• When you write a research paper, it's important that you credit the scholars and critics who have contributed to your ideas, whatever the format their publications may take (print, sound, film, WWW). Using citations and bibliographies is the scholarly method used to accomplish this. There are guides specific to certain fields of study, or your professor or instructor may request a specific bibliographic and citation style.
   
• As you work, be consistent and pay close attention to periods, commas, quotation marks, and so on. This care in your work will allow others to more easily read and follow the path you used to arrive at your conclusions.
   
• See our guide to Using Citation Styles and Bibliographies for tips on using styles such as MLA  or APA
  
  

Here are some suggestions on the types of information to write down from for a citation: