In this edition of our Copyright Corner series, we’ll look at citation. The importance of giving credit where credit is due might seem obvious. Most of us learned the basics of citing sources in high school and understand that it is required in academic writing and publication, but did you know that citation is equally important in our professional roles?
As health care workers, we demonstrate integrity and professionalism by giving credit to the creators of information that we quote, reuse, or adapt in our own publications. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Training materials, such as PowerPoint presentations or LMS courses
- Patient education materials
- Subject guides or other online content
- Curriculum resources
- Promotional materials
- Clinical resources, such as pathways or guidelines
Remember: Citing your sources may not be sufficient!
Citation may protect you against plagiarism, but it doesn’t necessarily protect you against copyright infringement. You may need permission to use or adapt resources. Always investigate the copyright terms of use before assuming that a resource is free to use. If you are uncertain, contact Library Services at copyright@nshealth.ca. We are here to help!
Let’s look at how you can tell your readers where the information came from if you do have permission to reuse a work, or if you are quoting or paraphrasing a short excerpt.
Citation styles
There are many citation styles, including:
- APA (American Psychological Association)
- MLA (Modern Language Association)
- AMA (American Medical Association)
- NLM/Vancouver (also referred to as the Vancouver system or the author-number system (MacOdrum Library, n.d.)).
For published works (scholarly or otherwise), you should always ask your publisher if a particular citation style is required. For example, if you are publishing a subject guide with Library Services, we will ask you to use APA style. A medical journal publisher may require that you format your article in AMA or NLM/Vancouver style.
Whatever citation style you use, the basic principles are the same. If you quote or paraphrase from a source, the borrowed text is indicated by an in-text citation, which corresponds to an entry in your reference list. You can think of in-text citations as breadcrumbs, leading you to the full reference. That reference will usually include the author’s name(s), publication date, title, publication information, and (for journal articles) the DOI (digital object identifier).
Citation managers and generators
Citation management tools, such as Zotero and Mendeley, can help you keep track of your citations and create in-text citations and reference lists. You can learn more about these tools on Library Services’ Citation Management subject guide.
Databases often include citation generators, making it easy for you to create a citation in your style of choice. In PubMed, for example, you can click on the ❛❛ Cite button (1). The citation will appear as a pop-up (2). You can then choose your preferred citation style and copy the citation.
Library Services’ new Discover search also includes generated citations. When viewing a record, under “Export to your favorite citation manager” on the right-hand side, you can choose your preferred citation style (3) and copy the citation (4).
Learn more
The next article in the Copyright Corner series will address:
- copyright attribution and how to acknowledge materials that you have reproduced or adapted with permission.
- attribution requirements and recommendations for Creative Commons licensed resources.
- why it is good practice to provide attribution even when it is not required, such as for resources in the public domain.
In the meantime, you can find more information about citing sources on our Copyright subject guide. For one-on-one assistance, book a consultation with a library team member or email us at copyright@nshealth.ca.
Additional Resources
Purdue OWL: Research and Citation Resources
References
MacOdrum Library. (n.d.). NLM/Vancouver citation style. Carleton University. https://library.carleton.ca/guides/help/vancouver-citation-style.
Roxanne MacMillan
Librarian Educator
Central Zone
Nova Scotia Health is a large organization with a diverse range of professionals working together around the clock to deliver health care to Nova Scotians.
Some of the projects we take on to support improvement in health care delivery involve trying new ways of doing things in terms of workflow and triage, or trialing new medications and exercise regimes. Whether your project is at the broader organizational level or a trial in an individual clinic area, publishing what you have tried and what you learned from it (including what didn’t work) can start or add to an existing body of evidence that helps push new practices forward, in Nova Scotia and beyond.
While getting published has many benefits, it can seem like a huge undertaking, especially when you’ve never done it before. Don’t let lack of experience stop you!
Use our 5 key considerations to take the first steps towards getting published and sharing your knowledge.
The key considerations highlighted in the slide deck above are not exhaustive, but hopefully they have provided you with new things to consider when sharing your work.
Library Services is here to help you throughout the information cycle—whether you are looking for relevant information to guide care or viable ways to publish as a first-time author. We can help you narrow down your publishing options, scope out the submission guidelines for a few titles, draft an abstract, narrow down promotional hashtags, or collaborate with you as an author. Get the ball rolling by booking a consultation with a librarian or reaching out to us at AskLibrary@nshealth.ca. We’re looking forward to learning about your project!
Katie McLean
Librarian Educator, Outreach Lead
Dickson Building, Central Zone
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