Who is the creator of a postcard? How do I refer to a historical plaque?

In the “Citing the Unusual” workshop offered this fall, attendees had the opportunity to learn about citing sources that go beyond typical books and articles. The co-instructors discussed performance art, oral history interviews, and more. Participants also got a hands-on look at primary sources and works of art from UCR’s own Special Collections & University Archives, and viewed online examples from other institutions.

The workshop explained that citation is about more than just avoiding plagiarism. Citations are like a bread crumb trail: their main purpose is actually to help other people trace your research steps and discover your sources for themselves.

Attendees learned about the main elements are needed in any citation, looked at some popular styles (Chicago, MLA, etc.), and learned that not every scenario is anticipated by citation guides. Some archives or museums provide preferred citations, but with a basic understanding of needs and applying consistency, you can cite pretty much anything.

Don’t let formatting your bibliography stop you from using unusual sources in your next research project! The library offers many useful workshops each quarter. Expect more featuring Special Collections and University Archives materials soon.