How to cite sources correctly
Guide to in-text citations and reference lists in APA, Harvard, and other styles. Avoid common citation mistakes in university writing.
Correct citation has two parts: in-text citations (or footnotes) that point to sources in your argument, and a reference list giving full bibliographic details.
Every paraphrase and direct quote from a scholarly source needs a citation unless the information is common knowledge in your field (definitions of well-established theories may qualify — ask your tutor when unsure).
Match style to your brief. APA uses author-date in text. Harvard is similar but formatting rules differ by institution. IEEE uses numbered brackets. Chicago has notes-bibliography and author-date variants.
Be consistent. Mixing APA in-text citations with Harvard reference list formatting loses marks. Use one style throughout unless footnotes require a hybrid your guide permits.
Cite the source you read. If you found a study cited inside another paper, ideally locate the original (secondary citation rules apply in APA with 'as cited in' only when the original is unavailable).
Format reference list entries with required elements: authors, year, title, journal, volume, issue, pages, DOI. Missing DOIs or incorrect capitalisation are frequent errors.
Use reference managers or export tools tied to saved sources to reduce manual typos — but always proofread the final list.
Where Scholise helps
Scholise exports reference lists in APA 7, Harvard, IEEE, MLA, Chicago, Vancouver, and more from papers saved in your project — so list entries match sources you actually used.
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