Psychology: Citation Help

• Proper use of information citations is an important part of the scholarly process.  Try to think of scholarship as a conversation; properly used citations allow all participants to follow the conversation by directing the reader to the sources of ideas.
• As scholars, we build on the works of others in our fields, and we must acknowledge those works when we use them, either through direct quotations or paraphrasing of ideas
• Proper citations include both in-text citations and works cited/references pages.  APA style is the expected citation style in psychology and related disciplines.
• There are many tools available to help you cite your sources, including bibliographic managers and online citation builders.  Many library databases also include citation generators.  While these tools are very helpful, it is important to remember that they are not perfect.  Always review any generated citations carefully to ensure that you are properly documenting your sources. 
• Proper citations are a key part of maintaining academic integrity as an information user.

For additional support with APA and other elements of college writing, please contact the WVWC Writing Center.