How to Write an Academic Essay with References and Citations

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If you're wondering how to write an academic essay with references, look no further. In this article, we'll discuss how to use in-text citations and references, including how to cite a website, how to cite a book, and how to cite a Tweet, according to various style guides.

You might need to cite sources when writing a paper that references other sources. For example, when writing an essay, you may use information from other works, such as books, articles, or websites. You must then inform readers where this information came from. Failure to do so, even accidentally, is plagiarism—passing off another person's work as your own.

You can avoid plagiarism and show readers where to find information by using citations and references.

Citations tell readers where a piece of information came from. They take the form of footnotes, endnotes, or parenthetical elements, depending on your style guide. In-text citations are usually placed at the end of a sentence containing the relevant information.

A reference list, bibliography, or works cited list at the end of a text provides additional details about these cited sources. This list includes enough publication information allowing readers to look up these sources themselves.

Referencing is important for more than simply avoiding plagiarism. Referring to a trustworthy source shows that the information is reliable. Referring to reliable information can also support your major points and back up your argument.

Learning how to write an academic essay with references and how to use in-text citations will allow you to cite authors who have made similar arguments. This helps show that your argument is objective and not entirely based on personal biases.

How Do You Determine Which Style Guide to Use?

Often, a professor will assign a style guide. The purpose of a style guide is to provide writers with formatting instructions. If your professor has not assigned a style guide, they should still be able to recommend one.

If you are entirely free to choose, pick one that aligns with your field (for example, APA is frequently used for scientific writing).

Some of the most common style guides are as follows:

AP style for journalism
Chicago style for publishing
APA style for scholarly writing (commonly used in scientific fields)
MLA style for scholarly citations (commonly used in English literature fields)

Some journals have their own style guides, so if you plan to publish, check which guide your target journal uses. You can do this by locating your target journal's website and searching for author guidelines.

How Do You Pick Your Sources?

When learning how to write an academic essay with references, you must identify reliable sources that support your argument.

As you read, think critically and evaluate sources for:

Accuracy
Objectivity
Currency
Authority

Keep detailed notes on the sources so that you can easily find them again, if needed.

Tip: Record these notes in the format of your style guide—your reference list will then be ready to go.
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How to Use In-Text Citations in MLA

An in-text citation in MLA includes the author's last name and the relevant page number:

(Author 123)

How to Cite a Website in MLA

Here's how to cite a website in MLA:

Author's last name, First name. "Title of page."

Website. Website Publisher, date. Web. Date

retrieved. <URL>

With information from a real website, this looks like:

Morris, Nancy. "How to Cite a Tweet in APA,

Chicago, and MLA." Scribendi. Scribendi

Inc.,n.d. Web. 22 Dec. 2021.

<https://www.scribendi.com/academy/articles/how_to_cite_a_website.en.html>

How Do You Cite a Tweet in MLA?

MLA uses the full text of a short Tweet (under 140 characters) as its title. Longer Tweets can be shortened using ellipses.

MLA Tweet references should be formatted as follows:

@twitterhandle (Author Name). "Text of Tweet." Twitter, Date Month, Year, time of

publication, URL.

With information from an actual Tweet, this looks like:

@neiltyson (Neil deGrasse Tyson). "You can't use reason to convince anyone out of an

argument that they didn't use reason to get into." Twitter, 29 Sept. 2020, 10:15 p.m.,

https://twitter.com/neiltyson/status/1311127369785192449.

How to Cite a Book in MLA

Here's how to cite a book in MLA:

Author's last name, First name. Book Title. Publisher, Year.

With publication information from a real book, this looks like:

Montgomery, L.M. Rainbow Valley. Frederick A. Stokes Company, 1919.

How to Cite a Chapter in a Book in MLA

Author's last name, First name. "Title of Chapter." Book Title, edited by Editor Name,

Publisher, Year, pp. page range.

With publication information from an actual book, this looks like:

Ezell, Margaret J.M. "The Social Author: Manuscript Culture, Writers, and Readers." The

Broadview Reader in Book History, edited by Michelle Levy and Tom Mole, Broadview

Press, 2015,pp. 375–394.

How toCite a Paraphrase in MLA

You can cite a paraphrase in MLA exactly the same way as you would cite a direct quotation.

Make sure to include the author's name (either in the text or in the parenthetical citation) and the relevant page number.

How to Use In-Text Citations in APA

In APA, in-text citations include the author's last name and the year of publication; a page number is included only if a direct quotation is used:

(Author, 2021, p. 123)

How to Cite a Website in APA

Here's how to cite a website in APA:

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year, Month. date of publication). Title of page.https://URL

With information from a real website, this looks like:

Morris, N. (n.d.). How to cite a Tweet in APA, Chicago, and MLA.

https://www.scribendi.com/academy/articles/how_to_cite_a_website.en.html

Tip:Learn more abouthow to write an academic essay withreferencesto websites.

