Understanding Citations

You may initially find creating citations intimidating as you strive for accuracy and aim to avoid errors. The excitement of discovering new records about one’s research subject can often lead to reluctance to pause to cite your sources. However, the process becomes significantly less daunting if you understand when and why to cite and become familiar with basic citation conventions.

Shannon Green, CG®, CGG, CGL, is a board-certified genealogist, researcher, educator, and writer. She earned the Certified Genealogist credential in 2017, and in 2024, she added the Certified Genetic Genealogist and Certified Genealogical Lecturer credentials. Since 2020, Shannon has served as a trustee for the Board for Certification of Genealogists and is currently a member of its Executive Committee. She has taught at SLIG, IGHR, Legacy Family Tree Webinars, the NGS Family History Conference, and RootsTech. Her work has been published in National Genealogical Society Quarterly, NYG&B Record, and The New England Historical and Genealogical Register.