What does "citing sources" mean
Citing or crediting sources means verbally acknowledging the source from which you have drawn your information and ideas. In the body of a research paper, you give credit to authors you have quoted or paraphrased. Similarly, when you use other people’s words or ideas in your speech, you must credit the source orally when delivering the speech. (If not, it is considered a form of plagiarism.)
Why cite sources
It is important for your audience to know where your information came from, if the sources were impartial, as well as how current the sources were. Things change rapidly in today’s society and something that was true a few years ago is not necessarily true today. Anybody can publish just about anything on a web site. In persuasive speaking, it is also essential that your audience accepts the credibility of your evidence; this is achieved by citing of sources. Thus, the citing of sources also adds to your credibility as a speaker.
How to do an oral citation
As a rule of thumb, these are three basic elements, but this will vary with the type of source:
- WHO: Who is the author and are any credentials known? Who is interviewed? Who wrote the book/article? Who is behind the website or who sponsors the website?
- WHAT: What is the title of the source—book, journal, magazine, newspaper or webpage? What type of publication is it—newspaper, government report, magazine, journal? (In other words, would everybody know that the Kansas City Star is a newspaper? If not, tell them!)
- WHEN: When was the book, magazine, newspaper or journal published (date)? When was the person interviewed? When was the website last updated and/or when did you access the website?
More specifically----
Articles
- If you are quoting an article in a periodical/publication--magazine, newspaper, journal-- give a quick statement of the author (if relevant) as well as the (full) date and title of the periodical: (=publication = name of the newspaper, magazine or journal) This includes print sources as well as those found in the Library Databases.
- “According to Len Zehm, a sports columnist for the Chicago Sun Times, in an article from May 31, 2006…”
- “Newsweek magazine of December 4, 2005 lists bankruptcy as the…”
- “In the latest Gallup Poll, cited in last week’s issue of Time magazine…”
- You do not need to give the title of the article, although you may if it helps in any way. For example, if you are quoting one or more articles from the same newspaper, this would help differentiate the sources.
- If the periodical is not readily recognized, offer a comment of explanation:
- "In the March 2005 issue of Patient Care, a magazine devoted to nursing, hospitals…”
- “The Winter 2006 issue of Communication Education, a journal published by the National Communication Association, Professor Ruth Anne Clark’s article…”
- You do not need to give the page number nor the name of electronic database that cataloged the periodical/publication.
Books
- If you are citing information from a book, give the title of the book, a quick statement of the author (& brief credentials), and the year of publication. You don’t have to mention the page, publisher or city of publication:
- "In his book, Eating to Be Smart, published in 2005, Charles Larson, a registered dietician, notes that consuming yogurt…”
Web pages
- If you are citing a Web Page (site) you need to establish the credibility, currency and objectivity (fact vs. opinion) of the site. Mention
- the title of the Web Page
- the “author”/organization/sponsor that supports the site
- the site’s “credentials” You can confirm a site’s “credentials” by looking for links as: “About us” or “Our Mission” or “Who we are”
- the last date it was updated, if known (In Netscape, you can click on “view” and then “page info” for date of last update.)
- the date you accessed the site.
- Question: If you cannot confirm any of this info, would it be prudent to still quote from the Web Page?
- “One of the most active developers of neurotechnology, Cyberkinetics.com, claims on their website last updated on March 24, 2006 that…”
- “From the Web Page maintained by the Wisconsin Council of Dairy Farmers entitled “Dairy Products and Your Diet”, as of January 10, 2007, yogurt…” (or “of an unknown date which I accessed on September 18th of this year”), yogurt proves to be…”
- In an oral citation of a Web Page, you do not need to give the URL.
- Caution: If a Web Page quotes a book, magazine or newspaper, unless YOU READ the book/magazine/newspaper quoted, your source IS the Web Page, NOT the book/magazine/newspaper. You obtained the quote from the Web Page, not the original text or article. Remember Web Pages can quote out of context.
- “From a Web Page supported by Beconvinced.com, a commercial website promoting the religion of Islam, the book Principles of Oceanography is quoted as stating that…”
Interviews
- If you are quoting the source of an interview, give the person's name and statement of their credentials, date of interview, as well as the fact that the information was obtained from a personal interview:
- “In a personal interview on January 15 that I had with Nancy Manes, head of cardiac care at Central DuPage Hospital, the most important…”
- Caution: Interviews are not the same as conversations or undocumented recollections of professors’ comments in class lectures and must come from credentialed “experts” in the field quoted.
Why practice oral citations
Without practice, oral citation of sources is often a difficult concept for students to incorporate into their speeches because verbally presenting source references interrupts the flow of thoughts and ideas researched. Speakers often are concentrating more on content, rather than worrying about where they sourced the information. Accordingly, incorporate oral source citations into each of your speech rehearsals. Citations become part of the overall timing of the speech, so use a watch or timer when practicing.
How to do written citations (works cited)
Follow the citation format requested by your instructor. The Library has a list of resources to assist you with your written citations.
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