SOC 270: Community Studies, Dr. Katherine Johnson: Cite Your Sources

Citations

Citing your sources is important because:

It shows you've done research by looking up scholarly resources
It allows others to look up the sources you used to find the information
It prevents you from being accused of plagiarism

Citations may look different depending on what style is used, but they contain the same information. The standard elements include:

Author name(s)
Title (of book or article and journal)
Date of publication
Page numbers

Books Available in the Lewis Library

Please note that any book published before 2021 refers to a previous edition of MLA.

MLA Handbook, Ninth Edition by The Modern Language Association of America
Call Number: LB2369 .M52 2021
A Pocket Style Manual by Diana Hacker
Call Number: PE1408 .H26 2010
Rules for Writers by Diana Hacker, Nancy Sommers, and Kimberli Huster
Call Number: PE1408 .H277 2019
The Rowman and Littlefield Guide to Writing with Sources by James P. Davis
Call Number: REF PE1478 .D37 2012

Organize Your Citations

NoodleTools
NoodleTools is a research companion that can help you manage citations and annotations.

As a first time user, you will need to register. Click on the NoodleTools link above and then click on Register near the bottom of the screen.

On the registration page you will need to fill in ALL the fields including the Subscription Type (choose 'account linked to school/library') and everything below the About You section. Then click Register near the bottom of the screen.

Once you have registered, you will then use the Personal ID and Password you created to sign in and access your NoodleTools account.
Noodle Tools Guide
To learn more about utilizing NoodleTools, check out this guide.

Citation Generator

NoodleTools Express
Just need one or two quick citations? There's no need to subscribe -- simply generate them, then copy and paste what you need into your document.

Note: Citations are not saved and cannot be exported to a word processor using this version of the tool.

Online Citation Help

Purdue OWL MLA Style Guide
These resources will help you learn how to use the Modern Language Association (MLA) citation and format style. This section contains resources on in-text citations and Works Cited pages as well as MLA sample papers, slide presentations, and the MLA classroom poster.
The MLA Style Center
This website includes writing resources from the Modern Language Association.
Citing Sources LibGuide
A brief guide created by SUNY Niagara Librarians for the major styles: MLA, APA, and Chicago.

Database Citation Help

Many online periodical indexes show you exactly how to cite the sources you find. Look for a link that reads "citation tools," or "cite this article." Click on that link and you will see the citation in various formats. Here is an example of a citation in MLA format created in Academic Search Complete.

Note: you are ultimately responsible for making sure your citations are correct. Make sure that your indentations and spacing are correct.

Last Updated: Apr 25, 2025 4:13 PM
URL: https://libguides.niagaracc.suny.edu/SOC270
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Subjects: Social Science & Sociology

Tags: census, community studies, katherine johnson, soc270, sociology

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