Another important concept in scholarship is the idea of academic works as part of an academic conversation.
When you consider an academic work as part of a conversation, you are taking into consideration developments, discoveries, and innovations in a field over the course of time. In academia, no single article is the definitive answer to an issue. It is a tool that can help you put that work into context within its field.
It can be helpful to think about the work you create existing in a larger conversation about that topic.
Citing sources used in your work acknowledges contributions to an academic conversation, just as you would acknowledge previous contributions in a face-to-face conversation. Citations can help you consider: