Citation
A reference to a source, embedded in an intellectual work.
A citation is a reference to a source, typically an abbreviated alphanumeric expression embedded in the body of an intellectual work that denotes an entry in the bibliographic references section. It serves to acknowledge the relevance of others' works to the topic of discussion at the spot where the citation appears. Citations are important for upholding intellectual honesty, bolstering claims, orchestrating the state of knowledge on a topic, identifying gaps in existing knowledge, and establishing researcher stance.
- definition
- Abbreviated alphanumeric expression embedded in an intellectual work
- purpose
- Acknowledging relevance of others' works, upholding intellectual honesty, orchestrating knowledge
- systems
- Vancouver system, parenthetical referencing (Harvard), citation-name system
- styles
- Chicago, MLA, APA, ASA, Oxford, Harvard, Turabian, Columbia
- unique_identifiers
- ISBN, ISSN, SICI, DOI, PMID
- content_types
- Book, journal, newspaper, web site, play, poem, interview, data
Lore & Background
Citations have several important purposes beyond attribution. Linguistic analysis of citation practices indicates they also serve critical roles in orchestrating the state of knowledge on a particular topic, identifying gaps in existing knowledge that should be filled, or describing areas where inquiries should be continued or replicated. Citation has also been identified as a critical means by which researchers establish stance: aligning themselves with or against subgroups of fellow researchers working on similar projects and staking out opportunities for creating new knowledge.
Reader's Guide
Conventions of citation vary by the citation system used, such as Oxford, Harvard, MLA, NLM, ASA, APA, etc. Each system is associated with different academic disciplines, and academic journals maintain the relevant citational style by recommending and adhering to the relevant style guides. Broadly speaking, there are two types of citation systems: the Vancouver system and parenthetical referencing, though the Council of Science Editors adds a third, the citation-name system. The Vancouver system uses sequential numbers in the text, referring to footnotes or endnotes. Parenthetical referencing, also known as Harvard referencing, has full or partial in-text citations enclosed in circular brackets. Citation styles can be broadly divided into styles common to the humanities and the sciences, with considerable overlap. Some style guides, such as the Chicago Manual of Style, are flexible and cover both parenthetical and note citation systems. Others, such as MLA and APA styles, specify formats within the context of a single citation system. The Citation Style Language is an open XML-based language to describe the formatting of citations and bibliographies.
Did You Know?
- Citations may include unique identifiers such as ISBN, ISSN, SICI, DOI, or PMID depending on the type of work.
- The Vancouver system uses sequential numbers in the text, either bracketed or superscript, referring to footnotes or endnotes.
- Parenthetical referencing, also known as Harvard referencing, has full or partial in-text citations enclosed in circular brackets.
- The Citation Style Language (CSL) is an open XML-based language to describe the formatting of citations and bibliographies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Citation in the context of literary and intellectual writing?
A citation is a brief alphanumeric marker embedded in the body of a work that directs the reader to a full bibliographic entry listed elsewhere in the document. It acts as an in-text credit, signaling that the idea being discussed at that point draws on another author's contribution.
What are the major citation systems and styles writers use?
The principal systems are the Vancouver numbered format, Harvard parenthetical referencing, and the citation-name approach. Named styles such as Chicago, MLA, APA, ASA, Oxford, Turabian, and Columbia each prescribe their own rules for how a source is formatted and presented.
Why is Citation considered important in scholarly and creative work?
Citations uphold intellectual honesty by giving proper credit and strengthen an author's claims by anchoring them in prior scholarship. They also help chart the current state of knowledge on a topic, expose gaps in existing research, and make the writer's own stance within a debate explicit.
What unique identifiers are tied to a citation?
Sources can be pinpointed through codes such as ISBN for books, ISSN for periodicals, DOI for digital objects, PMID for biomedical records, and SICI for journal articles. These identifiers guarantee that a citation resolves to exactly one source regardless of which formatting style is applied.
What kinds of content can be cited as a source?
Citations may reference books, journal articles, newspaper clippings, websites, plays, poems, recorded interviews, and raw datasets. This breadth reflects the principle that any published or recorded intellectual contribution is eligible to serve as a source within a larger work.
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