Research Tips & Tools

Research Guides & Tips:

Citing your Resources

Two things to note about both MLA and APA forms that we cannot illustrate because of the different ways in which particular Web browsers display text:

  1. When network addresses (URL's) need to be continued on a second line, break the address after a slash.
  2. All lines after the first should be indented consistently. Consult specific MLA/APA guidelines on this point.

MLA Style

Please consult the MLA Handbook on reserve at the Library's Circulation Desk for full citation formats.
MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 6th ed. New York: The Modern Language Association of America, 2003.

Note: The use of italics versus underlining when noting the title of a source is a matter of style. It is typically the choice of the professor who will be reading the citation. As a rule, the MLA handbook suggests using underline rather that italics, as shown below. For more information go to [MLA Style FAQ: Should I use underlining italics?]

Book
Format:
Author's last name, first name. Title of the Book. Place of publication: name of publisher, date of publication.

Example:
Ross, Jeffrey Ian. The Dynamics of Political Crime. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications, 2003.

Book Chapter
Format:
Author's last name, first name. "Title of the Chapter." Book Title. Ed. [for Edited by] first name last name. Place of publication: name of publisher, date of publication. Pages.

Example:
Spohn, Cassia C. "Sentencing Options and the Sentencing Process." Critical Issues in Criminal Justice. Ed. Albert R. Roberts. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks: SAGE publications, 2003. 277-302.

Magazine Article
Format:
Author's last name, first name [if second author add: , and first name last name]. "Article Title." Magazine Name day month year: pages.

Example:
Kantrowitz, Barbara, and Debra Rosenberg. "Wild in the Streets." Newsweek 2 August 1993: 40-46.

Journal Article in Print Format
Format:
Author's last name, first name [if second author add: , and first name last name]. "Article Title." Journal Name volume.issue (year): pages.

Example:
Minor, Kevin I., and James B. Wells. "Sentence Completion and Recidivism among Juveniles Referred to Teen Courts." Crime and Delinquency 45.4 (1999): 467-480.

Full-Text Article Retrieved Online from a Periodical Database
Format:
Author's last name, first name. "Article Title." Journal Name date: page number(s) if provided. Database name. Supplier. Library. Date of access <URL of database home page if provided>.

Example:
Desai, Mayur S. "Computer Anxiety and Performance: An Application of a Change Model in a Pedagogical Setting." Journal of Instructional Psychology Sept. 2001: 141+. Academic Search Premier. EBSCOhost. Roger Williams U. Lib. 21 Jan. 2004.

World Wide Web Document
Format:
Author's last name, first name. Title of work. Date of web page/site if known. Name of sponsoring institution if known. Date of access <address>.

Examples:
Worthington, Valerie L., and Andrew Henry. Computer Anxiety: A Technical or an Existential Problem? Office of Teaching and Technology, Coll. of Educ., Michigan State U. 21 Feb. 2002 <http://ott.edu.msu.edu/tec/R&D/SITE98/site98wh.htm>.

Lloyd, Jennifer. Drug Use Trends. October 2002. Drug Policy Information Clearinghouse. 23 Jan. 2004 <http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/publications/factsht/druguse/index.html>.

More MLA-Style Examples

MLA Style and Formatting Guide: Owl at Purdue
An extensive guide to using MLA style provided by Purdue University. Includes numerous citation examples, notes on formatting, and information on intext citations.

MLA Style
A one-page guide to citing all types of sources from Seattle Community College Library.
Bibliographies: MLA Format
A page of links to examples of MLA citations from the University of Illinois Writer's Workshop Web site.

APA Style

Please consult the Publication Manual of the APA on reserve at the Library's Circulation Desk for full citation formats.
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. 5th ed. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association, 2001.

Book
Format:
Author's last name, first initial. middle initial if available. (date of publication). Title of book. Place of publication: name of publisher.

Example:
Ross, J. I. (2003). The Dynamics of political change. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications.

Book Chapter
Format:
Author's last name, first initial. middle initial if available. (date of publication). Chapter title. In editor's first initial middle initial last name (Ed.). Book title (page numbers). Place of publication: name of publisher.

