Final answer:
Writers must cite the author's name, title of the source, publication date, and publisher when referencing sources in academic writing to ensure the credibility of their work and to avoid plagiarism.
Step-by-step explanation:
Four kinds of information a writer must cite include a. the author's name, b. title of the source, c. publication date, and d. publisher. These elements help readers verify the sources of information and ensure that proper credit is given to the original authors. When citing sources, it's also important to include other information such as the title of the container (like a book or journal in which the source appears), other contributors, version, number, and the location of the source. To maintain academic integrity and avoid plagiarism, a writer must provide citations both within the text (in-text citations) and at the end of the document (usually in a bibliography or works cited page).