To Cite Or Not To Cite

By the Tavistock and Portman Library

Should you cite this

in your essay?

Is it someone else’s idea or theory?

Cite it!

Is it someone else’s idea or theory?

Is it a direct quote?

Cite it, mention the page number, and place double

quotation marks around the text.

Is it a direct quote?

Is it a paraphrase?

Cite it!

Is it a paraphrase?

Is it common knowledge?

If it’s common knowledge in your subject area

then you don’t need to cite it.

Is it common knowledge?

Is it your own thoughts?

You don’t need to cite it…

Is it your own thoughts?

You don’t need to cite it…

Is it your own thoughts?

… except if you’ve published

it somewhere before!

Stillnot sure?

Stillnot sure?

When in doubt, if there is something

you could cite, just cite it!