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Academic Writing and Citation

This guide provides time-tested strategies on becoming comfortable with the writing process, resources on citation styles, and information on how to avoid plagiarism.

Introduction

 

 

Citing Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers

This section crosses various styles (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.) to provide guidance on citing Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and oral traditions from Indigenous peoples. You will also find books here that look more broadly at evaluating Indigenous sources and working respectfully with Elders. 

Alternative ways to cite Elders and Knowledge Keepers

APA, MLA and other popular styles have predefined ways of citing traditional knowledge, but there are alternatives that have been developed in collaboration with Indigenous communities to provide a more respectful way to document the oral stories and traditions that we use in our papers. What follows are some sources.

Please discuss the use of these templates with your instructor prior to using them, as they do deviate from the standard styles. 

More Than Personal Communication Citation templates for Elders and Knowledge Keepers

While working at NorQuest College Libraries, Lorisia MacLeod (James Smith Cree Nation) worked with the Indigenous Student Centre to develop new citation templates to be used in APA and MLA for citing Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers. These citation formats are meant to promote the culturally respectful use of Indigenous knowledge and people in research and challenge the status quo of who we cite. This was hosted by the Maskwacis Cultural College microlearning: https://continuingeducationi.blogspot...

Standard Citation Style

The MLA Handbook 8th Edition does not include explicit direction as to how to cite and respectfully acknowledge Indigenous Elders and Indigenous Knowledge Keepers (UBC).

Indigenous Style and Indigenous Information Literacy

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