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How do I write a citation?

Last Updated: May 14, 2013  |  3377 Views

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sample image of part of a bibliographyBibliographic Citations 

Bibliographic citations are strings of data that identify a publication. There are numerous styles for formatting your citations.  Check with your instructor as to which one you should use. You will probably be required to assemble a list of citations into a bibliography.  This bibliography enables the reader of your paper to locate your source materials.

The main components of a bibliographic citation are the author's full name (usually last name first), the title of the work and the publication information which includes the place of publication, the publisher's name, and the date of publication.  Below are some links to some quick guides to making the most common types of citations for the two most common styles:

    If you need more information, need to find a format for an unusual item (such as public documents, legal documents, dissertations, unpublished sources, additional electronic sources), or should your instructor require another format, see the style manuals below or their online help sites. 

    Style Online Help

    book cover[ASCE Style]
    American Society of Civil Engineers: References

    Univ of Canterbury
    Univ of Melbourne

    [ACS Style]
    The ACS Style Guide : Effective Communication of Scientific Information. The American Chemical Society: Washington, 2006. Ready Ref QD8.5 .A25 2006 [ Where's this? ]   

    Murdoch Uniy
    book cover[Chicago Style]
    The Chicago Manual of Style. 16thed. The University of Chicago Press: Chicago, 2010   Ready Ref Z 253 U69 2010. [ Where's this? ] 
    Bedford/St_Martins 
    Murdoch Univ
    Chicago_Quick_Guide

    book coverForm and Style, Research Papers, Reports, Theses. 13thed. Carol Slade. Houghton Mifflin: Boston, 2008 Ready Ref   LB 2369 C3 2008 Covers Chicago, MLA, APA.
    [
    Where's this? ]
      

    Multiple styles website: 
    Duke Univ (APA, MLA Chicago, Turabian, CSE)

    book cover[IEEE Style]
    IEEE Editorial Style Manual
    Murdoc Univ

    book cover[MLA Style]
    MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers
    . 7th ed. Modern Language Association of America: New York, 2009 Ready Ref  LB 2369 G53 2009 [ Where's this? ]
     

    Purdue: OWL

    Duke Univ

    book cover

    [Turabian]
    A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses and Dissertations:
    Chicago Style for Students and  Researchers. 7thed.   KL Turabian. University of Chicago Press: Chicago, 2007  Ready Ref LB2369 .T8 2007  7th ed. [ Where's this? ]

     

    Duke Univ


    Ohio State

    book cover[APA Style]
    Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.
    6th ed. American Psychological Assn.: Washington, 2010 Ready Ref and Reserve BF 76.7 P83 2010  [ Where's This?  Ready Ref | Reserve ]
      

    Am Psy Assoc

    Purdue: Owl 

    Duke Univ

    book cover[CSE Style; Older versions are called CBE style]
    Scientific Style and Format: The CSE Manual for Authors, Editors and Publishers
    . 7th ed.   Style Manual Committee, Council of Science Editors : Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, 2006    Ready Ref and Reserve T11 .S386 2006   [ Where's This?  Ready Ref | Reserve ] 
     

    Duke Univ

    Hanckerhandbooks

     
    Other sites to help you organize and cite bibliographic information:

    Duke University: Assembling a List of Works Cited in Your Paper (APA, MLA Chicago, Turabian, CSE)
    http://citationmachine.net/ (APA, MLA, Chicago, Turabian)
    http://www.easybib.com/librarians (APA, MLA, Chicago)

     

     * * * * * * * * * * * * *
    This site http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/  can act as “starter” page where you can read and compare the different styles if you have not yet decided, with your adviser, which style guide to use. 

    * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

    Some of our database products will format a citation for you - once you have performed a search, look around for a link that says "cite" or "cite this".  You can then copy and paste a formatted citation from your choice of formats. More 
     

    Microsoft Word
     

    You may also refer to Microsoft Word for help in citing references: 

    On the References tab, in the Citations & Bibliography group, choose your Style (MLA, APA, Chicago, Turabian, etc.) and click on Insert Citation.  More 

     

    screen shot from Microsoft Word

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