Citing allows you to give credit to the persons who created the words or ideas that you've included in your own writing. If you include an idea, phrase, or sentence in your writing that is NOT your creation, you must cite the book or article in which you found that idea, phrase, or sentence. Even if you are paraphrasing!
What are the benefits of citing?
It makes you look good. It's ethical and responsible to help your readers differentiate your ideas from those of others.
Citing your sources allows readers to to locate the book or article in which you found the idea, phrase, or sentence so they can read more about the ideas or concepts included in your writing. Citing allows you and your readers to engage more deeply with the scholarly conversation.
It helps you learn to communicate more formally within your discipline/major.
Properly citing your sources ensures that you avoid plagiarism. Plagiarism is taking someone else's ideas or words and including them in your work, as a quote or even a paraphrase, without crediting the original author/creator. Plagiarism usually carries serious penalties, from a failing grade on the assignment to a failing grade for the course to expulsion from the university in particularly egregious cases.
