citation | Definition

A citation in social research is the practice of referring to original sources to support arguments and contribute to discussions.

Citation: A Key Pillar in Social Research

In the field of social research, we often draw upon the work of others. Accordingly, we use citations to give credit to original sources. For instance, let’s say you’ve read an article about the effects of poverty on education. If you want to discuss these effects in your research, you need to cite that article. This way, you show respect for the original author’s work. Also, you enable your readers to find the source and learn more about the topic.

Example in Criminal Justice

Let’s look at an example from criminal justice. Suppose you’re researching the correlation between poverty and crime rates. You find a study by Smith and Johnson (2020) that shows higher crime rates in low-income neighborhoods. When you mention this in your research, you cite it as “Smith & Johnson (2020)” to give them proper credit. Additionally, this citation allows others to locate the original study if they wish to delve deeper into the topic.

Social Work Scenario

In social work, citation is equally important. Imagine you’re writing a report on the effectiveness of counseling for trauma survivors. You come across a report by the American Psychological Association (APA) showing positive results. In your report, you’d write something like “Counseling has shown to be effective for trauma survivors (APA, 2021).” Above all, you’re respecting the APA’s work and directing your readers to the source.

Political Science Perspective

Finally, let’s consider political science. You might be exploring the impact of social media on elections. You find a scholarly article by Davis (2023) discussing how social media influenced the 2022 U.S. midterms. When you use this information in your research, you’d cite it as “Davis (2023)” to acknowledge Davis’s contribution. Both your readers and Davis benefit from this citation.

The How and Why of Citation

Citation styles may vary, but the core idea is the same: you need to give enough information for others to find the original source. Common information includes the author’s name, the work’s title, and the publication date. The APA and MLA styles are frequently used in social research. Each has specific rules about how to format citations, both within the text and in a reference list at the end of your work.

Citations are a crucial part of academic honesty. Not only do they prevent plagiarism, but they also support the exchange of ideas. By citing sources, you contribute to a conversation among scholars. You add your own thoughts and ideas to what others have already said. After all, this is the heart of social research.

APA versus MLA: A Preference in Social Sciences

There’s a reason why social scientists tend to prefer the APA (American Psychological Association) citation style over MLA (Modern Language Association). Each of these citation styles has its own merits and is preferred in different fields of study, but APA is especially suitable for social sciences.

APA: Designed for Social Sciences

Firstly, APA was specifically created for the field of psychology and later expanded to other social sciences like sociology, criminal justice, and political science. APA format is tailored to cite sources that are commonly used in these fields, like research reports, journal articles, and case studies. Additionally, APA encourages the use of headings to break up the text, which fits well with the often complex and multifaceted nature of social science research.

Focus on the Date

A notable difference between APA and MLA is the emphasis placed on the publication date. In APA style, the date is part of the in-text citation, such as “Smith (2020) argues…” The reason for this emphasis is that in social sciences, the timeliness of research is crucial. New studies constantly update and refine our understanding of human behavior and society, so knowing the date of a source helps readers assess its relevance and currency.

Author-Date System

APA uses the author-date citation system, which tends to be more straightforward and efficient for scientific writing. It allows the reader to see immediately who conducted the research and when, without having to hunt for this information. In contrast, MLA uses the author-page system which is less immediately informative in a scientific context, where the date of the study is often more relevant than the page number.

Clarity and Brevity

APA style also emphasizes clarity and brevity, which aligns well with the often dense and complex subject matter in social sciences. APA discourages overly complex sentences, lengthy footnotes, and the use of passive voice, all of which can obscure the main point of a research study.

Parenthetical Citation Systems versus Alternatives

Citation systems vary in their approach to crediting sources, with two primary types being parenthetical (or in-text) citation systems and note (or footnote/endnote) systems. The major difference lies in how and where these systems provide source information.

