Citing Online Sources. .edu



A Guide to

Avoid Plagiarism and Citing Online Sources

by

B. F. Samuel

(Updated: May 2002)

(A Statement on plagiarism:

(The Penn State University site, “How to Avoid Plagiarism” page:

gives some scenarios and includes links to other “scenario” sites at the bottom.

(Using Modern Languages Association (MLA) Format

(Using American Psychological Association (APA) Format

(The B. F. Samuel Rules of Using Online Sources

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Using Modern Languages Association (MLA) Format

(Updated to 5th Edition)

According to the MLA Manual of Style, resources found on the World Wide Web should be cited using the following format:

Allen, Susan. Fighting Breast Cancer in Virginia. 1996. Online. Gifts of Speech. Available: . 8 January 1998.

The name of the author is followed by the title of her speech. The title of the speech is either in italics or underlined (underlined is recommended). Next, indicate the date of the speech as it is given on the web page where I found the speech. Then put the word without quotation marks to indicate that I used a web resource, followed by without quotation marks. Then put without quotation marks and insert the URL of the page I used. Last, add the date I accessed the page, using the format shown above.

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Using American Psychological Association (APA) Format

(Updated to 5th Edition)

Basic Forms for Electronic Sources

Article in an Internet Periodical:

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Date of publication). Title of article. Title of journal, volume number (issue number if available). Retrieved month day, year, from address.

Nonperiodical Internet Document (e.g., a Web page or report):

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Date of publication). Title of article. Retrieved month date, year, from address.

NOTE: When an Internet document is more than one Web page, provide a URL that links to the home page or entry page for the document. Also, if there is not a date available for the document, use for “no date.”

Part of Nonperiodical Internet Document:

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Date of publication). Title of article. In Title of book or larger document (chapter or section number). Retrieved from address.

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The B. F. Samuel Rules of Using Online Sources

When using online sources, whatever formats a student uses (APA or MLA), students are reminded that they MUST BE CONSISTENT in the format. In addition, these are the rules that students must comply with in B. F. Samuel’s course:

✓ If there is no date for the article or speech, DO NOT USE IT.

✓ If there is no “update” or “last modified” on the home page, DO NOT USE IT; and if there is a date, DO NOT USE IT if the date is over six months old; but if I use it, the date last updated or modified MUST BE LISTED in addition to the date of the article or speech.

✓ Students should ask the question, “On what authority is this website used?” or “Who is the institution behind this website?” If this question does not have an answer, DO NOT USE IT. For example, if there is an article by F. B. Leumas on the deportation from the USA of all those who are not Christians, then one should ask “Who is F. B. Leumas?” and if one cannot find the answer, then IT SHOULD NOT BE USED! On the other hand, if the same article, by the same author, has a date of publication, and is on the website of the “One Religion America” Campaign, and has an address, and has a page on the organization or campaign, IT CAN BE USED AND MUST BE LISTED.

✓ In other words, the simple guide is “Is the author or the website willing to identify themselves?” This rule is absolutely crucial to B. F. Samuel because any crank can write anything online. What any good curious student should do is to learn to be discriminating. One does not have to like what is being stated online, as long as the author is clearly identified and is willing to be accountable for the article. So, even if a student does not like the policies of the KKK, that student should verify if their website have their policies clearly identified, and if there is an address and a date, and an “about us” page.

✓ The best guide to the “B. F. Samuel Rules” is to cite the answers to the following questions in order, in the reference page:

➢ WHO wrote the article or speech? Besides the name, state some identification information.

➢ WHEN was the article or speech written or delivered?

➢ WHERE was the article or speech delivered?

➢ WHY was the article or speech delivered? State if there was an occasion, or a purpose for the article or speech.

➢ WHAT is the authority of the website or institution or organization? State the name, the address, and the date of “last modified or “last updated.”

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