What is a citation? A Citation:
Describes a journal article, book, website, or another type of published item
Credits the author for the idea
Helps the reader retrieve the item that you are referring to
Includes the author's name, title of piece, source (publisher, place of publication, or URL), and date
Citation management is extremely important to the research and writing process. Plagiarism can occur very easily and is often unintentional. Collecting, organizing, and citing the sources used in research helps writers properly credit their sources and avoid taking credit for another person's work. Crediting sources through providing proper citation information helps strengthen a writer's argument and assists others in furthering their research.
There are different styles of citation that can be used when writing your research papers. Check with your instructor if you aren't sure which type you should use. Information is included on this guide for the following styles: AP (Associated Press), APA, MLA, Chicago, and Turabian.
Anatomy of a Citation: 
General Style Guides
AP - Associated Press
APA - American Psychological Association
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association by Chicago
MLA - Modern Language Association
Turabian
A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations by 
