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Computer Science Research Guide

"If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?" --Einstein

Examples

In-text citations are used when quoting someone else's words or summarizing someone else's ideas.

There are two different ways you can use words that were written by another person:

Quotations – an exact copy of the original words, used in a way that preserves their intended context.
You must identify the author, the resource, and the page where the words can be found.

Paraphrasing – takes a passage from something you have read but the content is re-written using your own words.
You must give credit to the original author and the work in which it was written (specific page numbers are not needed).


In-text citations link a point being made in your own assignment to the evidence that explains where you found that information.

On this page you will find examples of another author's words or ideas being used for an assignment.
The words or ideas you select may be short (just several words) or long (a whole paragraph).

Choose one of these recommended styles: ACM, APA or IEEE.
Once you select a style, keep all of your citations in the same style.


How to write an in-text Citation for a

Short Quotation (less than 40 words)
Original text for a short quotation. See an example using: ACM | APA 7th edition | IEEE

Paraphrasing something SHORT
Original text for paraphrasing something short.
See an example using: ACM | APA 7th edition | IEEE

Long Quotation (40 or more words)
Original text for a long quotation. See an example using: ACM | APA 7th edition | IEEE

Paraphrasing something LONG
Original text for paraphrasing something long.
See an example using: ACM | APA 7th edition | IEEE

Reference (source used in all citation examples)
Basic information needed for your reference. See an example using: ACM | APA 7th edition | IEEE


ORIGINAL TEXT & EXAMPLES


Using Text (short) – for a Quotation

Original text:
"Informatics, in general, studies the intersection of people, information, and technology systems."
Author(s): Groth and MacKie-Mason
Date: 2010
Page: 27


Example using ACM Author/Date

When asked, you can simply say that, "Informatics ... studies the intersection of people, 
information, and technology systems" (Groth and MacKie-Mason, 2010).


Example using ACM Numerical

When asked, you can simply say that, "Informatics ... studies the intersection of people, 
information, and technology systems" [1].


Example using APA 7th edition

When asked, you can simply say that, "Informatics ... studies the intersection of people, 
information, and technology systems" (Groth & MacKie-Mason, 2010, p. 27).


Example using IEEE

When asked, you can simply say that, "Informatics ... studies the intersection of people, 
information, and technology systems" [1, p. 27].

Using Text (short) – for Paraphrasing

Original text:
"Informatics, in general, studies the intersection of people, information, and technology systems."
Author(s): Groth and MacKie-Mason
Date: 2010
Page: 27


Example using ACM Author/Date

Choosing to do an Informatics degree is a good decision for any student who is interested in 
how people intersect with information and technology systems (Groth and MacKie-Mason, 2010).


Example using ACM Numerical

Choosing to do an Informatics degree is a good decision for any student who is interested in 
how people intersect with information and technology systems [1].


Example using APA 7th edition

Choosing to do an Informatics degree is a good decision for any student who is interested in 
how people intersect with information and technology systems (Groth & MacKie-Mason, 2010).


Example using IEEE

Choosing to do an Informatics degree is a good decision for any student who is 
interested in how people intersect with information and technology systems [1].

Using Text (long) – for a Quotation

Original text:
"The term 'informatics' has different definitions depending on where it is used. In Europe, for instance,
computer science is referred to as informatics. In the U.S., however, informatics is linked with applied computing,
or computing in the context of another domain. These are just labels, of course. In practice, we are educating
for a broad continuum of computing disciplines, applications, and contexts encountered in society today."
Author(s): Groth and MacKie-Mason
Date: 2010
Page: 26


Example using ACM Author/Date

When you decide to enroll in an Informatics program, you can expect to spend some of your time 
explaining what this means. According to Groth & MacKie-Mason (2010):

    The term "informatics" has different definitions depending on where it is 
    used. In Europe, for instance, computer science is referred to as informatics. 
    In the U.S., however, informatics is linked with applied computing, or computing 
    in the context of another domain. These are just labels, of course. In practice, 
    we are educating for a broad continuum of computing disciplines, applications, 
    and contexts encountered in society today.


