1. Academic Integrity:
* Avoiding plagiarism: By citing your sources, you demonstrate that the ideas and information in your work are not your own, but rather borrowed from other authors. This prevents plagiarism, which is a serious academic offense.
* Transparency and accountability: Proper citations show your readers where your information came from, making your research transparent and accountable.
2. Reader Guidance and Support:
* Verifying information: Readers can use the citations to check the accuracy and reliability of your sources. They can also explore these sources to gain a deeper understanding of the topic.
* Building upon research: Your citations allow readers to easily find the original sources and continue their own research.
* Giving context to the information: Citations help to clarify the context of your information and show how it relates to the broader field of study.
In-text citations are brief references placed within your text, usually in parentheses, that point to specific sources in your reference list. They usually include the author's last name, year of publication, and page number (if applicable).
The reference page is a separate list at the end of your paper that provides complete bibliographic information for every source you cited in your text. This information allows readers to easily locate and access the original source.
In summary, in-text citations and a reference page are essential for:
* Acknowledging the work of others
* Ensuring academic integrity
* Guiding and supporting your readers