Citation is the practice of acknowledging the sources of ideas, data, quotations, or other information in a consistent form. Proper citation supports transparency, verification, attribution, and avoidance of plagiarism.
Citation allows authors and other creators to credit sources of ideas, data, and information in a systematic, consistent way. Citation styles vary (see, for example, MLA, CMOS, APA, Vancouver or IEEE styles), and some instructors and publishers will create variations on common styles. Proper citation is crucial to avoiding plagiarism and enables readers to locate and verify referenced material.