References direct readers to the source of ideas used in a work.

### Why this is right A **reference** gives readers information they can use to locate a source, such as a book, article, or website. By pointing to where an idea came from, references let readers check the original material and distinguish the writer’s ideas from ideas drawn from other sources. ### The concept A writer uses references when a work relies on ideas, evidence, or wording from other sources. A short citation in the text, often the author’s name and publication year, connects a claim to its full reference, which appears in a reference list. The reference list provides enough details to find each cited source. A bibliography may also list sources the writer consulted, even if they are not cited in the work, depending on the rules being used. ### Terms - **Reference**: Information that identifies a source and helps a reader find it. - **Citation**: A brief pointer in the text to a source, linked to its full details elsewhere. - **Source**: The original work or material from which information or ideas come. ### Remember A citation points to a source within the text; its full reference tells readers how to find that source.