Why cite your sources?
Citing the sources that you use to support your research does two things:
It helps to give your discussion depth and authority. If you examine scholarly articles, you'll find something close to an intellectual pedigree in many of them.
It helps to protect you from committing plagiarism (a good description from the University of Maine) and/or violating copyright. Since plagiarism is a form of academic dishonesty, and is against the University's code of conduct for students, it's a good thing to avoid.
Authors labor long and hard (usually) to create their works-- citing your sources is a way of demonstrating respect for others. Remember, you may be in their position some day!
Library of Congress Copyright Basics: Authoritative information from the nation's premier library.
Brad's Primer About Copyright | Brad's Ten Big Myths about Copyright
Brad Templeton is the former publisher of ClariNet, one of the first electronic newspapers in the world. His descriptions of copyright and copyright myths are not too technical, and are easy to understand.
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