Citation Guide
Academic Support

Citation & Avoiding Plagiarism

Using another writer’s ideas or words in your work without proper acknowledgment is plagiarism. Learning how to cite correctly helps you produce responsible academic work and maintain academic integrity.

Purpose
Cite sources properly
Benefit
Avoid plagiarism
Tool
Citation managers
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What is Citation?

Citation is the method of acknowledging the sources of information used in your work. It usually includes in-text citations and a reference list or bibliography.

Why Cite?

Why Should I Cite My Sources?

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Academic Integrity
Citing shows that your work builds responsibly on the ideas and research of others.
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Scholarly Awareness
It shows readers that you are familiar with the important work in your field.
Avoid Plagiarism
Proper citation helps you avoid presenting others’ ideas or words as your own.
⏱️
Save Time
It helps readers and researchers locate the original source quickly and easily.
Citation Styles

Which Citation Style Should I Use?

Note: Always use the citation style recommended by your professor or department.

Some common citation styles used across disciplines include:

APA

American Psychological Association style, commonly used in psychology and other social sciences.

Harvard

A widely used author-date style commonly applied in many academic disciplines.

MLA

Modern Language Association style, often used in literature, arts, and humanities.

Chicago

A style developed by the University of Chicago Press, used in a range of academic disciplines.

Note: APA and Harvard styles are commonly followed at Sultan Qaboos University.

How Can I Organize My Citations?

Citation managers such as EndNote can help you organize your references, store them in one place, and automatically generate bibliographies.

These tools are useful for managing research materials and saving time when writing academic papers.

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Citation Tools
  • Citation Machine
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote Form
  • JabRef
  • Mendeley
  • PaperPile
  • Papers
  • ReadCube
  • RefWorks
  • Zotero