How do I cite a source within a source?

Question

I'm writing a paper using academic sources, although those sources have sources within their papers that I want to use. Should I just cite the source directly, or should I cite both the paper and the source, and how?

Easybib does not give the answer to this question. =/

Answer 1

It depends on how accurate you want to be. If there's the potential of misleading people, you really ought to go back to the original source. You don't know if the secondary source took the original source out of context or misquoted it. If this is just for a homework problem or something, you're probably fine citing just the secondary source. If the secondary source is synthesizing different sources to reach a new conclusion, and that is the conclusion your paper makes also, then you should cite the secondary source. I think it would be wrong to cite the original source without first verifying it though.

Answer 2

You would cite the source you got it from not the source that the source got it from because that is where you read therefore that is what you got it from.  I had the smae problem a few months ago.  I hope I helped!

Answer 3

When the source you were using cited another source, did you track down that source and look through it too?  If not, I don't see the point in citing it.