Parenthetical Citation Systems: A Snapshot

In parenthetical citation systems, such as APA (American Psychological Association) and MLA (Modern Language Association), the citation is placed directly within the text of the paper, inside parentheses. These parenthetical citations usually contain the author’s last name and the publication year, or the author’s name and the page number, depending on the citation style.

For instance, a citation in APA style might look like this: “According to recent research on the subject (Smith, 2023),…”

Note Citation Systems: An Overview

On the other hand, note citation systems, such as Chicago and Turabian styles, use footnotes or endnotes. In these systems, instead of providing citation information within the text, a superscript number is used which corresponds to a note at the bottom of the page (footnote) or at the end of the paper (endnote).

A sentence using this style might look like this: “According to recent research on the subject,¹…” with the corresponding note containing the full citation.

Why Parenthetical Citation Systems Are Preferred

Several reasons make parenthetical citation systems generally more popular, especially in academic and scientific writing.

Ease of Reading

One of the primary reasons is the ease of reading. Parenthetical citations allow readers to see the source information right where the claim is made without having to look away to a footnote or endnote. This provides a smoother reading experience, especially when reading digitally where flipping to the end of a document can be tedious.

Consistency

Parenthetical citation systems offer a consistent structure for citing sources, whether it’s a book, journal article, or website. This can make it easier for both writers and readers to understand and track sources.

Efficiency

In parenthetical citation systems, you only need to provide detailed information about a source once, in the reference list at the end. In contrast, note systems often require you to write out the full citation for a source the first time you cite it in the notes.

Citations: A Powerful Defense Against Plagiarism

Plagiarism, simply put, is the act of using someone else’s work without giving them the proper credit. This is considered a serious academic and professional offense. Proper citations serve as a robust shield against this. They acknowledge the original source of the ideas or information, thereby helping to avoid plagiarism. But how exactly does this work? Let’s delve into it.

Citing Direct Quotes and Paraphrases

When you use someone else’s words directly, it’s obvious you need to cite them. If you quote a source without citation, it’s clear-cut plagiarism. But remember, even if you rephrase or summarize someone’s ideas, you still need to cite the source. The reason is simple: the idea originated from someone else’s work. If you present it as your own, it’s plagiarism. So, whether you’re quoting directly or paraphrasing, you must always give credit where it’s due.

Acknowledging Original Ideas

Sometimes, you might use an idea or concept that isn’t common knowledge. Even if you express it in your own words, you should still cite the source. For instance, let’s say you’re discussing a unique theory proposed by a certain researcher. Without citation, it looks like you’re the one who came up with this theory. But with proper citation, you acknowledge the original thinker.

Ensuring Transparency

Citations also make your research transparent. By clearly stating where your information comes from, you allow others to verify it. They can check the original source to ensure that you’ve represented the information correctly. This is a key part of ethical research.

Tracing the Origin of Knowledge

Another way that citations prevent plagiarism is by tracing the origin of knowledge. With citations, we can see the progression of ideas and research over time. Without them, it would be difficult to determine who originally came up with a specific idea or finding.

Using Proper Citation Formats

Proper citation also means using the correct citation format. The APA, MLA, and Chicago styles each have specific rules about how to cite sources. Following these rules helps ensure you give all the necessary information for each source.

Proper citations are a critical defense against plagiarism. They give credit to original authors, acknowledge the source of ideas, ensure transparency, and allow us to trace the origin of knowledge. All in all, citations uphold the integrity of academic and professional work.

To recap, while both MLA and APA have their place, APA’s focus on dates, its author-date system, and its emphasis on clear and concise writing make it a more fitting choice for social scientists. Above all, the goal of citation styles is to clearly and efficiently give credit to others’ work, and in the realm of social sciences, APA does this job well.

In conclusion, citation is an essential part of social research, spanning fields from criminal justice to social work to political science. Citations respect the work of others, provide a way to fact-check, and allow for the continued exchange of ideas. All things considered, citation is not just a rule to follow but a practice that enhances the quality and integrity of research.