Or (alternate definition)
"a quotation from or reference to a book, paper, or author, especially in a scholarly work."
I think that's more likely to be what you are talking about!
How "formal" is your research? Certainly if you are quoting or using ideas from a specific source, then you should cite that source. If this "research" is fairly simple, just using general information that every one knows, then you probably do not need to cite any source. If you are using specific information, that your audience is not necessarily familiar with, cite a source that they could look up.
