Citation Management
Citation Management: Overview
This guide provides comprehensive instructions on the proper formatting of citations, covering various citation styles in academia. Additionally, it offers detailed guidance on using citation management tools effectively to organize references and streamline the citation process. Whether you are a student, researcher, or academic, this resource will assist you in mastering both manual citation techniques and citation manager software.
In this section we will go over:
What citations and citation managers are
When should citations be used
What are Citations and Citation Managers?
Citations are references to sources. They are used to give credit when you use someone else’s information in your own work. Additionally, citations help readers by providing the necessary information to find the sources you used. Whenever you use sources such as books, journals or websites in your research, you must give credit to the original author by citing the source.
Citation Managers help you manage and keep track of your citations. Citation managers will also allow you to annotate and tag citations and easily generate citations and bibliographies, so you do not need to manually create them yourself. This guide will provide information on Zotero and Mendeley.
Note: Even when using a citation manager, you will need to choose a citation style. This guide will briefly go over APA, MLA, and Chicago citation styles.
Citation: A (Very) Brief Introduction - libncsu
When should I use Citations?
You should use citations whenever you use information that did not originate with you. Simply, if you found the information in a book, article, website, etc. you should cite it.
Content that should be cited includes but is not limited to:
Quotations
Summaries or Paraphrases
Audio or Visual Material
You do not need to cite information that is common knowledge. Common knowledge is information that is usually known by most people or information that someone can easily trace and find the answer to. It’s important to know that common knowledge can and will depend on the audience.
Examples of common knowledge can include:
There are 365 days in the year.
There are 24 hours in a day.
The earth revolves around the sun.
Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
Note: If you are uncertain is information is common knowledge, it’s safer to cite it!
Why You Need to Cite Sources - The Learning Portal
What is Common Knowledge? - Writing Rescue
Citation Styles
Citation styles are essential in academic writing to give credit to the original sources of information used in a paper or project. Different disciplines may require specific citation styles such as APA, MLA, Chicago, or others. Each style has its own guidelines for citing sources, including how to format citations within the text and in the bibliography or reference list. Adhering to the appropriate citation style demonstrates academic integrity and helps readers locate the sources referenced in the work. It is crucial for researchers and writers to understand and apply the rules of their chosen citation style accurately to ensure the proper documentation of sources.
In this section we will explore:
APA 7th edition (American Psychology Association)
APA is a citation style typically used for Psychology, Education and Science based disciplines. Please confirm with your professor about what citation format you should be using in the course.
Useful Links:
The Basics of Citing and Referencing in APA 7th Edition - Smart Student
In Text Citations
MLA makes use of the author - page format of in-text citations.
The author's name may appear either in the sentence itself or in parentheses following the quotation, paraphrase, or summary, but the page number(s) should always appear in the parentheses, at the end of the sentence. For example:
Smith (2013) explained that his favorite color is blue.
Blue is undoubtedly the best color (Smith, 2013).
When directly quoting from a work, it is essential to provide a clear citation to maintain academic integrity and allow readers to locate the original source. This includes the author's last name, the year of publication, and the specific page number(s) from which the quote is taken. For Example:
Smith (2013) explained that his favorite color is blue (p. 301).
Blue is undoubtedly the best color (Smith, 2013, p. 301).
Citation Templates
Source Type: Book
In Text Citation: (author last name, date)
Citation: Author, A. A. (Year of publication). Title of work: Capital letter also for subtitle. Publisher Name. DOI (if available)
Source Type: Article
In Text Citation: (author last name, date)
Citation: Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (Year). Title of article. Title of Periodical, volume number(issue number), pages. DOI (if available)
Source Type: Website
In Text Citation: (author last name, date)
Citation: Author, A. A. or Organization name. (Year, Month Date). Title of page. Site name. URL
Citation Examples
Source Type: Book
In Text Citation: (Myers, 2021)
Citation: Myers, S. G. (2021). God to us: Covenant theology in scripture. Reformation Heritage Books.
