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Ulrike Kestler
What is a citation?
You may think of referencing as something specific only to academic discourse, but we actually use references informally in our daily lives all the time. You are doing this to let the other person know from where you got this information.
Everyday referencing examples
In academic discourse, we are doing a similar type of referencing, but it happens in a more formal and prescribed way through a process called citation. In a citation, you will give very specific key information.
Academic referencing examples using MLA citation style
These are in-text references where only very brief information is given, usually the author and the page number (if available). Each in-text reference must also have an entry in the works cited list at the end of your writeup with more information, so the reader can find the source.
Key Takeaways
A citation:
- is a reference to a source of information
- gives specific key information about the source, so the reader can find it
- gives brief information in the text and more detailed information in a works cited list at the end
