Citing is the most important resource in order to avoid a legal and credibility crisis. It also helps the readers to find the information you used in your paper, it demonstrates that you respect other's people works and that you backed up your ideas with other studies. Not citing the sources is a direct violation of the Texas Tech University Statement of Academic Integrity.
Is a group of standards that states how to present in-text citations and references in a paper or homework. Back-up by a group of professionals or academics, these standards can explain the grammar and orthography details a text should apply, how to cite a website, a patent, a scientific article, among many others.
That depends on the citation style you are using, although, all citation styles follow the same principles:
Being organized is fundamental to create good and consistent citations, and you will be able to follow the citations standards correctly. Also, using a citation management software, like Zotero, Endnote, or Mendeley, will help you organize all your sources and create de citations easily.
If you don't cite your sources, you trick your readers making them think that the information presented in the text is yours, therefore, you are plagiarizing. Not only this is an unethical conduct, but it can also a direct violation of the Texas Tech University Statement of Academic Integrity and it can cost you your course grade.
You can talk to the TTU-CR librarian or schedule an appointment with a writing consultant for assistance.