Source Type: Article
In Text Citation: (Sonea, 2017)
Citation: Sonea, C. (2017). Missio Dei - The contemporary missionary paradigm and its reception in the Eastern Orthodox missionary theology. Review of Ecumenical Studies Sibiu, 9(1), 70-91.
Source Type: Website
In Text Citation: (Watson, 2020)
Citation: Watson, k. (2020, February 29). The virtue and necessity of mentorship. CT Creative Studio. https://www.christianitytoday.com/partners/higher-education/virtue-and-necessity-of-mentorship.html
MLA 9th edition (Modern Language Association)
MLA is a citation style typically used disciplines in the Humanities. Please confirm with your professor about what citation format you should be using in the course.
Useful Links:
Introduction to Citation Styles: MLA 9th ed - CSUDH Library
In Text Citations
MLA makes use of the author - page format of in-text citations.
The author's name may appear either in the sentence itself or in parentheses following the quotation, paraphrase, or summary, but the page number(s) should always appear in the parentheses, at the end of the sentence. For example:
Smith explained that his favorite color is blue (102).
Blue is undoubtedly the best color (Smith 102).
Citation Templates
Turabian style is a citation protocol used in many academic disciplines, including business, history, fine arts, and the humanities. It is based on Chicago style, which was created in 1906 by the University of Chicago Press, but has been modified for student writing. Please confirm with your professor about what citation format you should be using in the course.
Useful Links:
Source Type: Book
Works Cited: Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. City of Publication, Publisher, Publication Date.
Source Type: Article
Works Cited: Author(s). "Title of Article." Title of Journal, Volume, Issue, Year, pages.
Source Type: Website
Works Cited: Author Last Name, First Name. “Title.” Title of Site, Sponsor or Publisher [include only if different from website title or author], Day Month Year, URL.
Citation Examples
Source Type: Book
Works Cited: Myers, Stephen. God to Us: Covenant Theology in Scripture. Reformation Heritage Books, 2021.
Source Type: Article
Works Cited: Sonea, Cristian. “Missio Dei – the Contemporary Missionary Paradigm and Its Reception in the Eastern Orthodox Missionary Theology.” Review of Ecumenical Studies Sibiu, vol. 9, no. 1, 2017, pp. 70–91.
Source Type: Website
Works Cited: Watson, Katheryn. "The virtue and necessity of mentorship." CT Creative Studio. 29 Feb. 2020, https://www.christianitytoday.com/partners/higher-education/virtue-and-necessity-of-mentorship.html
Chicago 18th edition
Chicago is a citation style typically used by Business, History, and the Fine Arts disciplines. Please confirm with your professor about what citation format you shoudl be using in the course.
Useful Links:
Citing and referencing in the Chicago Style - UCDLibrary
Documentation Style
The Chicago documentation style, established by the Chicago University Press in 1906, integrates grammatical and punctuation norms prevalent in American English. Generally, it offers two primary documentation methods:
notes and bibliography
author-date
The selection between these methods often hinges on the subject matter and the types of sources referenced, as each system garners preference from distinct scholarly communities.
Citation Templates: Notes and Bibliography
Source Type: Book
Notes:
Full Note: Author first and last name, Book Title (Publisher, publication date), page number(s).
Short Note: Author last name, Shortened Book Title, page number(s).
Bibliography: Author last name, first name. Book Title: Subtitle. Edition. Publisher, Year.
Source Type: Article
Notes:
Full Note: Author first and last name, "Article Title," Journal name Volume, Issue Number (Year): page number(s), DOI or URL.
Short Note: Author last name, "Shortened Article Title," page number(s).
Bibliography: Author last name, First name. “Article Title.” Journal Name Volume, no. Issue (Month or Season Year): Page range. DOI or URL.
Source Type: Website
When referencing web pages and website content, it is often adequate to provide a description within the text itself. For example, one might state, “As of November 15, 2023, Google’s privacy policy stated...”. In instances where a more formal citation is required, it may follow a standardized format similar to these examples. If no publication or revision date is available, including an access date is advisable. Additionally, if the content has been archived through a publicly accessible service like the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine, referencing that specific version can be beneficial for accuracy and credibility.
