This page provides links to information on documenting and citing sources, particularly with reference to the APA and MLA documentation styles, and also links to RefWorks, a citation management tool.
Research, even at the most basic levels, is a conversation among many. More recent writers on a topic read and study the work of their predecessors and build on that work in their own writing. Part of this process is that these later writers should cite (identify by documenting) the sources they used. Leaving aside the negative reasons for not documenting (plagiarism), there are compelling arguments in favor of citing your sources.
Source documentation is an embedded component of research and publication and an essential part of the advancement of knowledge in a field. The following links provide guidance on how to correctly document sources in student writing.
There are several citation managers now available online, tools which help the researcher collect, manage, and organize research papers and documents. One of the more popular of these is RefWorks. The current version is New RefWorks; the Legacy RefWorks is an outdated platform. There is a Youtube channel devoted to RefWorks; there also is a JSU LibGuide, one by Ms. Karlie Johnson, on RefWorks. Further information on RefWorks can be found by performing the online searches refworks libguide or refworks videos.