Research Guides: Tutorials A-Z: Use information ethically / citing

Citing and using information ethically

To use information ethically and cite it correctly, students should be able to:

understand why citing information sources matters
identify the elements needed to build citations for multiple types of resources (APA7 or MLA9)

Select a format (using the tabs above) to access topic- and skill-specific instructional material.

Why citing matters
Four reasons why citing - the practice of giving credit to information sources - matters.
https://libguides.clackamas.edu/citing/home
Avoiding plagiarism
Plagiarism takes many forms, often happens unintentionally, and carries real consequences. Learn how to avoid it.
https://libguides.clackamas.edu/citing/plagiarism

Select a format (using the tabs above) to access topic- and skill-specific instructional material.

For information about retrieving pre-made citations in databases, see our individual database user guides.

Informal citations
Informal citations allow everyone to cite their sources in everyday forms of writing, like emails and webpages.
https://libguides.clackamas.edu/citing/informal
APA (7th ed.) resources
Access APA-formatted document templates, citation examples, video tutorials, and links to librarian-recommended citation support websites.
https://libguides.clackamas.edu/citing/apa7
MLA (9th ed.) resources
Access MLA-formatted document templates, citation examples, video tutorials, and links to librarian-recommended citation support websites.
https://libguides.clackamas.edu/citing/mla9
Get premade citations
Learn how to get premade APA and MLA citations that you can copy and paste into your References/Works Cited list.
https://libguides.clackamas.edu/citing/citations
Referencias bibliograficas (en español)
¿Por qué es importante citar? y, ejemplos de APA y de MLA.
https://libguides.clackamas.edu/biblioteca-referencias

Download & edit: APA-formatted Google Doc template
This template is "View Only" - not editable. To edit it, save a copy to your Google Drive or download as a Word doc. Includes explanations on how to format a paper in APA. Last updated Oct. 2025, WCAG compliant.

MLA 9 Word document template
Word doc template to download and type into. Includes tips on how to format a paper in MLA. Last updated January 2022.

Select a format (using the tabs above) to access topic- and skill-specific instructional material.

Copyright resources
Learn about copyright, fair use, and other information-use concepts to consider before using, sharing, remixing, copying, or scanning copyrighted content.
https://libguides.clackamas.edu/copyright
Textbook Affordability and Open Educational Resources (OER)
Textbook affordability refers to any initiative designed to reduce the cost of course materials for students.
https://libguides.clackamas.edu/oer

Fair Use Checklist
Provides guidance when determining if use of copyrighted materials constitutes fair use. Last updated Sept. 2018.
Copyright statement
Statement to include on materials uploaded to LMSs or handed out in class. Last updated Nov. 2015.

Research article notetaking template
Google Doc template for taking notes on peer-reviewed research articles. Last updated Oct. 2018.

Research article notetaking template
PDF template for taking notes on peer-reviewed research articles. Last updated Oct. 2018.

"Article Matrix" template
Google Doc version. Make a copy, or download and edit this Google doc article matrix. It is useful for organizing and comparing researchers' ideas, research, and citations. Last updated Feb. 2021.