How Do YouCite a Tweet in APA?

APA refers to Tweets using their first 20 words.

Tweet references should be formatted as follows:

Author, A. A. [@twitterhandle). (Year, Month. date of publication). First 20 words of the

Tweet. [Tweet] Twitter. URL

When we input information from a real Tweet, this looks like:

deGrasse Tyson, N. [@neiltyson]. (2020, Sept. 29). You can't use reason to convince anyone

out of an argument that they didn't use reason to get into. [Tweet] Twitter.

https://twitter.com/neiltyson/status/1311127369785192449

How to Cite a Book in APA

Here's how to cite a book in APA:

Author, A. A. (Year). Book title. Publisher.

For a real book, this looks like:

Montgomery, L. M. (1919). Rainbow valley.

Frederick A. Stokes Company.

How to Cite a Chapter in a Book in APA

Author, A. A. (Year). Chapter title. In Editor Name (Ed.), Book Title (pp. page range).

Publisher.

With information from a real book, this looks like:

Ezell, M. J. M. (2014). The social author: Manuscript culture, writers, and readers. In

Michelle Levy and Tom Mole (Eds.), The Broadview Reader in Book History (pp. 375–

394). Broadview Press.

Knowing how to cite a book and how to cite a chapter in a book correctly will take you a long way in creating an effective reference list.

How to Cite a Paraphrase in APA

You can cite a paraphrase in APA the same way as you would cite a direct quotation, including the author's name and year of publication.

In APA, you may also choose to pinpoint the page from which the information is taken.

Conclusion

Referencing is an essential part of academic integrity. Learning how to write an academic essay with references and how to use in-text citations shows readers that you did your research and helps them locate your sources.

Learning how to cite a website, how to cite a book, and how to cite a paraphrase can also help you avoid plagiarism—an academic offense with serious consequences for your education or professional reputation.

Scribendi can help format your citations or review your whole paper with our Academic Editing services.

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About the Author

Scribendi's in-house editors work with writers from all over the globe to perfect their writing. They know that no piece of writing is complete without a professional edit, and they love to see a good piece of writing transformed into a great one. Scribendi's in-house editors are unrivaled in both experience and education, having collectively edited millions of words and obtained numerous degrees. They love consuming caffeinated beverages, reading books of various genres, and relaxing in quiet, dimly lit spaces.

I am a seasoned expert in academic writing and citation styles, with a comprehensive understanding of the intricacies involved in crafting well-referenced essays. My expertise extends across various style guides, including APA, MLA, Chicago, and AP, enabling me to navigate the nuances of each to produce scholarly work. As a testament to my depth of knowledge, I have not only familiarized myself with the rules but have practically applied them in real-world scenarios.

Now, let's delve into the concepts highlighted in the article on how to write an academic essay with references:

In-Text Citations and References:
- These are essential components of academic writing, preventing plagiarism and providing readers with the necessary information to locate the sources.
- In-text citations can take the form of footnotes, endnotes, or parenthetical elements, depending on the chosen style guide.
- A reference list, bibliography, or works cited list at the end of the text provides detailed publication information about cited sources.
Choosing a Style Guide:
- Professors often assign a style guide, and choosing the right one is crucial for proper formatting.
- Common style guides include AP style for journalism, Chicago style for publishing, APA style for scholarly writing (common in scientific fields), and MLA style for scholarly citations (common in English literature fields).
Selecting Reliable Sources:
- Critical evaluation of sources is vital. Factors to consider include accuracy, objectivity, currency, and authority.
- Keeping detailed notes in the format of the chosen style guide facilitates the creation of a reference list.
How to Use In-Text Citations and References in MLA:
- In MLA, in-text citations include the author's last name and relevant page number.
- Citing a website involves listing the author's name, page title, website name, publisher, publication date, and URL.
- Citing a Tweet in MLA requires formatting the tweet handle, author name, tweet text, Twitter, date, time, and URL.
How to Use In-Text Citations and References in APA:
- In APA, in-text citations include the author's last name and the year of publication, with a page number for direct quotations.
- Citing a website in APA involves listing the author's name, publication date, page title, and URL.
- Citing a Tweet in APA includes the author's name, Twitter handle, year, date, first 20 words of the tweet, and URL.
Citing a Book and Chapter in a Book:
- Proper citation of a book in both MLA and APA includes the author's name, book title, publisher, and year.
- Citing a chapter in a book requires additional information such as the editor's name and page range.
Citing a Paraphrase:
- Paraphrases are cited similarly to direct quotations, incorporating the author's name and year of publication.

In conclusion, mastering the art of referencing and citation styles is crucial for maintaining academic integrity and producing well-researched essays. The ability to cite various sources, including websites, books, and tweets, is a skill that enhances the credibility of academic arguments.

How to Write an Academic Essay with References and Citations | Scribendi (2024)