When you use information (data, images, ideas, quotations, facts, etc.) in your papers (or presentations, videos, podcasts, etc.), you need to make reference to the original source. In other words, you give details about where you found the information:
+ To give credit where it's due.
+ To help your audience find the same information sources (it might help their own research).
+ To show there's support to back up the ideas you present.
+ To establish your authority and credibility (making you look smart and trustworthy by showing your audience that you did your research - you're not just spouting uninformed opinions - and that you got your information from good sources).
+To avoid plagiarism, which can have nasty consequences.
Image courtesy of xkcd
Use the American Chemical Society (ACS) style for your chemistry citations.
Citations Have Two Parts.
Field, S. Culinary Reactions: The Everyday Chemistry of Cooking; Chicago Review Press: Chicago, IL, 2012.
In-Text citation: (Field, 2012)
Company, M.; Karsa, D. R. Vehicle Cleaning. In Handbook for Cleaning/Decontamination of Surfaces; Elsevier, 2007, pp. 439-458. DOI: 10.1016/B978-044451664-0/50013-9.
Parenthetical In-Text Citation: (Company and Karsa, 2007)
Oyedele, A. O.; Gbolade, A. A.; Sosan, M. B.; Adewoyin, F. B.; Soyelu, O. L.; Orafidiya, O. O. Formulation of an Effective Mosquito-Repellent Topical Product from Lemongrass Oil. Phytomedicine 2002, 9 (3), 259–262. https://doi.org/10.1078/0944-7113-00120.
Parenthetical In-Text Citation: (Oyedele et al., 2007)
Mundy, B. A New Simple Process Extracts Valuable Compounds From Seawater. SciTechDaily, December 14, 2022. https://scitechdaily.com/a-new-simple-process-extracts-valuable-compounds-from-seawater (accessed 2020-02-21).
Parenthetical In-Text Citation: (Mundy, 2022)