American Sociological Association (ASA) style is used for citing references in Sociology. 
All information contained in this guide is based on the American Sociological Association Style Guide 7th Edition HM569 .A54 2022. You will find a copy of the book at the reference desk on the main floor of the library.
Why use citations for your research paper?
- Give credit to authors, editors, researchers, etc. to avoid plagiarism (see definition below).
- Provide readers with an easy way to obtain the sources cited.
- Show the works consulted are scholarly materials used to support research.
When to cite a source:
- When quoting directly from another's work.
- When paraphrasing another's work.
- When presenting another's data or figures.
- When referencing another's concepts, ideas, or paradigms.
What is Plagiarism?
Plagiarism: submitting the work or ideas of others as one’s own.
- This is a serious offense. In the academic world, plagiarism is theft.
- Information from sources, whether quoted, paraphrased, or summarized, must be given credit through specific citations.
- When a student paraphrases a work, it is still necessary to cite the original source. (Rearranging a sentence or changing a few words is not sufficient.)
- The citation style should be appropriate for the discipline. All sources used in the preparation of an academic paper must also be listed with full bibliographic details at the end of the paper, as appropriate in the discipline.
