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Philosophy Subject Guide

A general guide to Philosophy

Citing Sources

Why Cite?

When you incorporate someone else's thoughts or words into your own writing, it's important to cite your source.

Citing:

  1. Gives the original author the credit they deserve
  2. Points your readers to the original work, in case they'd like to consult it themselves
  3. Shows the evolution of scholarship on a topic over time

The following short video gives an introduction to what citation is and why you should do it.

Avoiding Plagiarism

By accurately citing your sources, you also avoid plagiarism. 

If you have any doubts or questions about your written work and what constitutes plagiarism and what is acceptable, visit the Library's Avoiding Plagiarism page or talk to your instructor.

Citation Styles for Philosophy

MLA and Chicago are among the common citation styles in Philosophy. Turabian, the student version of the Chicago Manual of Style, is also often used in Philosophy. Be sure to check with your instructor to find out which style they prefer.

Access citation style guides:

Help on Citation Styles

For helpful examples of citation styles, see the library's Citing Your Sources page.

For additional guidance, visit Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL), Research and Documentation Online, or Ask a Librarian.