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APSC 176 - Engineering Communication

Why do you cite?

Citations and references indicate when words or ideas are not your own. Proper citation and reference:

  • Gives credit and respect to the original author(s)
  • Allows readers to locate the original source(s)
  • Strengthens the credibility of your report

Plagiarism is using another person's ideas without giving credit and is considered intellectual theft. Plagiarism comes in varying degrees, and can be intentional or unintentional. Visit the UBC Academic Integrity website for more details.

It is important to be aware that evidence of plagiarism can affect your integrity and credibility as a professional engineer.

Citation Styles

There are numerous citation styles, which are all designed to ensure that your in-text citations and references are written consistently. You can find more information about citing and citation styles at How to Cite, from UBC Library. Your instructor will usually specify which citation style they would like you to use.

Citation styles specify:

  • Which publication details to include (author name(s), publication year, publication title, etc.)
  • Order of appearance for publication details
  • Formatting conventions (when to italicize, punctuation, etc.)
  • Order of appearance of entries in your bibliography or reference list

The APA (American Psychological Association) and IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) citation styles are commonly used in engineering. 

  • APA Examples
    • In-text citation (paraphrased)
      • The operation of electric power networks are essential in post-disaster mitigation, but are composed of fragile and vulnerable equipment not designed for horizontal movements (Vanzi, 2000).
    • Full reference
  • IEEE Example
    • In-text citation (paraphrased)
      • The operation of electric power networks are essential in post-disaster mitigation, but are composed of fragile and vulnerable equipment not designed for horizontal movements [1].
    • Full reference
      • [1] I. Vanzi, “Structural upgrading strategy for electric power networks under seismic action,” Earthquake Eng. Struct. Dyn., vol. 29, no. 7, pp. 1053-1073, June 2000, doi.org/10.1002/1096-9845(200007)29:7