Atlantic Cape Community College Libraries: Argumentative Essay: Citing Sources

Don't Forget to Cite Your Sources!

Plagiarism is defined in the Oxford English Dictionary (3rd ed) as "The action or practice of taking someone else's work, idea, etc., and passing it off as one's own; literary theft" ("Plagiarism"). If you do not cite your sources both within your essay and in a Works Cited or bibliography page, you are plagiarizing, or stealing, someone else's work.

Any student found in the act of cheating or plagiarism may be subject to disciplinary action (Atlantic Cape Policy No. 209).

For additional information and guidance see the Guide on Academic Writing : Plagiarism and Citing Sources

Citation Manuals

MLA Handbook, 9th edition

The rule book for MLA-style citations. MLA style is used by scholars in the arts and humanities.

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th ed.

The rule book for APA-style citations. APA is widely used in the social sciences and by students in most science classes at Atlantic Cape.

The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th edition

The author-date version of Chicago style is used by some history classes.

A Writer's Reference 9th edition

A little dated, but good explanations.

Atlantic Cape Citation Tutorials

Understanding Citation
Available in both animated and accessible versions for APA and MLA styles

Atlantic Cape Style Guides

Check out these Citation Guides to see examples of citations in MLA, APA, and Chicago formats.

APA Style Guide

APA How to cite ChatGPT
APA Date created: April 7, 2023

How to Cite industry reports from IBISWorld database

MLA style:
“Report Number: Report Name”. IBISWorld. Month of report. Year of report

E.g., 31134: Candy Production in the US. May. 2022.

APA style:
(Year, Month). Report Name. Report Number. Retrieved from IBISWorld database.

E.g., (2022, May). Candy Production in the US. 31134. Retrieved from IBISWorld database.

More MLA Help

How to Format Your Paper in MLA Style

Setting up MLA format in Google Docs

Sample MLA Style Paper

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Sample MLA paper - full size

Online Citation Builders

Check out the following online citation builders. The features of each are listed below to help you decide which one to use.

NCSU Libraries Citation Builder Smooth data-entry interface. APA or MLA formats (6th, 8th ed). Citable sources include books, book chapters, magazine or newspaper articles, scholarly articles, and websites.
KnightCite v.3.1 - Hekman Library, Calvin College Greater selection of citable sources. APA or MLA formats (8th ed). Citable sources include books, magazine or newspaper articles, dictionary and encyclopedia entries, websites, photos, cartoons, and films.
EasyBib Ability to search for and automatically cite some sources (like books and scholarly articles). MLA format is free, APA requires a MyBib Pro subscription. Cites up to 59 different sources including blogs, emails, Court Cases, Online videos, speeches, live performances, and paintings.
Zotero Free application you install on your personal computer. Create your own source library for current and future use. Supports MLA, APA, Chicago, and many other citation styles. Can be used inside Microsoft Word, and is compatible with most text editors, including Google Docs. Synchronize your research across devices, and access your research from any web browser. Supports collaboration and group projects.