Notes:
Full Note: "Page Title," Website Title, Owner or Sponsor of the site, publication/revision date or accessed date if publication/revision date is unavailable, URL.
Short Note: "Shortened Page Title."
Bibliography: Owner or Sponsor of the site. “Page Title.” Website Name. publication/revision date or accessed date if publication/revision date is unavailable, URL.
Citation Templates: Author-Date
Source Type: Book
In Text Citation: (Author Last name, Date)
Citation: Author last name, first name. Year. Book Title. Edition. Place of publication: Publisher. URL.
Source Type: Article
In Text Citation: (Author Last name, Date)
Citation: Author last name, first name. Year. “Article Title.” Journal Name Volume, Issue number (Publication date): Page range. DOI or URL.
Source Type: Website
In Text Citation: (Author Last name, Date)
Citation: Author last name, first name. Year. “Page Title.” Website Name. Access/revision date. URL.
Turabian
What is the difference between Chicago and Turabian style?
Chicago and Turabian styles are nearly identical, with Turabian simplifying aspects of Chicago to better suit students writing research papers that are not intended for publication.
The primary difference between the two is in how they handle numbering for notes.
In Chicago style, numbers appear in parentheses, followed by a period and space, with the citation information after (1. Chicago Manual of Style).
In Turabian style, superscript¹ is used within the text and in footnotes, with the source information immediately following the superscript (¹Turabian Style).
Like Chicago, Turabian also supports notes and bibliography and author-date citation styles.
Turabian (Chicago Notes-Bibliography) Citation Style, 9th edition - Colorado State University
Zotero
Zotero is a free, open-source reference management tool designed to help researchers collect, organize, cite, and share their sources. It simplifies the process of gathering bibliographic information by allowing users to save references directly from their web browsers, which can then be organized into collections for various projects. Zotero supports a wide range of citation styles and integrates with word processors, making it easier to insert citations and create bibliographies seamlessly. Additionally, its collaboration features enable users to share their research libraries with colleagues, enhancing teamwork in academic environments. Overall, Zotero serves as a valuable resource for anyone engaged in research and writing.
Key Features:
Collect Sources: Save references and PDFs directly from your browser with one click.
Organize: Create collections and tags to manage your sources by project or topic.
Annotate: Use sticky notes, highlight, and annotate your saved PDFs.
Cite: Automatically generate citations and bibliographies in thousands of styles (including APA, MLA, and Chicago) directly in Word or Google Docs.
How to Get Started:
Download Zotero: Install the desktop app and browser extension from zotero.org.
Add Sources: Use the browser extension to save articles, books, and websites to your library.
Organize Your Library: Group sources into collections or use tags to stay organized.
Cite While You Write: Install the Word or Google Docs plugin to insert citations and create bibliographies as you write.
How To Use Zotero 2024 (Including Zotero Connector) - Full Tutorial With Examples - Grad Coach
Mendeley
Mendeley is a reference management software that facilitates the organization, sharing, and citation of research documents. It allows users to create a personal library where they can store and annotate PDF files, making it easier to keep track of sources. Mendeley also offers collaboration features, enabling researchers to share their libraries and work together on projects. Additionally, the software includes citation tools that integrate with word processors, streamlining the process of generating bibliographies and in-text citations. Overall, Mendeley serves as a valuable resource for academics looking to enhance their research workflow.
Key Features:
Reference Management: Import PDFs and references, and organize them in folders or with tags.
Citation Generation: Easily create citations and bibliographies in various styles (APA, MLA, Chicago).
Collaboration: Share and annotate documents with colleagues or classmates.
Discover Research: Use Mendeley's research network to find articles and connect with researchers.
How to Get Started:
Download Mendeley: Install the desktop app and browser extension from mendeley.com.
Add References: Import PDFs or references manually, or save from the web with the browser extension.
Organize Your Library: Group references in folders and use tags to stay organized.
Cite While You Write: Use the Word or OpenOffice plugin to insert citations and create bibliographies.