Create a Fact Sheet with Citations
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What you will learn
- 1Identify the key components of a citation: author, title, publication, date, and URL
- 2Organize researched facts into a clear, structured fact sheet with headings
- 3Attribute each fact to its source using an in-text citation
- 4Distinguish between a bibliography entry and an in-text citation
Mini Lesson
A fact sheet is a concise, organized document that presents key information about a topic. Unlike an essay, it uses headings, short paragraphs, and bullet points so a reader can find facts quickly. The most important rule when writing a fact sheet is that every fact must be cited — you must show where the information came from. Without a citation, a fact is just a claim.
What is a citation?
A citation is a way of acknowledging the source of information you use in your writing. There are two types you need to know: an in-text citation appears right after the fact (e.g. "(Smith, 2023)"), while a bibliography entry at the end of the document gives the full source details. Both are needed.
The five parts of a citation
- Author — the person or organization who wrote the source (e.g. Smith, J.).
- Title of the article or book — what the piece is called (e.g. How Solar Energy Works).
- Publisher or website — where it was published (e.g. Kids Science Hub).
- Year published — when the source was produced (e.g. 2023).
- URL and access date — the web address for online sources and the day you visited it (e.g. www.nationalgeographic.com/solar, accessed March 15, 2024).
In-text citations vs bibliography entries
- In-text citation: a short reference inside the text, right after the fact — (Smith, 2023).
- Bibliography entry: the full reference listed at the end — Smith, J. (2023). How Solar Energy Works. Kids Science Hub.
- Both point the reader to the same source; one is brief, one is complete.
- If no author is named, use the organization name or the title of the article instead.
Topic: Ocean Pollution
How do you write a fact with a proper in-text citation?
The in-text citation is short and sits inside the sentence. The bibliography entry at the end of the page gives the title, publisher, and URL so readers can check the source themselves.
Words to know
fact sheet
A short, structured document that lists key facts about a topic.
e.g. Her fact sheet on coral reefs had clear headings.
citation
A reference that credits the source of a piece of information.
e.g. Each statistic ended with a citation.
in-text citation
A short note inside the text that points to a source.
e.g. "(Smith, 2024)" is an in-text citation.
bibliography
A full list of sources at the end of a piece of writing.
e.g. The bibliography was alphabetized by author.
URL
The web address of an online source.
e.g. Include the URL when citing a website.
attribute
To assign credit for information to its source.
e.g. Always attribute facts to their original source.
Plagiarism tip: copying someone’s words or ideas without a citation is plagiarism, even if you paraphrase. Always record the source as you research — it is much harder to find it again after you’ve written your fact sheet.
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