How do I cite my sources?
Plagiarism is using the work of another without documenting the source of the information. Citing your sources is one of the "major rules" discussed in DA to Z (p. 6) under "honesty". See the Plagiarism Research Guide to read this text and to find additional information about how to avoid plagiarism plus several plagiarism tutorials.
To cite your sources properly, use the Modern Language Association (MLA) citation style which is required by all departments at Deerfield. The official style manual, MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, is available:
- At the Reference Desk
- For check out on the second floor (808.02 M689m)
In order to assist you with interpreting the style manuals, the library has a citation style handout that provides examples of citations for various information sources in MLA style.
The library also subscribes to a citation management tool called NoodleBib.
- NoodleBib assists you with composing accurate citations and creating your works cited list.
- You can also record your notes on electronic notecards including direct quotes, paraphrasing, and your own ideas.
- In order to use NoodleBib, you must create your own personal ID and password to create a place in NoodleBib to save your work.
- Once you log in, use Help to access the User Guide and/or Knowledge Base.
Tips
- When learning to cite your sources, recognize that there may not be a citation example for every type of source in the style manuals. It may be necessary to combine the information provided for two different sources in order to cite properly. For example, if you used a reference database such as the Encyclopaedia Brintannica Online as a source, you may need to look at the entry for citing a reference source and the entry for citing a database.
- Be sure to record identifying information about the source and the page where you found information you will need to cite while you have the source in your possession. If you forget to do so, it may be difficult or impossible to locate the source later, especially if you requested it through Interlibrary Loan.
- Be sure to leave enough time to complete your list of works cited after you have finished writing your paper. Inevitably, completing this last step will take longer than you expect it to. If you use NoodleBib as you are doing your research, your list will be done when your paper is finished.
To learn more about citing in MLA style, try this tutorial:
- Citing Your Sources (Eastern Washington U.)
Drag and drop the components of a citation into the correct position and then check your knowledge.
For additional assistance with citing your sources, interpreting the MLA style manual, or using NoodleBib, consult a Reference Librarian at the Reference Desk or at (413) 774-1509.
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