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Citation Resources
There are many resources on citations available. Below are some websites and tools you can use. Most databases have an option to generate a citation. This can be very useful, but always check the generated citation. Often authors' names are flipped, the capitalization of titles is jumbled, etc.
Good citations allow readers to track down references for more information and build your credibility as the author by highlighting the works you've built your thinking on.
APA Style
APA style is used in many professional publications and disciplines. In classes, it is often a good 'default' if you don't have any other guidance on what style to use.- Purdue OWL: APA StylePurdue's Online Writing Lab (OWL) is a great place to reference citations in APA style. It includes many examples in detail. This link jumps to the section on Reference Lists.
- APA Style from apa.orgThe APA website has comprehensive examples and explanations of different situations you may experience when develop your citations.
- Publication manual of the American Psychological Association : the official guide to APA style.The library keeps a print copy of the APA Manual at the Circulation Desk.
IEE Style
IEEE style is used in many engineering and computing publications and classes. It is somewhat similar to Chicago style in that it numbers references.- Purdue OWL: IEEE StyleA basic overview of IEEE style with examples from the Purdue OWL.
- IEEE Reference Guide (pdf)This is the official IEEE style guide. It's very comprehensive - use ctrl-F to find examples of journals, books, etc. This opens as a pdf.
MLA Style
In many cases, MLA is the first citation style people learn. It is commonly used in some areas of Humanities but not often used in STEM disciplines. This is in part due to the fact that the date is not typically included in the in-text references (only the works cited list), which is often incredibly important to know when reading STEM research.- Purdue OWL: MLA StyleAn overview of MLA Style with examples from the Purdue OWL.
Citation Management Software
Citation managers allow you to store, sort, and edit references to articles you find. They then connect to word processing tools in order to automatically generate citation lists for you. The library provides resources and support (guides, consultations, & workshops) for EndNote and Zotero.- Zotero Library GuideZotero is Open Source software. Users can download a browser extension to allow for quick saving documents to a Zotero library as they work. It works well with Word and has some functionality with Google Docs.
- EndNote Library GuideEndNote is available via the IT Download Center and is installed on most campus computers. The standalone program can be synced across computers via EndNote Web. It works very well with Word and the company has just released both an app (iOS only) and a browser extension.
Understanding Citations Video
- Understanding Citations TutorialThe library has an in-depth, interactive tutorial on citation styles, with a focus on APA (audio & cc available).