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Architecture

This is a research guide created by College of San Mateo Library librarians to help students with research in the area of architecture. It provides tools, resources, and tips for getting started researching this topic.

Citing Sources

All About Citing Your Sources

Student reading different sourcesWhenever you are writing papers or working on projects and drawing on the ideas of others, it's important (and often imperative) to cite your sources. Citing your sources does several things:

  • Shows your audience that the work you are presenting is well-researched and backed up by facts and the work of others
  • Lets your reader know which ideas and words are yours, and which belong to others
  • Allows your readers to do further reading and learn more about your sources by including the publication information
  • Shows that you have respect for the work of others and are giving credit where credit is due
  • Helps you avoid plagiarism

Citation Styles

There are several types of citation formats, and which type you use to write your papers depends on the discipline you're writing for, and which style your instructor wants you to use. At College of san Mateo, the two most common types of citation styles are APA (used in the sciences and social sciences) and MLA (used in English and the humanities).

CSM Library has in-depth topic guides that support each style. Visit these guides to learn how to cite, create a reference page or Works Cited, and other important aspects of formatting your paper:

MLA Guide APA Guide

Citation Tools

Most databases and CSM Library research tools have citation tools built-in so look for a toolbar with the options "Cite" or "Citation Tools" for ways to create, save, and send yourself citations in your chosen style.

CSM Library also subscribes to its own citation tool, called NoodleTools. CSM students can create a free NoodleTools acount using the link below to create and track citations across all of your papers and projects, or try using the more basic NoodleTools Express to create citations on the fly (no account required).