Academic Integrity - Referencing, Citation & Avoiding Plagiarism: What is in-text citation?
What is in-text citation?
An In-text Citation is when you acknowledge the sources you have used within the body of your writing or assignment. In-text citations are also known as citations and should be used when you
- use direct quotations (exact Words) from an original source
- paraphrase or summarise information from a source (taking the thoughts and ideas of someone else and reworking them)
- include the work of another person or institution in your assignment (for example images, tables, computer code, words etc.)
Each Citation Style has different rules about what these in-text citations should look like. Use this guide to learn how to cite with Harvard, APA, MLA, Vancouver or Chicago Style.
What is a reference?
Referencing is the process of acknowledging in detail all the information sources (books, journal articles, images, data, webpages etc.) that you have included in your in-text citations. References form a list with full details of sources placed at the end of an assignment or paper allowing your readers to directly consult the sources you have used.
Quick Links
- UCD Plagiarism PolicyFull UCD Plagiarism Policy from the Academic Secretariat.
- EndNote Guide (online guide)An online guide from UCD Library all about the reference management software, EndNote.
- Originality Checker InformationIncludes description and instructions. Refer to your lecturer for any questions on the Originality Checker.
- All UCD Library TutorialsA set of short online tutorials from UCD Library covering referencing in five styles, avoiding plagiarism, finding books, journals and many more.
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