LibGuides: Primary Source Guide : Citing Primary Sources

Citation Guides

Chicago Manual of Style
The 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.

For full terms of use, please see the Electronic Resources Usage Policy (https://www.library.umass.edu/about-the-libraries/policies/electronic-resources-usage-policy/).

Research and Documentation in the Electronic Age
Call Number: UM Reference ZA4375 .H327 2010
Publication Date: 2010
Contains information on finding, evaluating, and citing sources for humanities, social sciences, history, and sciences.

Click to view online version.
The complete guide to referencing and avoiding plagiarism [electronic resource] by Colin Neville
Call Number: FC E-Resources E-Book PN171.F56 N48 2010eb
ISBN: 9780335241033
Publication Date: 2010
Provides comprehensive coverage of all major citation styles.

Click to view e-book.

Why Cite Sources?

See more Kimbel Library instruction videos here: http://www.coastal.edu/library/videos/

Why Cite Sources?

Providing information about where sources were found and how they were accessed is an essential part of research. These citations:

Give credit to the creators of the information you use (whether you quote them or not)
Allows others to locate the materials you consulted, gives evidence of your research process
Helps you avoid plagiarizing

Citations include a basic set of elements that describe your source -- author, title of document, title of the book or website, name of editor or author of the book, year of publication, and page numbers. Different style formats (most commonly Chicago, MLA and APA) dictate how this information should be arranged, making it easier for readers to decode it later.

Managing Sources

RefWorks
RefWorks requires a subscription that is paid for by the University Libraries. Due to budget pressure, declining use, and increasing subscription cost, the Libraries have decided to cancel the subscription to RefWorks effective July 31, 2021.

Considerations that went into this decision include:

o Declining usage of RefWorks and continuing cost increases;
o. Availability of free alternative citation management tools such as Zotero and Mendeley available to students, faculty, and researchers.

The UMass Amherst Libraries are committed to supporting our community though this change and are providing assistance with migrating from RefWorks to another citation management tool. We will be offering workshops throughout the spring to help those using RefWorks to transition to a different citation manager, if they choose to do so.

Due to the short time we will retain access to RefWorks, at this point, we DO NOT recommend new users select RefWorks as their citation manager.

Must create an account with UMass Amherst email address

Zotero
A free, easy-to-use tool to help you collect, organize, cite, and share your research sources.