: Do memoirs need to cite sources? memoir writers often recount events or present information (such as statistical data). Does a memoir have to provide proof for the claims and sources for their

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Do memoirs need to cite sources? You don't have to.

If you want people to take you seriously, then you should provide some kind of reference when you make certain assertions that can or will be disputed by someone else.

For example, if you say Colonel Thompson told you to shoot the president's dog, Colonel Thompson may dispute it. If you do not have an evidence, it's just your words against his. It's not exactly bad, but if you're trying to sway public opinions, you're not going to get far without evidence.

Similarly, if you were to assert that you have received bad advice that ended in disaster, you may want to inform the readers on who gave you the bad advice. Without the scapegoat, your readers may just think you're trying to push the blame on a nonexistent person. Then again, after you've pushed the blame on a certain John Smith, you may also want to have an evidence to show that you're not making things up.

However, in the most basic sense, you don't have to provide the source for your memoir. It's only really necessary if you're anticipating legal actions taken against you following the publishing of your memoir.

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