Once you start writing, you need to cite where your information comes from!
What citation style do I use?
Ask your professor what citation style they want you to use. Always remember that your professor's instructions come before any style! The most common citation styles are:
When do I need to cite?
You need to cite whenever you are:
“Some of Dickenson’s most powerful poems express her firmly held conviction that life cannot be fully comprehended without an understanding of death.”
Emily Dickenson firmly believed that we cannot fully comprehend life unless we also understand death.
When do I not have to cite?