Example using ACM Numerical

When you decide to enroll in an Informatics program, you can expect to spend some of your time 
explaining what this means. According to Groth & MacKie-Mason [1]:

    The term "informatics" has different definitions depending on where it is 
    used. In Europe, for instance, computer science is referred to as informatics. 
    In the U.S., however, informatics is linked with applied computing, or computing 
    in the context of another domain. These are just labels, of course. In practice, 
    we are educating for a broad continuum of computing disciplines, applications, 
    and contexts encountered in society today.


Example using APA 7th edition

When you decide to enroll in an Informatics program, you can expect to spend some of your time 
explaining what this means. According to Groth & MacKie-Mason (2010):

    The term "informatics" has different definitions depending on where it is 
    used. In Europe, for instance, computer science is referred to as informatics. 
    In the U.S., however, informatics is linked with applied computing, or computing 
    in the context of another domain. These are just labels, of course. In practice, 
    we are educating for a broad continuum of computing disciplines, applications, 
    and contexts encountered in society today. (p. 26)


Example using IEEE

When you decide to enroll in an Informatics program, you can expect to spend some of your time 
explaining what this means. According to Groth & MacKie-Mason:

    The term "informatics" has different definitions depending on where it is 
    used. In Europe, for instance, computer science is referred to as informatics. 
    In the U.S., however, informatics is linked with applied computing, or computing 
    in the context of another domain. These are just labels, of course. In practice, 
    we are educating for a broad continuum of computing disciplines, applications, 
    and contexts encountered in society today. [1, p. 26]


Using Text (long) – for Paraphrasing

Original text:
"The term 'informatics' has different definitions depending on where it is used. In Europe, for instance,
computer science is referred to as informatics. In the U.S., however, informatics is linked with applied computing,
or computing in the context of another domain. These are just labels, of course. In practice, we are educating
for a broad continuum of computing disciplines, applications, and contexts encountered in society today."
Author(s): Groth and MacKie-Mason
Date: 2010
Page: 26


Example using ACM Author/Date

In Canada, we offer degrees in both Informatics and Computer Science. This is also 
done in the United States but in Europe, all students in computer science programs 
will earn an Informatics degree (Groth and MacKie-Mason, 2010). 


Example using ACM Numerical

In Canada, we offer degrees in both Informatics and Computer Science. This is also 
done in the United States but in Europe, all students in computer science programs 
will earn an Informatics degree [1]. 


Example using APA 7th edition

In Canada, we offer degrees in both Informatics and Computer Science. This is also 
done in the United States but in Europe, all students in computer science programs 
will earn an Informatics degree (Groth & MacKie-Mason, 2010). 


Example using IEEE

In Canada, we offer degrees in both Informatics and Computer Science. This is also 
done in the United States but in Europe, all students in computer science programs 
will earn an Informatics degree [1]. 


Reference – Information needed for the Article you read and want to cite from

Author:  Dennis P. Groth and Jeffrey K. MacKie-Mason
Date:  2010 February
Title:  Why an informatics degree?
Journal:  Communications of the ACM
Specifics:  Volume 53, Issue 2, pages 26-28
DOI:  10.1145/1646353.1646364


REFERENCE using ACM Author/Date

Dennis P. Groth and Jeffrey K. MacKie-Mason. 2010.  Why an informatics degree?
    Commun. ACM 53, 2 (Feb. 2010), 26-28. DOI: 10.1145/1646353.1646364

REFERENCE using ACM Numerical

[1] Dennis P. Groth and Jeffrey K. MacKie-Mason. 2010.  Why an informatics degree?
     Commun. ACM 53, 2 (Feb. 2010), 26-28. DOI: 10.1145/1646353.1646364


REFERENCE using APA 7th edition

Groth, D.P., & MacKie-Mason, J.K. (2010). Why an informatics degree?
    Communications of the ACM, 53(2), 26-28. doi:10.1145/1646353.1646364


REFERENCE using IEEE

[1]  D.P. Groth and J.K. MacKie-Mason, "Why an informatics degree?"
     Comm. ACM, vol. 53, no. 2, pp. 26-28, Feb. 2010, doi:10.1145/1646353.1646364