Cite and acknowledge

When you use someone else’s words, ideas, images, music, videos or information, give credit to the person or organisation that created it.

Citing sources shows that you have researched carefully, helps readers find your information and protects you from accidental plagiarism.

When should I cite?

Cite a source when you use:

• A fact, statistic or important idea.

• A direct quotation.

• A summary in your own words.

• An image, photograph, chart, map or infographic.

• A video, podcast, song or social-media post.

• Information suggested by AI that you checked and decided to use.

You do not need to cite common knowledge. For example, you do not need to cite that Belgrade is the capital of Serbia. If you are unsure, ask your teacher or librarian.

Cite as you work

Do not wait until the end of the project.

Each time you use a source, write down:

• The author or organisation.

• The title.

• The website, book, video or publication name.

• The page number, if there is one.

• The web link.

• The date you accessed the source, if needed.

Keeping this information with your notes makes creating a bibliography much easier.

Use MLA referencing

MLA is a common style for giving credit to sources.

You may need two kinds of citation:

In-text citation

An in-text citation appears in your writing, close to the information you used.

For example:

Plastic waste can harm ocean animals and habitats (UN Environment Programme).

Or, if you name the author in your sentence:

The UN Environment Programme explains that plastic waste can harm ocean animals and habitats.

Your teacher will help you decide how much detail to include.

Works Cited or bibliography

A Works Cited page or bibliography appears at the end of your work. It lists the sources you used, usually in alphabetical order.

A simple website entry can look like this:

UN Environment Programme. “Beat Plastic Pollution.” UNEP, www.unep.org/interactives/beat-plastic-pollution/. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

A book entry can look like this:

Last Name, First Name. Book Title. Publisher, Year.

For example:

DuPrau, Jeanne. The City of Ember. Random House, 2003.

Use the citation format required by your teacher. Ask the librarian for help if you are unsure.

Cite images and media

Images, videos, music and other media belong to someone. Credit them, even when you find them online.

For an image, record:

• The creator, if known.

• The title or description.

• The website where you found it.

• The web link.

• The date you accessed it.

• The licence or permission information, if available.

Add a short caption near the image, such as:

Figure 1. Photograph of the Danube River by [Creator], from [Website].

Then include the full source in your Works Cited or bibliography.

Use copyright-friendly images whenever possible. Look for images labelled for reuse, Creative Commons images or images from trusted library resources.

Acknowledge AI assistance appropriately

AI tools can help with some parts of learning when your teacher allows it. If you use AI, be honest about how it helped you.

You might need to explain:

• Which AI tool you used.

• What you asked it to do.

• How you used its response.

• What you checked, changed or rejected.

• What work you completed yourself.

For example:

AI acknowledgement: I used ChatGPT to suggest possible search terms for my project about plastic pollution. I chose the useful terms, found my own reliable sources and wrote the final work myself.

Acknowledging AI does not replace permission. Always check with your teacher before using AI for an assignment.

Before you submit

Check that:

• I have cited every source I used.

• I have used quotation marks for copied words.

• I have recorded the details for my Works Cited or bibliography.

• I have credited images, videos and other media.

• I have checked that my links work.

• I have acknowledged AI use if required.

• I can explain where my information came from.

Giving credit is part of being an honest, respectful researcher.