Proper citation is an important skill in academic writing. Not only does it keep you out of trouble for plagiarism, it adds credibility to your writing, provides proper credit where credit is due, and leaves a trail for other interested parties to do research and further engage in a conversation about your topic. Although the rules of MLA or APA citation may seem tedious or confusing at first, they quickly become second nature. With practice, you’ll learn the basic expectations of each style and will be able to quickly recognize correct practices, even when using a citation tool.