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Cinema and Film : Writing and Citing

Resources related to the area of film and cinema studies at Berkeley City College.

Citing your sources

Why should you cite your sources?

Citing your sources shows your reader the pathway you used to build your argument. It acknowledges that you consulted other sources to draw your conclusions and demonstrates that you know how to do research. Not citing your sources is considered stealing aother person's ideas, research and work.

What should you cite?

  • Direct quotes that you take from any other source (including print and non-print sources)
  • Paraphrases and summaries that you take from other sources
  • Information, data, graphs, statistics or other facts that you do not generate yourself
  • Images, videos, screenshots, logos and other media you find on the Web'

How should you cite?


Ask your instructor what citation style they prefer, or if they have specific guidelines for citation. Otherwise, choose one of the styles below and stick to it. 

Reliable Citation Generators

Warning! Citation generators are never 100% reliable. Always check citations against a guide such as the OWL or a handout from your instructor.