Do I cite both sources in the following scenario? When you have sources X and Y that are similar in content/relay similar ideas, but only choose to use source X in an essay, and then summarize/paraphrase source X, but have source Y on your mind while summarizing/paraphrasing source X because it (source Y) can be summarized/paraphrased the same way and/or can technically apply to your essay as well, are you supposed to cite source Y in your essay too? Can you say that source Y “influenced” your summary/paraphrase of source X?
I'd say cite both if you're using both of them to support whatever argument or claim you're writing. Unless you're writing for a journal that has strict number on in-text citation counts, it doesn't hurt to cite multiple sources if they were both important in generating a given idea.