What Information Should Be Cited and Why?
Great content isn’t the text that only contains an excellent combination of sentences or grammatical structure; accurate and detailed information is also essential to make your writing convincing. A writer needs to go through various sources to obtain the latest and accurate data. However, only a few of them give proper credit to the source from where they collect the information for their content.
A great writer always cites the source or gives credit to the authors for their excellent work. Citing the source is considered gratitude to the original creator of the content and depicts the excellence of a professional writer. In this post, we are going to cover a few main reasons to cite information adequately and what advantages will be earned through proper citation. But, before we start discussing the reasons, let’s see what citation is in actuality.
Citation: A Brief Introduction
Citation is a credit given to the author for providing great information that you are using in your content. The fundamental purpose of citation is to let the reader get familiar with where you gained information, so sources can be found and consulted straightforwardly.
Which Information Should Be Cited?
As a writer, you should always acknowledge the sites from where you get the information about a topic for writing content. However, citing the source is unavoidable if the information includes:
- Statistical data obtained by a researcher or an institute.
- Visual information that includes facts and figures.
- Hypothesis or theory presented by an author.
- Opinion or prediction that is given by a professional.
- Experimental results or case studies made by a researcher.
- A unique idea or theory is mentioned in a research paper.
Why Should We Cite the Source?
Citing the source will define your professionalism and make the information you are providing in your content trustworthy. The other main reasons for awarding the source are as follows.
- Increase the Credibility
You might have witnessed that the writers who give proper credit to the sources from where they get the data can earn more chances to attract the readers. People appreciate the articles that include complete and precise information without any grammar mistakes and the source of the data so they can consult it if required. Also, the writers who give proper credit to the original authors get appreciation from the readers. Citing the author will increase the Credibility of your content and enhance its worth.
- Appreciate Your Fellows
Imagine a site using the information you obtained after going through an effort of months without any credit or acknowledgment. How would you react? Of course, you will be disturbed and annoyed. But, if the site using the information mentioned your name as the source, you will feel proud and honored. However, it is also vital for you to give credit to the creators of the information you are using to appreciate them for their efforts.
- Avoid Penalty Against Plagiarism
Another important reason for citing the source of information is to prevent any charges against committing plagiarism. If you copy another writer’s content and present it in your article without any acknowledgment, you may have to face a severe penalty for pirating the content. Must check plagiarism of your content before sending or publishing on your website. Your site might be penalized or thrown at the bottom of the search engine results pages due to this unethical act. Prominently citing the source will save you from all unpleasant situations and increase the quality of your content.
Bottom Line
The aforementioned information will assist you in understanding the importance of adequate citation and when you must cite the source to save yourself from plagiarism charges. Giving credit to the source will definitely uplift the quality of the content and also enhance its credibility.
