citation style
Scientific papers are not about personal interpretations or beliefs. Every statement you write in a scientific paper must be backed up by empirical evidence or reference to the literature.
Citations are references to outside resources and literature written by other individuals from which ideas or information have been borrowed in the development of one's own writing. They allow an author to strengthen his/her argument by incorporating other topic relevant works that provide either important contextual information, specific evidence, or support for claims made that are based on the authority of an expert. Citations also make it very clear when you are drawing your own conclusions or making your own interpretations, versus when you are building an argument through the use of materials developed by other individuals.
It is very important that citations be included in one's writing. Not only do they acknowledge the existence of intellectual property, but they also alert readers that another source exists where full details and information can be found.
