A Citation gives credit to a source of information and helps others find the source. You are expected to make clear what you are using from the work of others. The notification allows readers (or viewers) to see:
- That you have a source to verify a date, statement, figure, or other information; or a source for an illustration.
- Where there might be doubt --- that you are not claiming a conclusion as your own.
- The details of where to go to investigate a cited work.
Citation: A (Very) Brief Introduction (thanks to the Libraries of North Carolina State University) describes this by video.
Formal styles for citation . . . APA, IEEE, Chicago, Turabian are common style names . . . have evolved. You may be assigned a style or be allowed to pick your own. But, whether or not you exactly follow a style, citing sources is essential in academic work. At a minimum, your work will be seen as careless and, at worst, it will be seen as academically dishonest. You don't want that.
