Why should I cite?

to acknowledge the work of others incorporated into your paper so readers can locate sources that may be of interest to them to establish the credibility of your research

When should I cite?

any time you quote, paraphrase, summarize or in some way refer to ideas that are not your own any time you include images, graphs, charts, tables created by someone else

How should I cite?

parenthetically within your text or in a footnote with a concluding list of all your citations, referred to as a bibliography, works cited, or reference list by using style manuals which give examples of how citations should be formatted

Common Knowledge
Common knowledge is something that is widely known, such as George Washington was the first president of the United States or bears hibernate in winter. Facts such as these do not need to be cited. Another way to define it is knowledge you expect the average person to possess. However, it is best to err on the side of caution. It is not always clear that what is common knowledge to one person is common to another. When in doubt, cite the information.