There are certain basic things you need to cite just about any source, using just about any format:

• The AUTHOR (or creator) of the work.  This may be one person, many people, or a group or organization.
• The TITLE OF THE WORK itself.  For example, the article title, the book title, the chapter title, etc.
• The JOURNAL or the PUBLISHER.  For an article, you include the name of the specific magazine or journal.  For a book, the publishing house.
• The PUBLICATION DATE.

There are also certain things that must be included for specific types of works.  For example, for an article or a book chapter, you would provide page numbers.  For a website, you would provide the URL.

The moment when you are most likely to have easy access to all of this information?  When you find it in the first place.  Know then what you need to take note of to cite it effectively later.

Learn how to keep up with new information on your topic by:

• setting up research alerts (journal table of contents and/or database search alerts)
• setting up RSS feeds and feedreaders
• reading or writing blogs

The Keeping Current with Research guide has more information.

• Recording (90 minutes)

Do you use citation management software like EndNote or Zotero or those built into the databases? Even though you can automatically generate a bibliography pretty easily these days, it doesn't mean it will be correct. Citation management programs make plenty of mistakes and you need to be able to spot them and correct them. This webinar is all about the American Psychological Association style manual (6th edition) and how to cite your sources correctly and spot errors that can lose you points on your paper.

Please note: Many instructors and journals will ask that you use APA 7th edition, as that is the most current edition.