Preparation of citations - General introduction to citation practices - Source citation

A manual for writers of research papers, theses, and dissertations, Ninth edition - Kate L. Turabian 2018

Preparation of citations
General introduction to citation practices
Source citation

You can ease the process of preparing and checking citations if you anticipate what you will need.

✵ ▪ Use the most authoritative sources, in their most reliable version. If you find second- or thirdhand information, track down the original source.

✵ ▪ If a source is available in multiple versions, always cite the one you actually consulted. There may be small but important differences between the versions that could affect the accuracy of your quotations or other references to the source.

✵ ▪ Record all bibliographical information for your sources as you consult them and before you take notes. See figure 16.1 (for notes style) or figure 18.1 (for author-date style) for templates showing what information is needed for several common types of sources.

✵ ▪ Record the page number(s) for every quotation and paraphrase.

✵ ▪ As you draft, clearly indicate every place where you may need to cite a source. It is much easier to remove an unnecessary citation when you revise than to remember where you may have relied on someone else’s ideas.

✵ ▪ When your draft is in its final form, consult chapter 17 or 19 to ensure that each citation is in the correct form and includes all the required data.

✵ ▪ You can assemble your bibliography or reference list either as you consult your sources or as you draft and revise. Be sure to check each detail carefully.

Getting each citation right can be tedious, even with the help of the latest tools. But as with every other phase of research, if you anticipate what you’ll need and manage the process from the beginning, you can complete even this least exciting part of research faster, more easily, and more reliably.