Citation

From ArticleWorld

A citation is a reference to a book, web page or other published content. Unpublished items, such as personal communications, may also be cited. The term citation may also be used to refer to the act of citing a work.

Rules

Varying rules for citations apply in science, law, the theological citing of authority, and marks applied in copyright. Definitions of plagiarism vary so widely among these fields, that the use of citations has no simple common practice. Citations may be made in one of several different places, the body of text as parenthetical citations, in footnotes at the bottom of pages, or in endnotes at the end of the document. They are generally also listed in a citations page, sometimes called the bibliography, source list, or list of references. The recording, and use of citations on computers is done using reference management software.

Citation systems

Various organizations have systems of citation that fit their specific needs. Some of the most common include:

• The APA style is the American Psychological Association style format, which is most often used in social sciences. APA style lists sources at the end of the paper, on a References Page.
• The Bluebook is the citation system traditionally used in American academic legal writing, and the Bluebook is used by many courts. The dominance of the Bluebook is currently being challenged by the newer ALWD Citation Manual.
• The MLA style was developed by The Modern Language Association and is most often used in the humanities. MLA style uses a Works Cited Page to list works at the end of the paper.