Plant Biology
Citations as Conversation and Reputation
When you cite a source, you are telling your reader "this is information is high quality. I am willing to trust this information and design an experiment - invest time and research funding - based on these data." You're also giving your reader an idea of what was going through your head when you were writing. Since your assignments for this class are summarizing the topic, your sources are the way you inform your reader of the information you were working from.
Citations are the way your audience can follow in your footsteps, as it were. When done correctly, citations in articles hundreds of years old can cite sources hundreds of year older - and you, the reader, have enough information to find a copy. Please take a few moments to make sure your readers have complete and properly formatted citations to begin their search!
Books on Writing & Research
- Short Guide to Writing about Biology by Jan A. PechenikCall Number: QH304 .P43 2013ISBN: 9780205075072Publication Date: 2013
- Scientific Style and Format by Council of Science EditorsCall Number: T11 .S386 2014ISBN: 9780226116495Publication Date: 2014
- A Scientific Approach to Writing for Engineers and Scientists by Robert E. BergerCall Number: E-bookISBN: 9781118832523Publication Date: 2014
- Writing Dissertation and Grant Proposals by Lisa Chasan-TaberCall Number: E-book R853.P75 C48 2014ISBN: 9781466512078Publication Date: 2014
- Successful Grant Writing by Laura N. Gitlin; Kevin J. LyonsCall Number: E-book HV41.2 .G58 2014ISBN: 9780826101037Publication Date: 2014
- Mastering Scientific and Medical Writing by Silvia M. RogersCall Number: E-bookISBN: 9783642394454Publication Date: 2014
- News & Numbers: A Writer's Guide to Statistics by Lewis Cope; Victor Cohn; Deborah Cohn RunkleCall Number: E-bookISBN: 9781405160964Publication Date: 2012
The UMass Amherst Writing Center
- Writing Center Online TutoringAs UMass Amherst shifts to primarily online instruction this fall, the UMass Writing Center is ready to support all members of the campus community with their writing, of any kind, at any stage. Our highly trained and experienced tutors can meet with writers in video conferences online.
- Writing Center Asynchronous ResourcesIncludes resources specifically for resume and cover letter writing.
Citation Guides
Not only do you need to cite your sources, but you need to format them according to a particular style. Your professor will often ask you to use a certain style in your paper. Here are links for more information about the styles commonly used in the biological sciences:
- CSE Citation Stylefrom the Council of Science Editors website
Manual in print:
UM Science Reference / T11 .S386 2014 - AMA Style Guidefrom University of Washington
Guide in print:
Science & Engineering Library: UM Science Reference / R119 .A533 2009 - APA Citation Style Guidefrom Purdue University
Guide in print:
UM Reference Desk / BF76.7 .P83 2010
- Chicago Manual of Style This link opens in a new windowThe widely-used citation and style guide for scholarly writing.Available on campus to all, or off-campus to UMass Amherst students, staff and faculty with an UMass Amherst IT NetID (user name) and password.
Academic Honesty & Plagiarism
"Academic dishonesty is prohibited in all programs of the University, including online courses. Academic dishonesty includes but is not limited to: cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, and facilitating dishonesty."
- University of Massachusetts Amherst Academic Honesty Policy [Complete Policy]
Here are some links with more information and specific examples:
- Academic Honesty Policy and ProceduresHas links to specific examples of academic dishonesty,an overview of the policy, the complete policy, and helpful resources if accused of academic dishonesty.
- Avoiding PlagiarismDetailed descriptions of quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing, with examples and exercises. From the Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL)
- Last Updated: Sep 24, 2024 12:52 AM
- URL: https://guides.library.umass.edu/plantbio
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