So you don’t want to plagiarize someone else’s work…great choice. It is both hauntingly unethical and a drag if you get caught, so sticking to citing your sources is for the best, any way you slice it. There are a lot of ways to go about doing this, so we’d better jump in right away.
Continue reading: How to Cite Sources – APA, MLA, and Chicago
An in-text citation appears in a written text and gives credit to a source’s original author. They usually include information within a set of parentheses, like the author’s name, the publication date of the source, and the page number the quote is from.
Every source you reference should be cited correctly. Our Citation Generator can help you cite sources, and our online Plagiarism Checker can detect accidental plagiarism.
Continue reading: A Guide to In-Text Citation | APA & MLA Examples
“Ibid.” is a term used in academic writing to cite a source that has already been cited in the text. It’s used to direct the reader to the previous footnote or endnote, where the full citation can be found.
“Ibid.” is the abbreviated form of “ibidem,” a Latin term meaning “in the same place.”
Continue reading: What Does Ibid. Mean? | Definition & Uses
“Et al.” is an abbreviation for the Latin phrase “et alia,” meaning “and others.” It’s commonly used in academic writing when citing a source with multiple authors.
Past studies have supported the relationship between sugar consumption and cavities (Tsoklat et al., 2024).
How “et al.” is used depends on the style guide you are following. Three of the most common style guides, MLA, APA, and Chicago, each have slightly different rules regarding how to use “et al.”
Continue reading: Et Al. | Meaning & Use in MLA, APA & Chicago
APA Style has specific guidelines for the format of the reference page, which is where you list all the sources you’ve cited in your paper. The guidelines here are for the most recent edition, the 7th edition, of the APA Publication Manual.
Your reference page should begin on a new page immediately after the main text, and the references should be listed in alphabetical order.
QuillBot’s free Citation Generator can help you order your references automatically. Additionally, our free Plagiarism Checker can help you avoid accidental plagiarism.
Continue reading: APA Reference Page | Example & Format
To create an APA website citation, you’ll need the following information: author, publication date, title of the page, website name, and the URL.
In cases where there is no author, you can list the title of the article first. Retrieval dates are only needed for pages that will likely be updated frequently.
When you cite the electronic version of a print publication (e.g., a magazine, newspaper, or dictionary), you add the URL to the end of the typical print reference format.
| APA format | Last Name, Initials. (Year, Month Day). Article title. Website Name. URL. |
| APA reference entry | Suni, E, & Rosen, D. (2024, March 4). Mastering sleep hygiene: Your path to quality sleep. Sleep Foundation. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-hygiene |
| APA in-text citation | (Suni & Rosen, 2024) |
QuillBot’s free APA Citation Generator can automatically generate APA Style citations for you, and our free Plagiarism Checker can help ensure your writing is free of accidental plagiarism.
Continue reading: APA Website Citations | Format & Examples
Critical thinking is sometimes called “thinking about thinking” because it is a skill that helps you analyze information effectively. It is this ability that helps you to make a sound judgment about the information you encounter.
Thinking critically involves understanding your own preconceptions and biases. Being aware of your attitudes helps you to be consistent in your standards when evaluating sources.
Continue reading: Critical Thinking | Definition & Examples
Boolean operators are the words and symbols used to narrow or expand a search on a database. Examples of Boolean operators include “AND,” “OR,” and “NOT.” A Boolean search is therefore a search that uses Boolean operators.
Boolean operators are used together with keywords to form a Boolean string that makes your search more precise. This enables the database to identify the most pertinent sources.
Continue reading: Boolean Operators | Examples, Definition & List
Identifying good sources will improve the quality of your research. Systematically evaluating the sources you’re thinking about using will help you to:
When evaluating sources, it’s important to keep your research question clearly in mind and practice critical thinking.
Continue reading: Evaluating Sources | Approaches & Examples
When you are researching a topic, you will need to consult and use various types of sources. The most common source types in scholarly writing include:
As your writing process develops, you will probably adapt the types of sources you use. An initial stage of researching definitions and overviews might lead you to a website or encyclopedia. As your research goes deeper you will access books and journals (scholarly sources).
Continue reading: Types of Sources | Tips & Examples
