiarize yourself with what citations are and why you need to cite your sources. There are numerous citation styles out there, but you will primarily use MLA and APA while at MCC. For more information about about using these citation styles, visit the MLA Citation Guide and APA Citation Guide pages on this guide.

Additionally, Purdue OWL is an excellent resource for writing, research, and citations. 

It is important to cite so that readers of your work know which ideas in your paper are yours and which come from someone else. Citations are an organized way of giving readers information about the sources you used. Complete and accurate citations help you avoid accidental plagiarism.

Citations go both ways. You can look at the citations in a book or article to find the sources that writer used. This can be a good way to find more sources on a topic you are researching.

Check with your instructor to see which citation style you should use for your class.

Cite any information that you quote or paraphrase, whether it is:

•       online or print
•       a book, article, or web site
•       an image
•       a commercial, ad, or tv show
•       an interview
•        etc.

If the idea isn't yours, cite it!

You do not need to cite "common knowledge," that is, generally known facts. Example: George Washington was the first president of the United States.

MCC-Maple Woods Library
2601 NE Barry Road
Kansas City, MO 64156
816.604.3080