英语语法：6 Citing Podcasts and Websites

Grammar Girl here.

Today's topic is how to deal with electronic citations².

Listener Question

Now to get started, here's a listener question:

Hi, Grammar Girl. My name is Laura and I am a teacher of 9th-grade English and a big fan of your podcast. I've used your podcast in my classroom and the Quick and Dirty Tips definitely come in handy. My question is how do I cite your podcast and podcasts in general? Do you know of a website that keeps really up to date on how to cite things, especially citing things from the Web?

Thanks, Laura. All three of the major style players, the Modern Language Association, the American Psychological Association, and The Chicago Manual of Style, have issued guidelines on how to cite electronic sources. I'm not aware of a specific website that lists examples of how to cite podcasts from all three sources together, but you can do a search on Google for something like "Chicago cite a podcast" and find examples for each style. Instead of telling you how to write citations, because it's kind of a visual thing, I'm putting examples in the transcript³ of this podcast. I’ll show you on the website how to cite a podcast and an article on a website in all three of the main formats⁵. So I guess now you could say that Grammar Girl is a good source on how to cite things!

But today I would like to talk about some other things related to citations.

 

Why Citations Are Important

First, people have asked me why it's important to include citations in the first place.

Aside from the fact that many teachers or editors require you to include citations in your work, including citations is necessary to acknowledge the people whose work you've incorporated into your document. Not including citations is a quick route to plagiarism⁶: more commonly known as taking credit for someone else's words or ideas (1). Including citations is mandatory⁷ when you've drawn⁸ on someone else's original work or quoted someone verbatim.

Even when citations aren't necessary to avoid plagiarism, including citations helps people who want to learn more about your topic. Citations are a great starting point for further research. And including citations adds credibility to your writing. Frankly⁹, I include citations at the end of most of my transcripts¹⁰ to head off people who disagree with my recommendations relating to points of style or topics where there are common misconceptions. I'm completely open to disagreement and discussion, but I don't just make this stuff up; I research every topic I cover. I'm almost always sorry when I don't include references on the website, and more than once I've gone back, reconstructed my work, and added them in.

 

Risks of Citing Electronic Sources

OK, so now that I've convinced you to include citations, it's time to think about the special risks of citing an electronic source like a website, podcast, or blog.

First, you have to determine whether it's a credible¹¹ source, and second, you have to worry about whether it will still exist tomorrow.

 

Credibility

Determining whether a source is credible is subjective¹², but here are a few things to look for and consider:

Can you tell who wrote the site? And if so, does the author seem to have any expertise¹³ in the area you are researching? The Stanford Cancer Center is likely to be a more credible source than Aunt Mary's Kancer Page.
Has the website been reviewed by experts? Does it bear a seal of approval or adhere to content standards? For example, health sites that want to boost their credibility adhere to standards set by the Health on the Net Foundation.
Can you tell when the page you are looking at was written? Something written recently is generally more credible than something that hasn't been updated in years.
Does the page cite other credible sources you can check? (There's that point about citations adding credibility again!)
Does it sound too good to be true? If it does, it probably is.
Is the site selling something based on the information it’s providing? If so, be wary¹⁴.
Do other credible sites link to the site? You can find out who links to a site by doing a specialized¹⁵ search on Google. Enter link:URL into the search box. For example, you could enter link:http://www.genetichealth.com (a website I helped launch) and learn that sites that link to it include a Japanese genome center, the Lance Armstrong Foundation, and a variety of hospitals.
Are there a lot of typos? If there are a lot of language mistakes, it can mean that there are a lot of factual mistakes, too.

Finally, use common sense and evaluate the arguments yourself. It's up to you to determine whether a site's conclusions are actually supported by its statements.

 

Permanence

You have control when you’re evaluating a site’s credibility, but you have less control over the fact that pages might disappear or change their Web address. If it's an important source, you should consider printing out the page or saving it on your own computer as HTML, a screenshot, or an audio or video file. If you find that a Web page is gone and you haven't had a chance to save it, you can search for a copy at the Internet Archive (also known as the Wayback Machine), at

Despite the risks, an abundance of credible information resides on the Web, and you shouldn't dismiss a source simply because it is in an electronic format⁴.

