LibGuides: First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Research: Write, Create, and Credit

Write, Create, and Credit

If you have an assignment that requires you to create something (such as presentations, advertisements, podcasts, product, or videos), it is important to understand some of the ethical and legal aspects of using tools, images, audio and other resources for your creations.

Write and Cite Sources

As a university student, reading, writing and research are core activities. It's like entering a conversation among scholars who have shared their ideas and research through books, articles, and other materials. When you write, it's crucial to let readers know which parts of the conversation you are building upon.

Citing your sources in a paper is vital because it:

Provides context to your work within the existing ideas and studies.
Enables your reader to find and read the specific material you have used.
Recognizes and attributes ideas and phrasing to the original author.
Strengthens and adds credibility to your arguments.
Demonstrates your ability to find and use materials that support your research to your instructor.

Keep in mind that choosing resources to cite is a political practice. You can engage in citation justice by choosing to cite scholars from underrepresented backgrounds. Ensuring that you are citing diverse voices also helps to emerging scholars to establish their careers.

For more information on citation justice check out this resource from Arizona State University.

The Importance of Citational Justice. https://lib.arizona.edu/tutorials/citational-justice/#/lessons/YiyiaZyL65dGKTp8G-o15XR521-C9uhq. Accessed 28 Sept. 2023.

There are many good guides to the writing process, and these guides usually contain a reference section on grammar, sentence structure and punctuation. Here are some useful resources for writing.

International Journal of Indigenous Health: Defining Aboriginal Peoples within Canada
The International Journal of Indigenous Health (IJIH) edited and slightly modified the National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO) Journal of Aboriginal Health (JAH) terminology guide into a nine page document for authors to reference when writing about Aboriginal Peoples within Canada.

Elements of Indigenous Style: A Guide for Writing by and about Indigenous Peoples by Gregory Younging
Call Number: PN 147 Y68 2018
Elements of Indigenous Style provides guidelines to help writers, editors, and publishers produce material that reflects Indigenous people in an appropriate and respectful manner.
Indigenous Writes by Chelsea Vowel
Publication Date: 2016
In Indigenous Writes, Chelsea Vowel, legal scholar, teacher, and intellectual, opens an important dialogue about the wider social beliefs associated with the relationship between Indigenous peoples and Canada. In 31 essays, Chelsea explores the Indigenous experience from the time of contact to the present, through five categories--Terminology of Relationships; Culture and Identity; Myth-Busting; State Violence; and Land, Learning, Law, and Treaties. She answers the questions that many people have on these topics to spark further conversations at home, in the classroom, and in the larger community.

Four Directions Writing Guide
Geared to Indigenous students at the college/university level. Help with research & writing.
more...less...
Toronto Metropolitan University

Sources are cited in slightly different ways according to various disciplinary traditions. Generally, your instructor will recommend a citation style for you to use. Here are some citation styles that might be used to cite business resources.

APA (American Psychological Association) style is the most commonly used citation style in social sciences.

APA Citation Guide

MLA (Modern Language Association) style is a commonly used citation style in the Humanities, especially in Literature. I

MLA Citation Guide

Chicago style (University of Chicago) is often used in the Humanities, especially History, and is very occasionally used in the Social Sciences. Chicago style may be used for business history. The Chicago style offers two systems for quoting references: a footnotes/endnotes bibliography system (Humanities) and an author/date system (Social Sciences).

Chicago Style Guide

Citing Elders, these citation templates were developed by Indigenous Librarian Lorisa McLeod

APA

Last name, First initial. Nation/Community. Treaty Territory if applicable. Where they live if applicable. Topic/subject of communication if applicable. personal communication. Month Date, Year.*

MLA

Last name, First name. Nation/Community. Treaty Territory if applicable. City/Community they live in if applicable. Topic/subject of communication if applicable. Date Month Year.*

CHICAGO

Last Name, First Name of Elder, Nation. Topic/subject of communication if appropriate. Personal communication. Territorial acknowledgment of where the information was shared. Month Date, Year.