Attribution is a similar process to citing academic works in a paper, but there are some key differences. The following table outlines some of the ways in which citations and attribution are similar and different:
Attribution: This table was adapted by Abbey Elder from “Citation vs. Attribution” by Lauri Aesoph, licensed CC BY 4.0.
| Citation |
Attribution |
| Purpose is academic (e.g. avoiding plagiarism) |
Purpose is legal (e.g. following licensing regulations) |
| Does NOT typically include licensing information for the work |
Typically includes licensing information for the work |
| Used to quote or paraphrase a limited portion of a work |
Used to quote or paraphrase all or a portion of a work |
| Can paraphrase, but cannot typically change the work’s meaning |
Can change the work under Fair Use or with advance permission
(e.g., under most CC licenses) |
Many citation styles are available
(e.g., APA, Chicago, and MLA) |
Attribution statement styles are still emerging, but there are some defined best practices |
| Cited resources are typically placed in a reference list |
Attribution statements are typically found near the work used
(e.g., below an image) |