Citation

Let's start with the BHS MLA citation guide! This is a great place to start!

Citation is crucial. And it's not just because your teacher makes you do it. It's to give credit to those who found the info first. It's about showing that you know how to keep yourself organized and legit. It's mental activity that makes you think using logic and formulas. It's about how you think--if you can do MLA, you can do APA, Harvard or Chicago style. It's about making it easier for your reader to find more info (have you ever used the bibliography links at the bottom of a wikipedia page?). It's about covering your butt ("But I didn't just make this up! See, here are my resources!) It's about showing that you know how to research. It's about a lot of things. So do it, and do it well. Blowing it off and being lazy shows that you don't really care about your work. And what does that say about you as a person...?

Okay, starting to get a bit personal there. Bringing it back to the pragmatic... Here are some useful tools.

But don't forget to keep track of your sources as you go! It's easier than having to back track!

Databases: Databases have built in citation tools! Goovy, huh? Nothing easier than that!

Noodletools: A great place to organize and build your citation. Plus it has other great research tools, like notecards. A great way to organize your info! Plus, they have apps for your tablets and phones.

OWL Perdue: This college online writing center has always been a go-to place for me. Lot's of great information. Here's the thing--the online, computer generated citation machines, like Easybib, Bibme, and Noodletools, are good, but they're rarely perfect. So, you should go back and double check. This page provides all sorts of situations that these generators may not be able to handle. It's a great online guide. Plus, formating tips, researching tips, and other writing tips.