Which elements should be included when citing a source?

Which elements should be included when citing a source?

• A. Include author, title, and publication info.
• B. Include only the URL.
• C. Include only date of access.
• D. Include the color of the book cover.

Answer: (A)

Citations should include enough information to locate the source. The author tells you who created the work, the title identifies the exact piece, and the publication information shows where and when it appeared, which helps you find the exact edition or version. This combination lets readers verify what you used and retrieve it themselves. Including only a URL or only a date of access doesn’t tell readers who wrote the work or what specific source it is, and the color of a book cover has no bearing on identifying or locating the source.

Citations should include enough information to locate the source. The author tells you who created the work, the title identifies the exact piece, and the publication information shows where and when it appeared, which helps you find the exact edition or version. This combination lets readers verify what you used and retrieve it themselves. Including only a URL or only a date of access doesn’t tell readers who wrote the work or what specific source it is, and the color of a book cover has no bearing on identifying or locating the source.