what is the proper way to cite your sources in a blog?

[dearmama22]

If I get my thoughts/ideas/information from another website, is it safe and right to at the end, say something like, " sources from ......." Is that the right way to do it?

I wouldn't be copying it word for word ( If I was then i would "quote" it and put the source) but I would be putting information that I've learned into my own words and organization.

I want to make sure I do this right and not take credit for something I didn't think of or do. Plus, people are going to want to know where I got the information. Is this right thinking here?

[library lady]

For sources that you don't cite directly, you can have a works consulted and format it like you would a works cited.

[Sagesgirl]

Generally speaking, I do a sort of in-line citation. For instance, I use others' blog posts as jumping-off points for my own fairly frequently, so I'll have something like "MattG said that we should be more concerned with child abuse than with piercing cats' ears" and link words in that to the source itself: MattG's name will be linked to the front page of his blog, & probably I'd turn all of "more concerned with child abuse than with piercing cats' ears" into a text link to the specific entry. (Personally, I always link both to the main page of the blog & to the specific entry, even if it's on my blogroll; I have noticed few others do this.) Other websites are linked to in much the same fashion. I link to news stories by turning the actual headline into a link to the story, if I am quoting a portion of it. Occasionally I'll have "(source)" with the word "source" linked to my source.

If I am using a normal media source, I typically just mention it in the paragraph. "According to the San Antonio Express-News"... "This pattern is found in Nicky Epstein's Crocheted Flowers"... (If it's a book, and I remember to, I'll link to the Amazon listing for it.)

I've based this off of what I see others doing; to my knowledge there are no hard-and-fast rules.

[dearmama22]

Originally Posted by Sagesgirl

Generally speaking, I do a sort of in-line citation. For instance, I use others' blog posts as jumping-off points for my own fairly frequently, so I'll have something like "MattG said that we should be more concerned with child abuse than with piercing cats' ears" and link words in that to the source itself: MattG's name will be linked to the front page of his blog, & probably I'd turn all of "more concerned with child abuse than with piercing cats' ears" into a text link to the specific entry. (Personally, I always link both to the main page of the blog & to the specific entry, even if it's on my blogroll; I have noticed few others do this.) Other websites are linked to in much the same fashion. I link to news stories by turning the actual headline into a link to the story, if I am quoting a portion of it. Occasionally I'll have "(source)" with the word "source" linked to my source.

If I am using a normal media source, I typically just mention it in the paragraph. "According to the San Antonio Express-News"... "This pattern is found in Nicky Epstein's Crocheted Flowers"... (If it's a book, and I remember to, I'll link to the Amazon listing for it.)

I've based this off of what I see others doing; to my knowledge there are no hard-and-fast rules.

That helps- thank you!

[3pink1blue]

i just write what i want and make certain snippets links to other articles. note - make them open in a new window so you don't lose a reader.

[dearmama22]

I want to put an entire article into my blog that I found very helpful and good and I want to pass it on to others.

Is it safe/right to copy and past the entire thing and then put the source at the bottom where I got it from with a link.

It is a professional, medical website- not someones blog.

Or, should I re-word it with a source?

[snowbunny]

Originally Posted by dearmama22

I want to put an entire article into my blog that I found very helpful and good and I want to pass it on to others.

Is it safe/right to copy and past the entire thing and then put the source at the bottom where I got it from with a link.

It is a professional, medical website- not someones blog.

Or, should I re-word it with a source?

No, it's not really acceptable to copy/paste an entire article or post from somewhere else to your blog. One reason is that duplicate content can damage SEO rankings, so by duplicating another person's work on your own (regardless of whether or not you cite) could hinder their getting the best results in search engines.

Your best bet would be to say why you think it's important for your reader's, quote a small portion and give them a link to read more.

[Twocoolboys]

Originally Posted by snowbunny

No, it's not really acceptable to copy/paste an entire article or post from somewhere else to your blog. One reason is that duplicate content can damage SEO rankings, so by duplicating another person's work on your own (regardless of whether or not you cite) could hinder their getting the best results in search engines.

Your best bet would be to say why you think it's important for your reader's, quote a small portion and give them a link to read more.

Yes, that's true, but I want to further add that it is plagiarism to copy and paste someone's entire article. This is a problem that the writers at Suite101 run into now and again and it pops up in the forums over there. I've never had it happen to me, that I know of, but I know of writers that have had it happen. If the writer or the site finds the article on your blog, you will be asked to take it down.

As the pp said, quote a small portion and include a link to the original.

[dearmama22]

okay I will do that- that helps thanks!

[snowbunny]

I want to add that it doesn't hurt to ask. I've never turned anyone down who asked to post my content on their blog.