Using and interpreting citations
What is a citation?
A citation is a reference to a source of information like a book, article, government document or Web page.
Being able to interpret and use the information given by a citation is a basic research skill that is needed in order to:
- Determine what type of source the item comes from
- Locate the item
- Request the item
About citation styles
There are many different citation styles such as APA, Chicago, and MLA. This tutorial is not about the particular styles. It is meant to help you begin to recognize the typical components within a citation regardless of the style.
Example of an article citation:
Example of a book citation:
