Why to cite sources?

 

Elise Barbeau from EasyBib.com gives good reasons why citing sources is the essential component of every research project:

• Students differentiate their ideas from the thoughts of other authors.
• By providing the credits, students place their intellectual contributions in a broader context of the subject area.
• Having many citations from credible sources means that students have conducted a research on a well-known topic, and the readers can check facts and keep researching on the topic.
• Students won't be accused of academic dishonesty.
• Students add weight to their thoughts and ideas. By citing sources, they show that these ideas are based on reliable sources and win over the readers.
• By citing sources, students demonstrate their understanding of the ethical use of information.
• With reading every new source, students become better researchers and deeper learners. They know more about the subject of their research.
 (Adapted from Why citations matter: A Lesson in Preventing "Alternative Facts". http://www.easybib.com/guides/why-citations-matter/?utm_campaign).