 

Citation¹ Formats

Finally, it's good style to use a consistent format for your references. You can go to the Grammar Girl section of QuickAndDirtyTips.com to see examples of citation styles from the Modern Language Association, American Psychological Association, and The Chicago Manual of Style.

 

Web Bonus

Citing a Web Page

[Note: There are different kinds of Web pages, and many require different formatting¹⁶. This example is for a Web article that is part of a larger website. Also, a quirk¹⁷ in our website requires us to shorten URLs. It is better to write out the original URL.]

 

American Psychological Association Style (2, 3)

Fogarty, M. (2006, October 14). Effect Versus¹⁸ Affect. Quick and Dirty Tips Website. Retrieved¹⁹ April 9, 2008, from

 

Chicago Manual of Style (2, 4)

Fogarty, Mignon. “Effect Versus Affect,” Quick and Dirty Tips Website, October 14, 2006, (accessed April 9, 2008).

 

Modern Language Association Style (2)

Fogarty, Mignon. “Effect Versus Affect.” Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing. 14 Oct. 2006. Quick and Dirty Tips Website. 9 Apr. 2008

 

Citing a Podcast

 

American Psychological Association Style (5, 6)

Fogarty, M. (Host) (2006, October 14). Effect Versus Affect [Podcast]. Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing. Gilbert, AZ: Quick and Dirty Tips Network. Retrieved April 9, 2008, from

 

Chicago Manual of Style (2, 4)

Fogarty, M. 2006. "Effect Versus Affect." Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing. Podcast audio program. Gilbert, AZ: Quick and Dirty Tips Network, October 14 (accessed April 9, 2008).

 

Modern Language Association Style (2, 7, 8, 9, 10)

[Note: I was unable to find a definitive²⁰ source on citing a podcast in MLA style. My edition is old, and websites provided various recommendations, suggesting that the MLA may not have issued one guideline yet. What follows is my best-guess recommendation until I can find a definitive answer.]

Fogarty, Mignon. "Effect Versus Affect." Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing. 14 Oct. 2006. Quick and Dirty Tips Network.  9 Apr. 2008.

 

Administrative²¹

This week, three lucky listeners win a copy of Bonnie Trenga's book The Curious Case of the Misplaced Modifier: How to Solve the Mysteries of Weak Writing. Bonnie is my long-time copy editor, and this is a cute little grammar book that uses a solve-the-mystery format to make writing rules fun. The books are even signed! So if you're subscribed²² to our e-mail newsletter, check your inbox to see if you've won. For people who didn't win and are interested, I'll put a link to the book on the Grammar Girl website.

Questions and comments for me go to ...or the voicemail line at 206-338-GIRL. Also this week, the Get-It-Done Guy has a great episode about how to subversively²³ lead a meeting even if you're not in charge, so check it out at QuickAndDirtyTips.com.

That's all. Thanks for listening.

 

1 citation   

n.引用，引证，引用文；传票

参考例句：

• He had to sign the proposition for the citation.他只好在受奖申请书上签了字。
• The court could issue a citation and fine Ms. Robbins.法庭可能会发传票，对罗宾斯女士处以罚款。

2 citations   

n.引用( citation的名词复数 )；引证；引文；表扬

参考例句：

• The apt citations and poetic gems have adorned his speeches. 贴切的引语和珠玑般的诗句为他的演说词增添文采。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Some dictionary writers use citations to show what words mean. 有些辞典的编纂者用引文作例证以解释词义。 来自辞典例句

3 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

4 format   

n.设计，版式；[计算机]格式，DOS命令:格式化(磁盘)，用于空盘或使用过的磁盘建立新空盘来存储数据；v.使格式化，设计，安排

参考例句：

• Please format this floppy disc.请将这张软盘格式化。
• The format of the figure is very tasteful.该图表的格式很雅致。

5 formats   

n.（出版物的）版式( format的名词复数 )；[电视]电视节目的总安排（或计划）

参考例句：

• They are producing books in all kinds of different formats. 他们出版各种不同开本的书籍。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A true GUI includes standard formats for representing text and graphics. 真正的图形用户界面包括表示文字和图形的标准格式。 来自互联网

6 plagiarism   

n.剽窃，抄袭

参考例句：

• Teachers in America fight to control cheating and plagiarism.美国老师们努力对付欺骗和剽窃的问题。
• Now he's in real trouble.He's accused of plagiarism.现在他是真遇到麻烦了。他被指控剽窃。

