This tutorial was created in collaboration with Library, Information, and Technology Services (LITS) at Mount Holyoke.
Discipline specific rules and conventions for citing sources
Just as the appropriate citation style varies from one subject to the next, there are also certain differences from one discipline to another concerning the proper use of sources. While all disciplines agree on the cases discussed so far, and especially about plagiarism, there are other conventions that vary from one class to the next.
Here is an example: in a biology paper, it would not generally be appropriate to quote at length (e.g., a sentence or more) directly from another author; rather, one should cite the source of the idea and present it in one’s own words. In a philosophy paper, such a quotation would be perfectly appropriate. In some disciplines, it would be improper to consult and cite review articles or unpublished working papers; in others, it would not be. Your professors will help you learn about the expectations and conventions of a particular field, but make sure that you ask questions whenever you are in doubt.
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