Why Cite?
We live in what people commonly call “the information age”. No longer is there just a few monographs (a book on one subject) on the library shelf, where one name may be well-known as an expert on the subject. With the abundance of opinions and resources available to us, it’s even more important to make sure our sources are good ones – verified by experts, who have time to do primary document research and confirm specific details of information. It is also important to note the link we use on the internet, as links can be broken as websites are not guaranteed to be permanent.
Citations serve two main functions: they help us track where we get information, and provide evidence of support for our arguments from experts. When our work is verifiable, it increases the validity of our arguments.
Citations are required to track where you are getting your sources of info, whether it is Voices and Visions, Canadian Encyclopedia, or Discover Canada.
To avoid plagiarism (even by accident), you must use your own words and understanding to construct your paragraphs, and not copy the sentences or order of sentences of another writer. Direct quotations are useful, but also require footnotes.
Citing 101
You can easily cite your source by using the shortcut keys CTRL+ALT+F & pasting the link.
You can also try your hand at a more correct style of Chicago footnote citations, as follows:
1 D.Francis, Voices and Visions, “Canada’s Government”, p 146-147.
2 Canadian Encyclopedia, “Joeseph Howe“, accessed 03/08/2015.