How To Cite A Lynda.com (Now LinkedIn Learning) Course From 2016

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In the ever-evolving landscape of online education, citing sources properly is as crucial as it is in traditional academic settings. Lynda.com, now known as LinkedIn Learning, has been a prominent platform for professional development courses for many years. If you're referencing a course from Lynda.com (or LinkedIn Learning) from 2016, it's essential to follow the correct citation format to give credit to the content creator and avoid plagiarism. This article will guide you through the process of citing a Lynda.com course from 2016 using different citation styles, ensuring your academic or professional work maintains integrity and credibility.

Why Proper Citation Matters

Before diving into the specifics of citation formats, let’s understand why proper citation is so important. In academic and professional writing, citations serve several key purposes:

  • Giving Credit: Citations acknowledge the original authors and creators of the content you're using, giving them due credit for their work.
  • Avoiding Plagiarism: By properly citing your sources, you avoid the serious ethical issue of plagiarism, which is presenting someone else's work as your own.
  • Enhancing Credibility: Citations demonstrate that your work is well-researched and supported by reliable sources, enhancing your credibility as a writer or researcher.
  • Providing Context: Citations allow your readers to locate the original sources you used, enabling them to verify your information and explore the topic further.
  • Supporting Arguments: By referencing authoritative sources, you strengthen your arguments and provide evidence to back up your claims.

When citing a Lynda.com (now LinkedIn Learning) course from 2016, these reasons hold just as much weight. Online courses are valuable resources, and proper attribution is essential.

Understanding Citation Styles

Different academic disciplines and institutions often prefer specific citation styles. The most common citation styles include:

  • MLA (Modern Language Association): Commonly used in the humanities, such as literature, languages, and cultural studies.
  • APA (American Psychological Association): Widely used in the social sciences, including psychology, education, and business.
  • Chicago/Turabian: Often used in history, theology, and some humanities disciplines.
  • IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers): Predominantly used in engineering and technical fields.

Each citation style has its own set of rules and guidelines for formatting citations, both in the body of your work (in-text citations) and in a bibliography or references list. When citing a Lynda.com (now LinkedIn Learning) course from 2016, you'll need to adapt your citation to fit the specific requirements of your chosen style.

General Information Needed for Citation

Before we delve into specific citation styles, let's identify the essential information you'll need to cite a Lynda.com course from 2016. This information typically includes:

  • Course Title: The full title of the course.
  • Instructor(s): The name(s) of the instructor(s) who taught the course.
  • Year of Publication: The year the course was published (in this case, 2016).
  • Platform: The platform where the course was accessed (Lynda.com or LinkedIn Learning).
  • URL: The specific URL of the course, if available.
  • Date Accessed: The date you accessed the course (as online content can be updated or removed).

Having this information readily available will make the citation process much smoother, regardless of the style you're using.

Citing a Lynda.com Course in MLA Style

The MLA style is often used in the humanities and focuses on the author and page number in in-text citations. For a Lynda.com (now LinkedIn Learning) course from 2016, the MLA citation would generally follow this format:

MLA Works Cited Entry

Instructor Last Name, First Name. Course Title. Lynda.com (now LinkedIn Learning), Year Published, URL. Accessed Date.

Example:

Winfrey, Oprah. Effective Communication. Lynda.com, 2016, www.examplelyndadotcomurl.com. Accessed 15 July 2023.

MLA In-Text Citation

In MLA, in-text citations typically include the author's last name. Since online courses don't have page numbers, you'll omit the page number from the in-text citation.

Example:

(Winfrey).

Key Considerations for MLA

  • Italicize the course title.
  • List the instructor's name in reverse order (Last Name, First Name).
  • Include the full URL if available, as this helps readers find the exact resource you used.
  • Note the date you accessed the course, as online content can change.
  • If the instructor is an organization or group, list the organization's name as the author.

Citing a Lynda.com Course in APA Style

APA style is commonly used in the social sciences and emphasizes the author and year of publication. For a Lynda.com (now LinkedIn Learning) course from 2016, the APA citation would follow this format:

APA Reference List Entry

Instructor Last Name, First Initial. (Year). Course Title. LinkedIn Learning. Retrieved Date, from URL.

Example:

Winfrey, O. (2016). Effective Communication. LinkedIn Learning. Retrieved July 15, 2023, from www.examplelinkedinlearningurl.com.

APA In-Text Citation

In APA, in-text citations include the author's last name and the year of publication.

Example:

(Winfrey, 2016).

