I am going to write an article about a semi-famous person. I won't be able to personally interview this person, so all of the information for my article will have to come from other sources. I realize that I will have to give credit to these sources with in-text citations and a sources cited list at the end of the article. Do I have to credit a source that provides general facts about this person? Things like date of birth, birth place, names of relatives, etc? Are facts treated like other information that must be cited? Also, what style book do you follow for article writing? This is an article that will be published in a local monthly magazine. Would I use AP style or MLA? Neither of these really seem to fit my purpose. I would appreciate any help. Thanks

Suzette

This is probably the most complete website I've seen that will give you instructions about what and how to quote and cite sources (see the link to Plagiarism* in the left-hand column, as well as CITING SOURCES). MLA or APA will work; what has your teacher assigned?

This site -- http://www.ipl.org/div/aplus/ -- is excellent in teaching you how to research (info search), how to plan before writing (step by step), etc.

Let us know if you have specific questions.

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* The second paragraph here explains what is considered to be "common knowledge."

Sorry -- here's the link for the first website I referred to above:

(Broken Link Removed)

Also...!!

http://www.apstylebook.com/ <~~not free ...

... but you can go to www.google.com and enter ap guidelines to find more information on a variety of websites.

When it comes to crediting sources in your article, there are a few things to consider. Generally, facts that are widely known or considered common knowledge do not need to be cited. For example, if you're writing about a semi-famous person and including basic information like their date of birth, birthplace, or names of relatives, these are likely to be common knowledge and do not require a citation.

On the other hand, if you come across specific information or details that are not commonly known, it is good practice to cite your sources. This could include information about their early life, career, achievements, or lesser-known personal details.

Now, regarding the style guide for article writing, both AP (Associated Press) style and MLA (Modern Language Association) style are commonly used, but they may not perfectly fit your purpose. Since you're writing an article for a local monthly magazine, it would be best to check if the magazine has any specific guidelines for citation and style. Some magazines have their own preferred style, so it's important to adhere to their requirements.

If there are no specific guidelines provided, you can use a more general style like Chicago Manual of Style (CMS), which is often used for publications like magazines and newspapers. CMS provides guidance on citation format, punctuation, and other aspects of writing.

In summary, when citing sources, focus on citing specific information that is not common knowledge, and always check if the magazine you're writing for has any specific style guidelines. If not, you can consider using a general style guide like CMS.