Citation Style Guides

This page links to materials that helps in creating footnotes, and bibliographies/references/works cited pages.

The software program EndNote can also help you. It is free to all American University students, faculty and staff. An upgraded version from the Fall 2008 semester, EndNote X2, is now available. A copy of EndNote (PC or Mac) can be downloaded from the my.american.edu portal. After logging in, go to Technology-->Download Software.

Don't know which citation style to use? Click here to see Citation by Discipline.

Citation Styles:

Types of Materials:

Citation Styles

AAA (American Anthropological Association) - used in Anthropology
Based on the Chicago Manual of Style

• AAA Style Guide (pdf) - Official rules on reference cited lists and citing references in text. Where no rule is present on this list, follow the Chicago Manual of Style. From American Anthropological Association.
• How to Cite Sources in Anthropology - A fuller explanation on the format of reference cited lists and citing references in text. From Skidmore College.

ACS (American Chemical Society) - used in Chemistry

• ACS Books Reference Style Guidelines - Official rules on literature cited lists and citing references in text. From American Chemical Society.
• ACS Style Guide: Citing and Documenting Sources in Chemistry - Numerous examples on how to cite within text and Reference Lists. Based on the 2nd ed. of the ACS Style Guide. From University of Waterloo.
• The ACS Style Guide Effective Communication of Scientific Information (3rd ed., 2006). Call number: Ready Reference QD8.5 .A25 2006.

AIP (American Institute of Physics) - used in Physics, particularly for American Instutitue of Physics journals

• AIP Style Manual - Official rules from the AIP Style Manual, 4th ed. (1990) with a 1997 addendum. Available for download. From American Institute of Physics.

• AP Stylebook (AU Community Only)
• The Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law (2006 ed). Call number: Ready Ref PN 4783 .A83 2007.

APA (American Psychological Association) - used in Psychology, Business, Criminology, Economics, Education, Sociology

• APA Style Guide to Electronic References (pdf) - Official APA version. (AU Community Only)
• APA Style Guide (pdf) - Examples of how to cite sources for reference lists. From American University.
• APA Style Electronic References - Official rules for citing electronic materials for reference lists and citing in text. This is the most up to date source. From American Psychological Association.
• APA Style Workshop - Includes explanations and detailed discussion. From Purdue University.
• APA Parenthetical Citations - From St. Cloud State University.
• Documenting Sources: APA Style - APA in-text citations, list of references, manuscript format, and a sample paper. From www.dianahacker.com.
• Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed., 2001). Call number: Ref PN 147.A4 2001. Print copies of the latest edition are located in the dictionary stand on every floor of Bender Library and in Ready Reference.

APSA (American Political Science Organization) - used in Political Science, International Studies
Based on the Chicago Manual of Style.

• APSA Documentation - Based on the Style Manual for Political Science (1993). From U. of Wisconsin-Madison.
• Style Manual for Political Science (2001). Call number: Ready Reference JA86 .A52 2001.

ASA / American Sociological Association - used in Sociology
Based on the Chicago Manual of Style.

• Quick Style Guide - The official American Sociological Association site. Does not include information about how to cite electronic materials.
• ASA Style Guide (pdf) - Based on the 2nd edition of the ASA Style Guide. From Bucknell University.
• Using ASA Style for Papers - From Mikaila Arthur at New York University.
• American Sociological Association Style Guide (3nd edition, 2007). Call number: Ready Ref HM586 .A54 2007.

Chicago Manual of Style - used in History, widely used in the humanites and social sciences

• Chicago Manual of Style 15th ed. (2003) (AU Community Only) Official version.
• Chicago/Turabian Style Guide (pdf) - Examples of how to cite sources for reference lists. From American University.
• Chicago Citation and Format Style Guide (pdf) - From Bucknell University.
• Documenting Sources: Chicago Style - Chicago footnotes or endnotes, bibliography, manuscript format, and a sample paper. From www.dianahacker.com.
• Chicago Manual of Style (15th ed., 2003). Call number: Ref Z253 .U69 2003. Print copies of the latest edition are located in the dictionary stand on every floor of Bender Library and in Ready Reference.

