Common Citation Mistakes: Here’s What You Should Know

The unauthorized use of someone else’s work and passing it off as your own can result in serious consequences when writing a research paper. While writers often focus on style and formatting, citation is frequently overlooked. This casual approach can lead to citation errors and, ultimately, plagiarism. Careful and accurate citation is essential to avoid legal and academic issues.

Plagiarism can be both intentional and unintentional. It may occur when a student forgets to use quotation marks or fails to cite correctly. In long research papers, it’s common to have many references—knowing what and how to cite is crucial. Even publishers’ use of abbreviations to conserve space can lead to confusion and mistakes.

Ultimately, knowing how to cite appropriately ensures clarity and transparency for readers. Messy or incorrect citations can undermine your credibility and obscure original sources.

How to Work on the Citation While Composing the Paper

When writing a paper, planning citations ahead of time helps streamline the process. Writers should track the sources they plan to quote or paraphrase, including author names, publication dates, and correct spellings.

Since in-text citations are also required, it’s important to place quotation marks accurately and review the quoted portion carefully—including punctuation and spelling.

A common myth is that paraphrased content doesn’t require citation. While quotation marks aren’t necessary, proper attribution is still mandatory.

Some Common Citation Mistakes

Citations may seem small, but they can make or break a paper’s integrity. Below are some frequent mistakes to avoid:

Forgetting to Cite Paraphrased Content

Many assume paraphrased content doesn’t need citation. While you can omit quotation marks, the source must still be credited.

Following Different Citation Styles

Writers must stick to one citation style throughout the paper—MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.—and not switch between them. Consistency is key.

Not Following the Citation Order

Citation styles typically require listing the author’s last name first and organizing entries alphabetically. Skipping this can lead to confusion or misattribution.

Spelling or Period Mistakes

Small errors in spelling or punctuation, such as misplaced commas or periods in in-text citations or bibliographies, are among the most common citation mistakes—especially in APA format.

Putting Only In-text Citations

In-text citations alone are not sufficient. All cited sources must also appear in the bibliography or reference list for validation.

Using Repeated In-text Citation

Repeatedly citing the same source on the same page is unnecessary. A single in-text citation per source per page is typically enough.

Not Mentioning Online Articles

Online sources must also be cited properly, including their URLs. Failing to do so is a frequent cause of plagiarism.

Mention of Outdated Online Resources

Always include the access date for online content, since links or pages may be removed or updated over time. Without this, your citation may appear unreliable.

Abbreviations

Abbreviations like ibid. and et al. are common but easily misused.

• Ibid. refers to the same source as the previous citation.
• Et al. is used when referencing a source with multiple authors. Ensure that abbreviations are used in the correct context and with proper punctuation (e.g., et al. with a period).

Final Thoughts

Writers must ensure they cite all referenced texts properly to avoid accusations of plagiarism. Using a plagiarism checker can help spot missed citations and duplicated content by comparing your work against online sources. These tools also identify the original source, helping you make accurate corrections.