Key Considerations for APA

  • Italicize the course title.
  • Use initials for the instructor's first and middle names.
  • Include the retrieval date, as online content can be updated.
  • Use “LinkedIn Learning” instead of Lynda.com, as the platform has been rebranded.
  • If there are multiple instructors, list them in the order they appear on the course, separated by commas.

Citing a Lynda.com Course in Chicago Style

Chicago style offers two main formats: notes and bibliography and author-date. For citing a Lynda.com (now LinkedIn Learning) course from 2016, we'll focus on the notes and bibliography style, which is common in the humanities.

Chicago Bibliography Entry

Instructor Last Name, First Name. Course Title. Lynda.com (now LinkedIn Learning), Year Published. URL. Accessed Date.

Example:

Winfrey, Oprah. Effective Communication. Lynda.com, 2016. www.examplelyndadotcomurl.com. Accessed July 15, 2023.

Chicago Footnote/Endnote

First Name Last Name, Course Title (Lynda.com, Year Published), URL (accessed Date).

Example:

Oprah Winfrey, Effective Communication (Lynda.com, 2016), www.examplelyndadotcomurl.com (accessed July 15, 2023).

Key Considerations for Chicago

  • Italicize the course title.
  • The bibliography entry lists the instructor's name in reverse order, while the footnote uses the regular order.
  • Include the full URL and accessed date for online sources.
  • Chicago style uses footnotes or endnotes for in-text citations, making it easy for readers to find the full citation.

IEEE Citation Style

IEEE citation style is primarily used in engineering and technical fields. It uses a numbered citation system, where sources are listed numerically in the order they appear in the text. For a Lynda.com (now LinkedIn Learning) course from 2016, the IEEE citation would follow this format:

IEEE Reference List Entry

[#] Instructor First Initial. Last Name, “Course Title,” Lynda.com (now LinkedIn Learning), Year Published. [Online]. Available: URL. [Accessed: Date].

Example:

[1] O. Winfrey, “Effective Communication,” Lynda.com, 2016. [Online]. Available: www.examplelyndadotcomurl.com. [Accessed: July 15, 2023].

IEEE In-Text Citation

In IEEE, in-text citations are indicated by a number in square brackets.

Example:

As discussed in [1], effective communication skills...

Key Considerations for IEEE

  • The reference list entry starts with a number in square brackets.
  • Use initials for the instructor's first and middle names.
  • Include the term “[Online]” to indicate that it's an online resource.
  • Specify the availability URL and the date accessed.

Adapting Citations for LinkedIn Learning

It's important to note that Lynda.com was acquired by LinkedIn and is now known as LinkedIn Learning. When citing a course from 2016, it's generally acceptable to mention Lynda.com, but if the course is still available on LinkedIn Learning, you may want to update your citation to reflect the current platform. For instance, in APA style, you would use “LinkedIn Learning” as the platform name.

Examples Across Styles

To further illustrate how to cite a Lynda.com (now LinkedIn Learning) course from 2016, let's look at examples across the four styles discussed:

MLA Example

Smith, John. Project Management Fundamentals. Lynda.com, 2016, www.examplelyndadotcomurl.com. Accessed 15 July 2023.

APA Example

Smith, J. (2016). Project Management Fundamentals. LinkedIn Learning. Retrieved July 15, 2023, from www.examplelinkedinlearningurl.com.

Chicago Example

Smith, John. Project Management Fundamentals. Lynda.com, 2016. www.examplelyndadotcomurl.com. Accessed July 15, 2023.

IEEE Example

[1] J. Smith, “Project Management Fundamentals,” Lynda.com, 2016. [Online]. Available: www.examplelyndadotcomurl.com. [Accessed: July 15, 2023].

These examples highlight the variations in formatting and information required by each citation style.

Conclusion: Ensuring Accurate Citations

Citing a Lynda.com (now LinkedIn Learning) course from 2016 requires careful attention to detail and adherence to the specific guidelines of your chosen citation style. By providing accurate and complete citations, you give credit to the content creators, avoid plagiarism, and enhance the credibility of your work. Whether you're using MLA, APA, Chicago, or IEEE, understanding the core principles of citation and applying them consistently will ensure your academic and professional work maintains integrity and clarity. Remember to gather all necessary information, including the course title, instructor name, publication year, platform, URL, and accessed date, to create a proper citation. With the knowledge and examples provided in this article, you can confidently cite your Lynda.com (now LinkedIn Learning) sources and maintain the highest standards of academic and professional integrity.

By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your citations are accurate and that you are giving proper credit to the creators of the content you use. This not only helps you avoid plagiarism but also enhances the credibility of your work.