Example:
Spohn, C. C. (2003). Sentencing options and the sentencing process. In A. R. Roberts (Ed.). Critical issues in crime and justice (pp. 277-302). Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications.

Magazine Article
Format:
Author's last name, first initial. [if second author add: , & last name, first initial.] (year, month day). Article title. Magazine Title, volume, pages.

Example:
Kantrowitz, B., & Rosenberg, D. (1993, August 2). Wild in the streets. Newsweek, 122, 40-46.

Journal Article in Print Format
Format:
Author's last name, first initial. [if second author add: , & last name, first initial.] (year). Article title. Journal Name, volume (issue if each issue begins with page 1), pages.

Example:
Minor, K. I., & Wells, J. B. (1999). Sentence completion and recidivism among juveniles referred to teen courts. Crime and Delinquency, 45(4), 467-480.

Full-Text Article Retrieved Online from a Periodical Database
Format:
Author's last name, first initial. middle initial. (date--year only for a journal article, complete date for a magazine, newspaper or newsletter). Article title. Journal Name, volume(issue if each issue begins with page 1), pages if given or other indicator of length if provided. Retrieved month day, year, from Database Name.

Example:
Desai, M. S. (2001). Computer anxiety and performance: An application of a change model in a pedagogical setting. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 28(3), 141 (9pp). Retrieved January 21, 2004, from EBSCO/Academic Search Premier.

World Wide Web Document
Format:
Author's last name, first initial. (date of page/site if known or n.d. if not known). Title of work. Retrieved month day, year, from source: URL.

Examples:
Worthington, V. L., & Henry, A. (n.d.). Computer anxiety: A technical or an existential problem? Retrieved February 21, 2002, from Michigan State University, College of Education, Office of Teaching and Technology Web site: http://ott.educ.msu.edu/tec/R&D/SITE98/site98wh.htm

Office of National Drug Control Policy. (2003, December 29). Drug facts: club drugs. Retrieved January 23, 2004, from http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/drugfact/club/index.html

More APA-Style Examples

APA Style and Formatting Guide: Owl at Purdue
An extensive guide to using APA style provided by Purdue University. Includes numerous citation examples, notes on formatting, and information on intext citations.
APA Style Guide
Examples from the University of Southern Mississippi Library.
Bibliographies: APA Format
A page of links to examples of APA citations from the University of Illinois Writer's Workshop Web site.
Guide for Citing Electronic Information
David and Lorraine Cheng Library, William Paterson University

CBE Scientific Style

Book
Format:
Author's last name initial(s), second author's last name initial(s). Date of publication. Book Title. Place of publication: publisher. Number of pages p.

Example:
Dunham RA. 2004. Aquaculture and fisheries biotechnology: Genetic approaches. Cambridge: CABI Publishing. 372 p. Book Chapter
Format:
Author's last name initial(s), second author's last name initial(s). Date of publication. Chapter title. In: editor's last name initial(s), second editor's last name initial(s), editors. Book title. Place of publication: publisher. p xx-yy.

Example:
Leach JH, Herron RC. 1992. A review of lake habitat classification. In: Busch WD, Sly PG, editors. The development of an aquatic habitat classification system for lakes. Boca Raton: CRC Press. p 27-57.

Magazine Article
Format:
Author's last name initial(s). Year of publication month date. Article title. Magazine name:pages.

Example:
Morell V. 2004 Mar. Rio's backyard rain forest. National Geographic:2-27.

Journal Article in Print Format
Format:
Author's last name initial(s). Date of publication. Article title. Journal Name volume(issue):pages.

Example:
Schradin C. 2005. Nest-site competition in two diurnal rodents from the succulent karoo of South Africa. Journal of Mammalogy 86(4):757-62.

Full-Text Article Retrieved Online from a Periodical Database
Format:
Author's last name initials(s). Date of publication. Article title. Journal Name [serial online];volume(issue):pages. Available from: Database name(accession number). Accessed date of visit.

