Step 5: Cite Sources - Research Process :: Step by Step - Subject and Course Guides at University of Texas at Arlington

It's important to cite sources you use in your research:

To show your reader you've done proper research by listing sources you used to get your information
To be a responsible scholar by giving credit to other researchers and acknowledging their ideas
To avoid plagiarism by citing words and ideas used by other authors
To allow your reader to track down the sources you used by citing them accurately in your paper by way of footnotes, a bibliography or reference list