When you are writing for college, your own ideas and conclusions are just as important as the sources you use to support theories and conclusions in your work. Just as a paper full of only someone else's ideas would be unacceptable, a paper with only your own ideas and no supporting evidence would carry no weight in a college setting. Most importantly, you must be aware that the use of ideas, analysis, theories, or studies from sources without proper citation constitutes plagiarism, and this is a very serious offense. Your understanding of the definitions below, therefore, is of utmost importance. Handbooks that outline when and how to cite such sources in your paper are readily available on campus at the Writing Center, Regina Library, and the Rivier College Book Store.
Documentation comes from the idea of providing documents to authenticate research.
When you are writing a paper, one very important way to show the strength of your ideas is to provide supporting information from other sources and experts in the area you are writing about. Citation - A reference in your paper that indicates the source of words or ideas you are using as support. You must provide references for the source of any work quoted or paraphrased in the body of your paper. Types of citation styles include MLA, APA, and Chicago. For specific formats of these references, consult a handbook.