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Style Guide Resources

Citing Sources

Citation styles are a set of formatting and documentation used for publishing research. Different disciplines use different styles. Be sure to check with your professor about which style to use.

Style refers to:

  • The format and structure of your paper
  • How to cite your sources in the text
  • How to create a list of references at the end of your paper

Follow these steps:

  1. What are the important elements of the source? -- author, title (journal and article if needed), publication date, publication info, electronic retrieval info (such as DOI or homepage of the journal or website, if applicable)
     
  2. What format of source is it? -- electronic vs. print.  (Did you get it from a computer originally?  Even if you printed it off, it's still electronic!)
     
  3. What type of source is it? -- magazine, journal, newspaper, regular book, reference book, video, audio, picture...
     
  4. Using #2 and #3, find the closest-matching example from your recommended citation style. Use your elements from #1, and make your citation match the example.

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In addition, know that the citation style guides do not cover every single type of citation. From the APA Manual of Style 6th edition, chapter 7:

Occasionally … you may need to use a reference for a source for which this chapter does not provide specific guidance. In such a case, choose the example that is most like your source and follow that format.

Citing Images

Citing images can be tricky.  To cite an image/reproduction of a work of visual art, follow this format:

For an image from an electronic source:

APA

Author (Role of Author). (Year image was created). Title of work. [Type of Work]. Retrieved from URL


Smith, Z. (Painter). (2008). One hundred more years [Painting]. Retrieved from <http://www.artstor.org>

Sayer, L. (Photographer). (2007). Nurse log. [Digital Image]. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/riss/368673880
 

Chicago

Artist's name, Title of Work. Date. Materials, Dimentions of work. Museum name and location. Available from database. URL. Date of access.


Fig 1. Caravaggio, The Denial of Saint Peter. Early 15th Century. Oil on Canvas, 94 x 125.4 cm. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Avalable from: ARTstor, http;//www.artstor.org (accessed 14 July, 2015).