7 mandatory   

adj.命令的；强制的；义务的；n.受托者

参考例句：

• It's mandatory to pay taxes.缴税是义务性的。
• There is no mandatory paid annual leave in the U.S.美国没有强制带薪年假。

8 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

9 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

10 transcripts   

n.抄本（ transcript的名词复数 ）；转写本；文字本；副本

参考例句：

• Like mRNA, both tRNA and rRNA are transcripts of chromosomal DNA. tRNA及rRNA同mRNA一样，都是染色体DNA的转录产物。 来自辞典例句
• You can't take the transfer students'exam without your transcripts. 没有成绩证明书，你就不能参加转学考试。 来自辞典例句

11 credible   

adj.可信任的，可靠的

参考例句：

• The news report is hardly credible.这则新闻报道令人难以置信。
• Is there a credible alternative to the nuclear deterrent?是否有可以取代核威慑力量的可靠办法？

12 subjective   

a.主观(上)的，个人的

参考例句：

• The way they interpreted their past was highly subjective. 他们解释其过去的方式太主观。
• A literary critic should not be too subjective in his approach. 文学评论家的看法不应太主观。

13 expertise   

n.专门知识(或技能等)，专长

参考例句：

• We were amazed at his expertise on the ski slopes.他斜坡滑雪的技能使我们赞叹不已。
• You really have the technical expertise in a new breakthrough.让你真正在专业技术上有一个全新的突破。

14 wary   

adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的

参考例句：

• He is wary of telling secrets to others.他谨防向他人泄露秘密。
• Paula frowned,suddenly wary.宝拉皱了皱眉头，突然警惕起来。

15 specialized   

adj.专门的，专业化的

参考例句：

• There are many specialized agencies in the United Nations.联合国有许多专门机构。
• These tools are very specialized.这些是专用工具。

16 formatting   

n.格式化v.使格式化( format的现在分词 )；规定…的格式（或形状、大小、比例等）；安排…的格局（或规格）；设计…的版面

参考例句：

• Select the block of text and-click and choose Default Formatting. 选择目标文字块，点击鼠标右键，选择默认格式。 来自互联网
• There are emerging conventions about the content and formatting of documentation strings. 这里介绍文档字符串的概念和格式。 来自互联网

17 quirk   

n.奇事，巧合；古怪的举动

参考例句：

• He had a strange quirk of addressing his wife as Mrs Smith.他很怪，把自己的妻子称作史密斯夫人。
• The most annoying quirk of his is wearing a cap all the time.他最令人感到厌恶的怪癖就是无论何时都戴著帽子。

18 versus   

prep.以…为对手，对；与…相比之下

参考例句：

• The big match tonight is England versus Spain.今晚的大赛是英格兰对西班牙。
• The most exciting game was Harvard versus Yale.最富紧张刺激的球赛是哈佛队对耶鲁队。

19 retrieved   

v.取回( retrieve的过去式和过去分词 )；恢复；寻回；检索（储存的信息）

参考例句：

• Yesterday I retrieved the bag I left in the train. 昨天我取回了遗留在火车上的包。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He reached over and retrieved his jacket from the back seat. 他伸手从后座上取回了自己的夹克。 来自辞典例句

20 definitive   

adj.确切的，权威性的；最后的，决定性的

参考例句：

• This book is the definitive guide to world cuisine.这本书是世界美食的权威指南。
• No one has come up with a definitive answer as to why this should be so.至于为什么该这样，还没有人给出明确的答复。

21 administrative   

adj.行政的，管理的

参考例句：

• The administrative burden must be lifted from local government.必须解除地方政府的行政负担。
• He regarded all these administrative details as beneath his notice.他认为行政管理上的这些琐事都不值一顾。

22 subscribed   

v.捐助( subscribe的过去式和过去分词 )；签署，题词；订阅；同意

参考例句：

• It is not a theory that is commonly subscribed to. 一般人并不赞成这个理论。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I subscribed my name to the document. 我在文件上签了字。 来自《简明英汉词典》

23 subversively   

颠覆性的，破坏性的

参考例句：

• She was seen as a potentially subversive within the party. 她被看成党内潜在的颠覆分子。
• They are contaminating the minds of our young people with these subversive ideas. 他们这些颠覆作乱的思想是对我们年轻人的精神污染。