For more information, visit http://libguides.vassar.edu/citingsources.
It is imperative to cite the works that you use in your own project!
From Vassar Library’s guide to citing sources:
Why cite?
- Give credit to the ideas, words and works of others
- Give your readers the information necessary to find your sources
- Avoid plagiarism
The purpose of citing your sources is to provide your reader with the information they need in order to find and read the sources themselves. Regardless of the citation style or type of resource, the elements in a citation always include author name, title of the work, and date of publication. Book citations include publisher name and location. Journal, magazine, and newspaper articles include the journal, magazine, or newspaper title, volume and page number, and date; and online sources often include the URL where the document is located and the date the item was retrieved and/or a DOI (digital object identifier).
Don’t forget to cite any images or media you use; their creators deserve credit too!
A Note on Fair Use
The U.S. Copyright Office provides language on Fair Use, which is a limitation and exemption on how you may use in-copyright materials without seeking permission from the copyright holder. (A good description and checklist on Fair Use is available through Columbia University’s Copyright Office.) As the Copyright Office describes it:
Fair use is a legal doctrine that promotes freedom of expression by permitting the unlicensed use of copyright-protected works in certain circumstances (http://copyright.gov/fair-use/more-info.html).
As you build upon the work of others to create your scholarship, don’t forget to work with your faculty advisers and the librarians at Vassar College Libraries to ensure that your project pays attention to copyright and fair use practices.