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How to Cite your Sources

1. Find out what style manual your professor wants you to follow (MLA, APA, or other).  If you don’t know, check the Course Syllabus, ask your professor, or ask a classmate. 

The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers  is frequently used for language and literature.  The “APA Manual” (Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association) is used in many, but not all of the social sciences.  Some disciplines may have their own style manuals.  When in doubt, find out.

2. Follow the current edition of a printed style manual, use citation software such as RefWorks, or use an online web form from a free citation site.   Please note, while handy for ease of formatting citations, the online webforms, citation software, and style wizards are not perfect.  Proofread carefully!  It’s always best to check the citations generated against a printed manual or handbook. 

The library has printed copies of the MLA and APA manuals and others to consult.  They are the most complete and authoritative sources for creating citations.  Associations’ websites sometimes have examples and FAQs on how to cite electronic resources (MLA http://www.mla.org/style_faq) and (APA http://www.apastyle.org/elecmedia.html) but not usually printed resources.
3.  The library subscribes to the RefWorks citation software for SFASU student and faculty use.  It covers citation styles for many different disciplines.  RefWorks is a Web-based bibliography and database manager that allows users to create a personal database by importing references from text files or online databases. RefWorks keeps track of your citations. It can automatically format them for you!! (Click on "sign up for an individual account" to get started).  You will need to invest some time in learning RefWorks.  It includes a tutorial.
4.  The university has access to The APA Style Wizard at
http://www.stylewizard.com/instructors.html

• There are several free sites on the web that assist in creating a bibliography and citing the sources used for information.  They all have unique features, and some cover more styles than others.  Again, please note, while handy for ease of formatting citations, they all have their limitations.  Citation websites are not perfect.  Read their disclaimers and proofread carefully!  It’s always best to check the citations generated against a printed manual or handbook. 

Here are a few of the more popular and useful free sites:

-KnightCite (http://webapps.calvin.edu/knightcite/index.php) is a citation tool from Calvin College.  It includes APA, MLA, and Chicago styles.
-Landmarks Son of Citation Machine (http://citationmachine.net/) is a citation tool created by David Warlick for the Landmarks for Schools Web site for teachers.
-EasyBib (http://www.easybib.com/) has a free section for MLA and APA citations.  It can handle citations with annotations, create a Works Cited page, and adds capitalization.

6. Purdue’s Online Writing Lab also gives detailed information on how to use APA style: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

Each discipline requires that writers cite their sources in a standardized way so that readers can track down those citations later. Think of citations as road maps to the sources that you used to write your paper (and a key to avoiding plagiarism!
Every discipline's citation style will require different ways of using punctuation, capitalization, authors' names, etc..very small details that can be frustrating and are always hard to remember. Rather than trying to memorize each citation style, consult a style manual as you format your citations.
A style manual will demonstrate the standard way to cite each type of source you use: books, articles, web sites, etc. Each discipline will, of course, have its own style manual(s). See below.
TIP: use RefWorks to keep track of your citations. It can automatically format them for you!! (Click on "sign up for an individual account" to get started!)

Some style manuals are available online:

• "KnightCite"  is a seemingly simple tool, but it solves a big problem for a lot of students. Based on input from the user,  it generates bibliographic information for term and research papers.
• Citation Machine An interactive Web tool designed to assist teachers/students in modeling the proper use of information property.
• OWL's Online Writing Lab: Research and Documenting Sources
  This site is from Purdue University's online writing lab know as OWL. The site includes examples of bibliographical formatting (including electronic sources) for the American Psychological Association (APA) style, the Modern Languages Association (MLA) style, and formatting in Sociology.
• Electronic Reference Formats Recommended by the American Psychological Association
  How to cite electronic sources the in the APA Style.
• MLA Style: How to Document Sources from the World Wide Web
  Guidelines on citing electronic resources in the MLA Style. There is also a FAQ http://www.mla.org/style_faq for quick reference assistance in using the MLA style.

Others are available in the library: check the catalog, or find one listed below.

How to Cite What You Have Found

Style manuals explain how to format bibliographies and footnotes as well as provide help with writing research papers. Often, faculty require students to use a specific style manual. In the table below are listed the titles of many of the style manuals available online or in the library.

Below are style manuals generally used for specific disciplines.

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