The document provides guidelines for when citations are required in articles. It states that citations are needed to support any numbers, statistics, or hard-to-find information. Citations allow editors to quickly fact check and ensure accurate information is being published under a client's name. Information is considered "easy to verify" if it can be found quickly through a basic search. Direct quotes also require citations along with a link to the source. Common knowledge facts and recommendations do not typically require citations. Links should only be included to provide extra context, not as a requirement to understand the article. Product pages, images, videos, or search results are not accepted as citations.

1. Citations:
Whatcha Gonna Do?

2. The Guidelines
• According to the Writing Guidelines, “Citations are
required for any numbers, stats, or hard-to-find
information.”
• A citation should directly support the number, stat,
or information it is attached to.

3. What Is the Purpose of Citations?
• To give the editors a way to fact check quickly
• To make sure we’re not publishing anything in
our clients’ name that could be untrue

5. What Qualifies as “Easy to Verify”?
• “Easy to verify” information appears in the
first few results, probably in more than one of
them.
• Using a simple, intuitive keyword the
information can be found quickly, with
minimal effort.
• The info may even appear in a Google Answer
Box at the top of the page.

6. Examples
• “There are 10 million donuts made every year in the US.”
• Fact, but easy to find
• No citation needed
• “Only 5% of all donuts ever made have been jelly-filled.”
• Fact, but hard to find
• Citation needed
• “Due to their high sugar content, you should eat donuts sparingly.”
• Recommendation
• No real concerns
• No citation needed
• “You should eat donuts sparingly—no more than 5 a week.”
• Recommendation
• Raises some concerns about the authenticity of the recommendation. (Why 5?)
• Citation needed

7. A citation is not needed in the
following…
• “Columbus landed in the Americas in 1492.”
• This is common knowledge and is easy to find.
• “Add 1/3 Tbsp. of flour.”
• Though this includes a number, the instruction is subjective.
Every recipe is different.
• “A gallon of milk costs around $3.”
• Again, this is common knowledge and is easy to find.

8. Direct quotes
• Citations are also required for
direct quotes. Include the author
of the quote and a link to the
quote.
• “Good afternoon, sir.”
-Cop
• “Have a nice day.”
-Police people
• “Hide your kids, hide your wife”
-Antoine Dodson
• Quotes that are so well known
that they are often quoted in
speech (Example: “To be or not
to be.”) are exceptions.

9. Remember…
• You can link to sources just to provide the reader with
extra information.
• Example: “Never give a cop a donut in an attempt to get out of
a citation.”
• But! Do not require the reader to click on a link in order
to understand the rest of the article.
• Example: “It’s important to understand what a doughnut is.
Now that you know, reward yourself with a donut hole and
keep reading.”
(real link!)
(Another real link!)

10. We don’t accept links to…
• Product pages
• Pictures/Images
o UNLESS they are purely
supplementary. In other
words, the article does a
great job of explaining X
concept, and Y picture is
just included as a bonus.
o Example: “Donuts are
small fried cakes of
sweetened dough, typically
shaped into a ring.”
o This applies to videos too.
• Searches
(Warning: These links are all legit. Almost too legit.)

11. Here is a link to Jeremy’s post
about sources…
• Because it gives great tips on how to cite sources
and talks about some of the best sources to cite.
This article gives some great, real-life examples.
Check it out here!
(Oh my goodness, another real link!)

12. And here are some jokes.
‘Cause jokes are funny.