Return to the Guide to Academic Research

Citing your sources

Citing the sources of your research isn't just a class requirement--it's crucial to your ability to contribute to the scholarly conversation on your topic. Giving credit for others' ideas not only demonstrates that you have familiarized yourself with the scholarship in the field and earned the right to have a say, it allows other scholars to learn from your work by following the lead of your research.

Where are you in the process right now?

I need to...

• find information about a particular style guide:

APA | MLA | Chicago | Turabian |

ACS (Chemistry) | ASA (Sociology) | AAA (Anthropology)

 

• cite a book

with one author | two authors | three or more authors

OR cite a chapter within a book | a dictionary or encylopedia

 

• cite a journal article

in print | online | with multiple authors

 

• cite a Web page
• cite other types of sources (letters, interviews, government documents, etc.)

• determine when I need to cite
• learn how to paraphrase and summarize
• know how to avoid plagiarism

APA

Web guide: APA Formatting and Style Guide from the Purdue Online Writing Lab

Print guide: Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (on reserve at Burling and Kistle)

MLA

Web guide: MLA Formatting and Style Guide from the Purdue Online Writing Lab

Print guide: MLA handbook for writers of research papers (on reserve at Burling)

Chicago

Web guide: Chicago Manual of Style from the Purdue Online Writing Lab

Print guide: Chicago Manual of Style (on reserve at Burling and Kistle)

Turabian

Web guide: Turabian Citation Style by the Ohio State University Libraries

Print guide: A manual for writers of term papers, theses, and dissertations (on reserve at Burling)

American Chemical Society

Web guide: ACS Style Guide by the Williams College Libraries

Print guide: Handbook for authors of papers in American Chemical Society publications

If the due date is less than a week away, you’ll need to focus on resources that our library has. If you have more time, you’ll be able to request articles and books through Interlibrary Loan.

American Sociological Association

Web guide: Formatting in Sociology (ASA) from the Purdue Online Writing Lab

Print guide: Style Guide (on reserve at Burling and Kistle)

American Anthropological Association

Web guide: AAA Style from the American Anthropological Association

Print guide: Chicago Manual of Style (on reserve at Burling and Kistle)