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Software Engineering: Cite and write

A Library research guide supporting students and researchers in Software Engineering

Citing information

  • To give credit
  • So readers can verify the source
  • So readers can look up the source to learn more
  • To document the progression of ideas
  • To add credibility to your work
  • When the idea is not yours
  • When the idea is not common knowledge
  • Quoting: If you use an author's exact words, you must add quotation marks around those words in your paper. This must be followed by an in text citation
  • Paraphrasing: If you use an author's idea but explain it in your own way using your own words, you must follow this by an in text citation
  • Every work you cite must also be listed in a reference list at the end of your paper

Resources from the Writing and Communication Centre

Citation style guides

A citation style guide describes a specific way of citing materials (books, articles, websites, etc.), in your paper. There are many different style guides to choose from. Check with your instructor to see which guide you need to follow.

Search the Library's catalogue to find authoritative manuals on how to cite properly.

Tracking your sources

Citation management software offers a place to store and organize your citations. Citations can be exported directly from databases or captured from webpages and PDFs. The software also facilitates in text citing and automated bibliography creation in Word and Overleaf.