Proper Attribution on Wikipedia: How to Credit Sources Correctly

When you use someone else’s words, ideas, or data on Wikipedia, you need proper attribution, the practice of clearly showing where information comes from to avoid plagiarism and maintain trust. It’s not just a rule—it’s the foundation of everything Wikipedia stands for. Without it, the encyclopedia becomes a collection of guesses, not facts. This is why every edit, no matter how small, must tie back to a verifiable source. The Wikipedia citation policy, the official guideline requiring all claims to be supported by reliable, published sources exists because readers rely on Wikipedia for accurate information—and they have every right to know where that info came from.

Proper attribution isn’t about slapping a link at the end of a paragraph. It’s about connecting each fact to its origin in a way that’s clear, honest, and useful. If you mention that a scientist won a Nobel Prize, you need to cite a reputable news outlet or official announcement—not a blog or a forum. The reliable sources, publications that have editorial oversight and fact-checking processes, like peer-reviewed journals, major newspapers, and trusted books are the backbone of this system. Tools like the Wikipedia Library, a free service giving editors access to paywalled academic journals and archives make it easier to find these sources without paying a dime. And when you use them correctly, you’re not just following rules—you’re helping protect Wikipedia’s credibility against misinformation.

But attribution isn’t just about avoiding mistakes. It’s about giving credit where it’s due. When a journalist breaks a story, a historian uncovers new documents, or a researcher publishes findings, Wikipedia editors have a duty to name them. This isn’t about ego—it’s about transparency. The Wikinews, a volunteer-run news site that publishes original reporting under open licenses shows how this works in practice: every headline is backed by a source, every quote is attributed, and every correction is public. That’s the standard Wikipedia expects everywhere. And when attribution fails—like when a hoax article gets picked up by the press—it’s not just embarrassing. It’s dangerous.

You’ll find dozens of posts below that show how this plays out in real life. From how teachers guide students to cite sources in class, to how editors use Huggle to catch edits that ignore attribution, to how Wikidata links facts back to their origins across languages—every story here is about one thing: keeping knowledge honest. Whether you’re a new editor wondering how to cite a book, a journalist checking Wikipedia’s sources, or just someone who cares about truth online, these articles will show you how proper attribution keeps the world’s largest encyclopedia working.