What Is Citation and Why Is It Important in College Essays

Essay writing in college coursework has been integral for a long time now. The reason behind this is that essays are able to test a variety of aptitudes and skills of students. This also means that essays can be pretty hard to create and write, especially when it comes to achieving one’s desired results. And this is because essay writing often requires specific know-how and skills to get the job done in the best possible way.

There are a number of ways through which students can take their essay game to the next level. However, before aiming for the best possible results, students are advised first to master all of the basics that go into creating essays. This is because, without the essential elements of an essay, such as format, structure, outline, writing style/tone, topic selection, bullet points, and more, one would not be able to use any of the other enhancing work to their advantage.

Once a student knows how to draft the best essays, they can then use certain methods or practices to boost the potency of their essays. Out of all the several other methods and practices, one that consistently stands out is using citations. In a sentence, a citation is an indication, mainly through text and hyperlinks in the digital world, that credits one’s source of information. In this article, we will take a closer look at what citation is and why it is vital in college essays.

But before we dive in, students reading this should also remember to focus on their academic work and submissions. These days, students receive a variety of academic work from their professors and institutions. Some of these can be done in college itself, while some may need to be performed with one’s peer group or at home by themselves.

While it can be relatively easier to get work done in a group, it may not also be the case when working by oneself. In such cases, students can consult top platforms for their various student-based services. For example, a platform like domyhomeworkabc.com can help students with several homework tasks. Some of them may include research paper writing, essay writing, paper editing, and more.

What Is Citation?

Since the beginning of human history, people have been learning from their previous generations extensively. The knowledge of yesteryears has always been preserved, and its torch has been passed down to the group in an organized way. However, this organization could have and is only possible if and when people give and get the proper credit for their contribution.

This is necessary and valid in every humanistic sense because, without it, everything would be haywire. There would be no real records of how, where, and by whom things were invented or what went into inventing them, and so on. Thus, giving credit to one’s work, no matter the scale, is essential and respectful across any serious field of study or work.

The act of giving credit to another person’s discovery, expertise, work, and more is known as a citation. When resources are cited, the writer actually gives credit to the original author’s ideas and information. Using citations makes one’s work more credible, noteworthy, professional, and of course, devoid of plagiarism.

Students are always required and advised to use citations in their work, especially when it comes to writing essays. This is because citations are a solid way through which students can tap into the depths of their chosen fields in a professional way. Using proper citations helps students connect with experts in their fields, read their best works, use some of their material as references in their own work, and follow them for future advancements in the field.

Two Main Types of Citations

Here are the two main types of citations used in academic writing and essays:

1) In-Text Citations

In-text citations are those that provide all the necessary credit information in the same line or paragraph containing the borrowed or referenced material. Students can use semicolons to attribute more than one author or source. This is a process of giving credit at the point of use. Students should also use numbers and links so readers can easily find their points of reference.

2) End of Text Citations

References or citations used in one’s text should link to a whole citation or sources section at the end of their written work. Most academic institutions also prefer it to be done in this style. In-text citations can be linked – according to serial numbers – to the citations at the end of one’s text for smoother viewing. Some of the information to include in end-of-text citations are: 

• Authors, editors, and publishers
• Date or year of the published material
• Title of the referenced work
• Name, contact, and other essential information about the author, publisher, and work

6 Reasons Why Citations Are Important in Your College Essays

1) Helps Your Improve Your Academic Writing Skills

Citations ensure that students use their full awareness and intellect simultaneously when writing. It helps them structure their content in a much better way. It also enables them to add more thought and quality to their writing.

2) Boosts Your Credibility, Respect, & Status in Your Field of Study & Work

Citations offer a unique opportunity of referencing another great author’s or scholar’s works. This not only ensures that one’s work receives a natural enhancement but also helps create a rapport between the parties. Across any field in the academic world, acknowledgment of one’s peers holds high value.

3) Provides Proper Evidence of One’s Own Work

Citations can especially be used to make arguments or other important points in one’s essays. In hard-hitting essays, citations can be in the form of links to other expert studies and opinions. This helps provide direct evidence and solidifies one’s argument with more credibility and ease.

4) Improves Researching Skills in the Long-term

Citations also help students become better researchers in their field. How? It allows students to tap into the best, most credible, and most expert resources. This is because citations contain the best work of the topmost experts in the field. It also helps students become more detail-oriented.

5) Adds an Expert or Professional Touch to Your Essay Work

The presence of citations shows that the writer has put in genuine efforts towards not only enriching their content but also giving credit and praise to other members of their tribe. A well-structured citation plan in one’s essays also provides a more professional look to their work.

6) Helps Avoid Any Kind of Plagiarism or Red Flags in Your Essay Work

Plagiarism is a massive problem in the academic field. And such problems can often arise when students use the work of others as references. Using citations ensures that one gives all the proper credit to the external work they have used in their essays.

The Bottom Line

Using citations is one of the best and surest ways of being recognized as an avid and respected member of one’s field of study and work. It shows that one is willing to offer credit where it is due at all times while also respectfully adding some of their opinions and thoughts. Although citing one’s essays can be daunting to some, it doesn’t have to be that way. One can refer to several online resources to learn the art of using citations quickly yet effectively in their work.