Module 2 - Interpreting Citations
A citation is a reference to a source of information. A citation typicallly includes enough identifying information, such as the author, title, and source, for a reader to be able to locate a copy of the item.
The ability to interpret citations or references to various sources of information is a fundamental research skill. In order to be able to locate an item from a bibliography at the end of an article or book or from a database printout, you need to be able to determine what type of source the item is. A partial list of types of sources would include:
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Following are examples of the most common types of sources students find in bibliographies and in databases:
Book Citation
Note: Check the online catalogue by author or title to determine whether Fant Library owns this book.
Magazine Article Citation
Note: To determine whether Fant Library owns a magazine, check the online catalogue by doing a title search for the magazine title, not the title of the article.
Journal Article Citation
Note: To determine whether Fant Library owns a journal, check the online catalogue by doing a title search for the journal title, not the title of the article.
Government Document Citation
Note: To find out whether Fant Library owns a document, check the online catalogue or find the SuDOCS number, and then check on the shelf.
Article in a Book
Note: To find out whether Fant Library owns this item, look for the title of the book in the online catalogue, not the title of the article.
Internet Source Citation
Note: You can locate an Internet source by typing the Internet address on Netscape.
