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SPAN S: Writing Spanish

Why do we cite?

There are many reasons why it is so important to cite the sources you use in your research.

  • You demonstrate to your reader you've done proper research by listing sources you used to get your information.
  • You avoid plagiarism by quoting the words and ideas of other scholars.
  • You are being a responsible scholar by giving credit to other researchers and acknowledging their ideas.
  • You allow your reader to find the sources you used by citing them accurately in your paper by using in-text citations or footnotes in combination with a bibliography or works cited list.

Major Citation Styles

Format Discipline
Modern Language Association
(MLA)
Humanities
American Psychological Association
(APA)
Social Science
Education
Business
Nursing
Council of Science Editors
(CSE)
Life Sciences
Physical Sciences
Mathematics
Chicago Manual of Style
(Chicago)
Humanities
Social Sciences

Citing Your Sources

MLA 9th Handbook APA Style Book Cover Chicago Manual of Style Book Cover

There are many different "styles" you may choose from when citing sources. Your professor will probably tell you which "style" is preferred for your class. MLA (Modern Language Association), Chicago, and APA (American Psychological Association) are three of the most commonly used citation styles, but there are hundreds.

Recent editions of style manuals, which include detailed information and examples, are available at the Services & Information Desk at the University Library. If you need help on your research project, please contact a subject specialist librarian.

We have the Chicago Manual of Style available online as well as in print. For quick reference, there are many online sources. One of the best is the Purdue OWL. But be aware that the manual is always the most authoritative source.

Citations in MLA style

Below are some resources to help you with MLA style. The Modern Languages Association (MLA) published an 8th edition to their style guide in 2016. If you're already familiar with MLA 7th, watch the video below to get up-to-speed on the changes. There are quite a few! But, don't worry, you'll master it in no time!