Skip to Main Content

Introduction to Graduate Study in Communication

An overview of research techniques and the resources of the UMD Libraries

Why is citing important?

There are several reasons why it is important to cite your sources properly:

  • It is important to give credit to the person or group who spent the time researching and writing in order to provide that information.
  • It allows your reader to find the source later if she wants to read it herself.
  • Citing experts gives credibility to the argument of your paper.
  • Proper citing indicates that you did a thorough job researching your topic.

The following resources can help you properly cite your sources. If you need assistance, please contact a reference librarian.

Frequently Used Stylebooks

Open Access & Author Rights

The Guide to Author Rights provides background information and tools to help you retain the rights you need to reuse your scholarly work.

The Copyright Guide provides a general overview of copyright issues for University of Maryland faculty and students.