Citing Sources
Plagiarism - using some or all of somebody's work or idea and saying you created it (or not giving them credit). Plagiarism is against the law and against school policy.
Copyright Law - protects the ownership of the creator's work; requires permission to be granted before using someone's work or ideas (includes words, music, art, videos, etc.)
Fair Use - allows work to be used in school assignments without getting permission as long as credit is given
Citation - key information about a source used for research; includes the author, title, and date of publication
Works Cited (Bibliography) - a list of the citation (sources) used
It is VERY IMPORTANT to record your source information DURING your research (not after). Use the pictures below to help make sure you are recording enough information on all your sources. Just getting the URL is not enough!
Copyright Law - protects the ownership of the creator's work; requires permission to be granted before using someone's work or ideas (includes words, music, art, videos, etc.)
Fair Use - allows work to be used in school assignments without getting permission as long as credit is given
Citation - key information about a source used for research; includes the author, title, and date of publication
Works Cited (Bibliography) - a list of the citation (sources) used
It is VERY IMPORTANT to record your source information DURING your research (not after). Use the pictures below to help make sure you are recording enough information on all your sources. Just getting the URL is not enough!
how_to_cite_a_site_worksheet.doc | |
File Size: | 217 kb |
File Type: | doc |
One accepted format for Citations and Works Cited is MLA. Click the link below for a complete explanation on how to use this format:
Specific Searches
Use synonyms from your research question as your keywords to get better results when searching.
Evaluating Websites
The domain name can give a clue about the type of website: .com (commercial or company); .net (network); .org (organization); .edu (education); .gov (government).
Primary Sources are the most reliable sources. They include original information, possibly from eyewitnesses. These also include artifacts, creative works (music, art, etc.) and speeches. Most .edu and .gov domains are primary sources.
Secondary sources can also be reliable especially if they contain references to to primary sources. Secondary sources are a collection of information gathered by many people usually retelling the original information or event. They include textbooks, encyclopedias, magazine articles, etc.
Identifying the Author - the most reliable sources have clearly identified authors with contact information. Be very careful with Open Source websites. This includes Wikipedia, Ask.com, About.com, eHow.com, Answers.yahoo.com, etc. These websites are written and edited by anyone and may not be reliable. Most of these websites are not considered reliable websites for research purposes.
When was it written? Articles and references written within the last 5 years is considered current. You can try to find "Last Updated On ____" or try to find the actual date the article was written. The copyright date does NOT show the current date of the information.
Primary Sources are the most reliable sources. They include original information, possibly from eyewitnesses. These also include artifacts, creative works (music, art, etc.) and speeches. Most .edu and .gov domains are primary sources.
Secondary sources can also be reliable especially if they contain references to to primary sources. Secondary sources are a collection of information gathered by many people usually retelling the original information or event. They include textbooks, encyclopedias, magazine articles, etc.
Identifying the Author - the most reliable sources have clearly identified authors with contact information. Be very careful with Open Source websites. This includes Wikipedia, Ask.com, About.com, eHow.com, Answers.yahoo.com, etc. These websites are written and edited by anyone and may not be reliable. Most of these websites are not considered reliable websites for research purposes.
When was it written? Articles and references written within the last 5 years is considered current. You can try to find "Last Updated On ____" or try to find the actual date the article was written. The copyright date does NOT show the current date of the information.