A-manual-for-writers-of-research-papers-theses-and-dissertations

15.2.2 Information Required in Citations15.3 Two Citation Styles15.3.1 Bibliography Style15.3.2 Reference List Style15.4 Citation of Electronic Sources15.4.1 Online Sources15.4.2 Other Electronic Media15.5 Preparation of Citations15.6 A Word on Citation SoftwareThe first duty of a researcher is to get the facts right, but a second duty is to tell readers wherethe facts came from. To that end, researchers must cite the sources of the facts, ideas, orwords that they use in their papers.15.1 Reasons for Citing Your SourcesYou cite sources for at least four reasons:1. To give credit. Research is hard work. Some who do it well receive concrete rewards—money, promotions, good grades, degrees, and so on. But no less important is recognition,the pride and prestige of seeing one's name associated with knowledge that others valueand use. In fact, for some researchers, that is the only reward. So when you cite the workof another, you give that writer the recognition he or she has earned. (You also guardagainst a charge of plagiarism; see 7.9.)2. To assure readers about the accuracy of your facts. Researchers cite sources to be fair toother researchers, but also to earn their readers' trust. It is not enough to get the facts right.You must also tell readers the source of the facts so that they can judge their reliability,even check them if they wish. Readers do not trust a source they do not know and cannotfind. If they do not trust your sources, they will not trust your facts; and if they do not trustyour facts, they will not trust your argument. You establish the first link in that chain oftrust by citing your sources fully, accurately, and appropriately.www.itpub.net