sic

"Sic" is a Latin term usually tucked inside square brackets—[sic]—within a quotation. It acts as a signal to the reader that a mistake, oddity, or unusual phrasing in the text belongs to the original author, not the person currently quoting it. It's a way of saying, "Yes, I know it looks wrong, but that's exactly how it appeared in the source!"

You will see it frequently when a writer quotes a document containing a typo, a grammar mistake, or an old spelling they want to preserve for the sake of accuracy. By using "[sic]," you show that the form comes from the source and has not been introduced by you.

Derived from the Latin word sic, meaning "thus" or "so," "sic" is a small but useful tool used by editors, scholars, and journalists to ensure clarity. When you encounter [sic] in a text, it serves as a note that the preceding word or phrase is a precise reproduction of the source, quirks and all. It is almost always placed inside square brackets to distinguish it from the quoted content itself.

Think of it as the "don't shoot the messenger" of the writing world. For example, if you are quoting a historical letter where the writer says, "I have recieved your gift," you would write: "I have recieved [sic] your gift." This tells your reader, "I know 'received' is misspelled, but I am reporting the text exactly as it was written."

"Sic" is generally used for material taken from another source, not to flag your own writing. While it is most commonly used for spelling and grammar, it can also point to factual inaccuracies, unusual capitalization, or outdated wording that appears in the original. It is an essential tool for maintaining academic rigor and editorial honesty, signaling to the reader that your representation of the source is both intentional and faithful.