Step 6: Manage your citations & create your bibliography.
Throughout your paper, you will have used several different in-text citations where you integrate your sources to formulate an appropriate argument. Remember, use your several different authors to prove your point-- you don't want to simply cite one source for the many different points you will be making. Also avoid excessive quoting/block quoting-- try to consolidate the information as much as possible. For example, you may paraphrase a certain idea an author is trying to convey, and then add an in-text citation.
Florida State University defines plagiarism as "intentionally presenting the work of another as one's own (i.e., without proper acknowledgment of the source). Typical examples include: using another's work from print, web, or other sources without acknowledging the source; quoting from a source without citation; using facts, figures, graphs, charts, or information without acknowledgment of the source." Some more specific university guidelines include the Academic Honor Code and a research guide concerning copyright resources.
Some red flags signifying plagiarism occur when you don't cite the following (indiana.edu):
One of the most common mistakes students make is in crossing the very fine line between paraphrasing and plagiarizing. It's absolutely necessary to make this important distinction clear. Unacceptable paraphrasing occurs when the writer has only changed around a few words and phrases, or changed the order of the original's sentences and has failed to cite a source for any of the ideas or facts (indiana.edu).
Formatting an MLA Style Research Paper
Formatting an APA Style Research Paper
Using Microsoft Word, you can also input your sources and create a bibliography that will be inserted at the end of your paper. For more information, click here.
Most formatting requirements you'll come across will either be based in MLA (Modern Language Association) or APA (American Psychological Association). MLA is typically useful for work dealing with the Humanities, while APA is primarily associated with the Social Sciences.
There are many tool you can use to format your works cited page (many of which are online and available via FSU Libraries). These include RefWorks, EndNote, and Zotero, and all will generate bibliographies containing all the sources used in your paper. Click on this link for a research guide that focuses on citing sources.
