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GSLL/JWST 56 Germans, Jews and the history of anti-semitism: Citation Help

Why do researchers cite?

Think of scholarship as a big conversation between people who study and write about different topics. When you use someone else’s ideas, you cite them—not just to give credit, but to show how your work connects to theirs. Citations help your work seem more trustworthy and show where your ideas fit in the bigger picture. They also leave a trail for others who want to learn more or use the same sources.

In short, citations:

  1. Give credit to the original creators of ideas or information.
  2. Make your work stronger by showing you’ve done research and used reliable sources.
  3. Show where your work fits in the bigger conversation on the topic.
  4. Help others follow your trail if they want to learn more or use the same sources.