What to Cite?

    Other then citing your quotes there might be some information in your essay that you will need to cite.  Citing your work is very important in a history essay because it builds trust and credibility with your readers.  Citing states where you got your information from as well as giving credit to the work and research of other writers.

   The biggest question that you need to ask when writing your essay is, "What information do I need to cite?"

     Unfortunately, I do not have a special formula for you to follow when it comes to citing.  What I do have are some examples of when citations are needed as well as why they are needed and examples when citations are not needed.

  Example 1:

    The Mexican-American War was fought between 1846 and 1848 and claimed the lives of over 13,000 American soldiers.  (Class Notes)

     Reason for Citation: specific number of casualties that were listed.

Example 2:

  One opponent of the Mexican-American War was American poet and writer Henry David Thoreau, who believed that the war was morally wrong. (Zinn, "We Take Nothing by Conquest, Thank God, p. 6)

   Reason for Citation: Although Thoreau was not directly quoted, his ideas were mentioned

Example 3:

   Before achieving independence, Texas was once controlled by the Mexican government.

   Why no citation? Nobody's opinion was being referenced or quoted and a specific piece of data is not given.