CSE (Council of Science Editors), formerly CBE (Council of Biology Editors) - used in Biology

• Documenting Sources: CSE Style - CSE footnotes or endnotes, reference list, manuscript format, and a sample paper. From www.dianahacker.com.
• Online Citation Guide: CSE - From Juniata College.
• Scientific Style and Format: The CSE Manual for Authors, Editors, and Publishers (7th ed., 2006). Call number: Ready Reference QH 304.C13 2006.

Government Publications

• Uncle Sam - Brief Guide to Citing Government Publications - A substantial guide to citing various sorts of government publications, including electronic sources.
• U.S. Government Printing Office Style Manual - 29th ed. (2000). A GPO printer's style book.

Legal Citations - Bluebook

• Introduction to Basic Legal Citation - A well organized guide to citing legal sources.
• ALWD Citation Manual A Professional System of Citation (3d ed. 2006). On Order.
• The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation (18th ed., 2005). Call number: Ready Reference KF245 .B58.

LSA Style Sheet - used only for the Journal of the Linguistic Society of America

• LSA Style Sheet - Citation in the text and reference list.

MLA (Modern Language Association) - used in Literature and the humanities

• MLA Style Guide (pdf) - Examples of how to cite sources for reference lists. From American University.
• Documenting Sources: MLA Style - MLA in-text citations, list of works cited, information notes, manuscript format, and a sample paper. From www.dianahacker.com.
• Frequently Asked Questions about the MLA Style - Official MLA site.
• MLA Parenthetical Documentation - From St. Cloud State University.
• MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (6th ed., 2003). Call number: Ref LB 2369 .G53 2003. Print copies of the latest edition are located in the dictionary stand on every floor of Bender Library and in Ready Reference.

Medical Citations

• AMA Style Guide - A brief introduction to the American Medical Association style for citing print sources.
• American Medical Association Manual of Style (9th ed., 1998). Call number: Ready Ref R 119.A533 1998.
• NLM Style Guide - A brief introduction to the National Library of Medicine recommended style for citing print sources.
• Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals -This is an authoritative site by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) that includes citation styles.

Turabian Style - used in many disciplines in humanities, social sciences and natural sciences (often selected when people do not know which style to use)
Variation of the Chicago Manual of Style.

• Chicago/Turabian Style Guide (pdf) - Examples of how to cite sources for reference lists. From American University.
• Documenting Sources: Chicago Style - Includes examples of citing both print and online resources. Excellent site.
• Turabian Citation and Format Style Guide (pdf) - From Bucknell University.
• Turabian Style - Sample Footnotes & Bibliographic Entries - From Bridgewater State College.
• Kate Turabian's A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses and Dissertations (7th ed., 2007). Call number: Ready Reference LB 2369 .T8 2007. Print copies of the latest edition of are located on every floor of Bender Library.

Citing Film Resources

• Sample Citations Using Common Styles - examples of how to cite film works using the most popular citing methods.

Citation Style by Academic Discipline

The citation style to use is determined by your professor, or if you are submitting a manuscript, by the journal or publisher. However, each discipline tends to use one or two styles. The key to citing any source--traditional or electronic--is to:

1. have a clear and neat format
2. be consistent in style and format
3. present sufficient information for a reader to identify and find the work or cited passage

Anthropology - use AAA	Journalism - use AP or APA
Art History - use Chicago or Turabian	Law & Legal Studies - use Bluebook
Biology - use CSE	Linguistics - use APA, MLA or LSA
Chemistry - use ACS	Literature - use MLA
Communications - use MLA	Medicine - use AMA
Computing Science - use Chicago	Philosophy - use MLA or Chicago
Criminology - use APA or Chicago	Political Science - APSA
Education - use APA	Psychology - use APA
History - use Chicago or Turabian	Religion - use MLA or Chicago
International Studies - use APA, APSA or Chicago	Sociology - use ASA

For citing material from the Internet, two additional pieces of information are needed:

1. the electronic address or URL of the site (e.g. http://...)
2. the date you accessed the site or database

Still uncertain when it comes to citation? Ask a Librarian.

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