Example:
Desai MS. 2001. Computer anxiety and performance: An application of a change model in a pedagogical setting. Journal of Instructional Psychology [serial online];28(3):141-9. Available from: EBSCOhost/Academic Search Premier(5338503). Accessed 2005 Oct 24.

World Wide Web Document
Format:
Author's last name initial(s). Date of web page/site if known. Title of web page. Title of the complete web site or sponsoring organization. Available from: URL. Accessed year month day.

Examples:
Worthington VL, Henry A. Computer anxiety: A technical or an existential problem? Michigan State University, College of Education, Office of Teaching and Technology Web site. Available from: http://ott.educ.msu.edu/tec/R&D/SITE98/site98wh.htm. Accessed 2002 Feb 21.

Office of National Drug Control Policy. 2003 December 29. Drug facts: Club drugs. Available from: http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/drugfact/club/index.html. Accessed 2004 Jan 23.

More CBE-Style Examples

Scientific Style (CBE)
Owens Library, Northwest Missouri State University
CBE Citation Guide
Ohio State University

Turabian

Book
Format:
Author's last name, first name. Title of Book. Place of publication: name of publisher, date of publication.

Example:
Ross, Jeffrey Ian. The Dynamics of Political Crime. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications, 2003.

Book Chapter
Format:
Author's last name, first name. "Title of the Chapter." In Book Title, ed. editor's first name last name, pages. Place of publication: name of publisher, date of publication.

Example:
Spohn, Cassia C. "Sentencing Options and the Sentencing Process." In Critical Issues in Criminal Justice, ed. Albert R. Roberts, 277-302. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications, 2003.

Magazine Article
Format:
Author's last name, first name. "Article Title." Magazine Name, day month year, page numbers.

Example:
Kantrowitz, Barbara, and Debra Rosenberg. "Wild in the Streets." Newsweek, 2 August 1993, 40-46.

Journal Article in Print Format
Format:
Author's last name, first name. "Article Title." Journal Name volume number, no. issue (year): pages.

Example:
Minor, Kevin I., and James B. Wells. "Sentence Completion and Recidivism among Juveniles Referred to Teen Court." Crime and Delinquency 45, no. 4 (1999): 467-80.

Full-Text Article Retrieved Online from a Periodical Database
Format:
Author's last name, first name. "Article Title." Journal Name volume number, no. issue (year): pages. Name of Database. Database on-line. Supplier. Accessed day month year.

Example:
Desai, Mayur S. "Computer Anxiety and Performance: An Application of a Change Model in a Pedagogical Setting." Journal of Instructional Psychology 26, no. 3 (2001): 41-49. Academic Search Premier. Database on-line. EBSCOhost. Accessed 21 January 2004.

World Wide Web Document
Format:
Author's last name, first name. "Title of work." Name of sponsoring institution if known. URL (accessed day month year).

Example:
Worthington, Valerie, and Andrew Henry. "Computer Anxiety: A Technical or an Existential Problem?" Office of Teaching and Technology, College of Education, Michigan State Univ. http://ott.educ.msu.edu/tec/R&D/SITE98/site98wh.htm (accessed 23 January 2004).

More Turabian-Style Examples

Turabian Style Guide
University of Southern Mississippi Libraries
Turabian Style
Long Island University
Turabian Sample for a Bibliography
John Henderson, Ithaca College

Avoiding Plagiarism

Avoiding Plagiarism
From Duke University Libraries, this research guide offers practical strategies to help students avoid plagiarism.
Avoiding Plagiarism
Purdue University Online Writing Lab.
Avoiding Plagiarism: Mastering the Art of Scholarship
Prepared by Student Judicial Affairs, University of California, Davis.
Plagiarism: What it is and How to Recognize and Avoid It
Produced by Writing Tutorial Services, Indiana University.

Copyright Information

Indiana University Online Copyright Tutorial
From the Copyright Management Center of Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI).
SUL: Copyright & Fair Use
Stanford University Libraries
Crash Course in Copyright
University of Texas System
Copyright Resources on the Web
Developed by Humboldt State University Library, this site offers general guides to copyright information, music copyright links, and links for copyright permission.