Collecting a list of sources is part of writing a paper and doing research. Once you've declared a major, you may write about a topic more than once. Some students find it helpful to use an app to keep up with dozens of sources (references to articles, books, etc.). Other students find it easier to cut-and-paste references (citations) into a Word document. Either way, you will need to keep track of citations for papers and research.
EndNote describes itself as a "reference management tool" that "helps you save time, stay organized, collaborate ... so, you can focus on what matters most: your ideas." Zotero bills itself as a "personal research assistant" to help "collect, organize, cite and share research." Reese librarians are available to answer questions.
Augusta guides to helpful apps --
Documentation is the careful way in which the researcher tells her/his readers which of these works he/she is using, and to what purpose. Without documentation, subsequent researchers will waste valuable time replicating work that has already been done, but not documented for others to find.
Whenever you're doing research, you should always document your work. First of all, you want to satisfy your assignment, and the research paper assignments are all going to require some kind of search for sources of information to support your research question. Second, when doing work for a grade, you need to be sure to give the person grading your work something to assess. Your careful analysis of works that you have found on your own are among the things that your professors are looking for when they grade your research assignment.
Library databases with articles and books usually include a feature for generating a citation of your reference. It may look like this 
or this 
. When you click the icon, it will provide options for saving the citation in different styles, such as APA (American Psychological Association) version 7 that is used in COMM 1110 and elsewhere. Reese library provides information on more powerful (and more complicated) tools for generating, saving and organizing citations: Zotero and EndNote. Computer-generated citations often contain errors. Therefore, always double check the official manual, a guide/website to the manual, or your earlier papers that have been approved by a professor. See additional resources listed on this page.
Check out the article, What is plagiarism? from UNC-Chapel Hill's Writing Center. Written from a student's point of view, the web page discusses why good citation practices are important, and why plagiarism is such a "big deal." Don't just take our word for it.
Credit: John Tindell (2019)
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.)
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The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Seventh Edition is the official source for APA Style. With millions of copies sold worldwide in multiple languages, it is the style manual of choice for writers, researchers, editors, students, and educators in the social and behavioral sciences, natural sciences, nursing, communications, education, business, engineering, and other fields. Known for its authoritative, easy-to-use reference and citation system, the Publication Manual also offers guidance on choosing the headings, tables, figures, language, and tone that will result in powerful, concise, and elegant scholarly communication. It guides users through the scholarly writing process-from the ethics of authorship to reporting research through publication. The seventh edition is an indispensable resource for students and professionals to achieve excellence in writing and make an impact with their work. The seventh edition has been thoroughly revised and updated to reflect best practices in scholarly writing and publishing. All formats are in full color, with a new tabbed spiral version Improved ease of navigation, with many additional numbered sections to help users quickly locate answers to their questions Resources for students on writing and formatting annotated bibliographies, response papers, and other paper types as well as guidelines on citing course materials Dedicated chapter for new users of APA Style covering paper elements and format, including sample papers for both professional authors and student writers New chapter on journal article reporting standards that includes updates to reporting standards for quantitative research and the first-ever qualitative and mixed methods reporting standards in APA Style New chapter on bias-free language guidelines for writing about people with respect and inclusivity in areas including age, disability, gender, participation in research, race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and intersectionality More than 100 new reference examples covering periodicals, books, audiovisual media, social media, webpages and websites, and legal resources More than 40 new sample tables and figures Expanded guidance on ethical writing and publishing practices, including how to ensure the appropriate level of citation, avoid plagiarism and self-plagiarism, and navigate the publication process Guidelines that support accessibility for all users, including simplified reference, in-text citation, and heading formats as well as additional font options
A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations
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The Chicago Manual of Style
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MLA Handbook
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