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Citation Style Quick Guides
Download our APA, Chicago, and MLA style quick guides for a brief overview of each documentation style. The guides cover the basics of in-text citations as well as explain how to format bibliographic entries for books; journal, magazine, and newspaper articles; and webpages and websites. They require Adobe's free Acrobat Reader.
Introduction to Citations Tutorial
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Explains what citations are as well as why and when you should use them.
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Which Citation Style Should I Use?
Different academic disciplines use different citation styles. English courses, for instance, use MLA style, developed by the Modern Language Association. The social sciences, however, typically use American Psychological Association, or APA, style. Sociology courses use American Sociological Association, or ASA, style. It's best to consult your assignment sheet or check with your instructor before choosing a citation style for your paper. Below you'll find the four citation styles most commonly used at NWACC as well as links to useful resources for each, both in the Library and on the Internet.
Developed by the American Psychological Association, APA style is typically used in psychology and other social science courses. APA style requires in-text parenthetical citations as well as a References page with a bibliographic entry for each source referenced in a paper.
Resources in the Library
The Library has the sixth edition of the official Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association available for check out and library-only use. This book explains how to format in-text citations and bibliographic entries according to APA style. It includes examples for numerous types of documents, including books, journal articles, magazine articles, newspaper articles, interviews, and films.
Recommended Websites
Bedford St. Martins - Explains how to format in-text parenthetical citations and References entries in APA style. Also includes instructions for formatting a paper according to APA guidelines, including the title page, spacing, and margins.
Purdue Online Writing Lab - Maintained by Purdue University, this comprehensive website provides rules and examples for formatting citations and bibliographic entries according to APA style.
Son of Citation Machine - This free online tool automatically generates APA-style bibliographic entries for a variety of document types. Be sure to double-check the generated citation to ensure it's formatted properly.
Developed by the American Sociological Association, ASA style is typically used in sociology and other social science courses. ASA style requires in-text parenthetical citations as well as a References page with a bibliographic entry for each source referenced in a paper.
Resources in the Library
The Library has the fourth edition of the official Style Guide of the American Sociological Association available for library-only use. This book explains how to format in-text citations and bibliographic entries according to ASA style. It includes examples for numerous types of documents, including books, journal articles, magazine articles, newspaper articles, interviews, and films.
Recommended Websites
ASA Documentation Style - Developed by the Hunter College Reading/Writing Center, this website explains how to format in-text parenthetical citations and References entries in ASA style.
ASA Quick Style Guide - Developed by the American Sociological Association, this guide provides a concise overview of in-text citations and reference list examples in ASA style.
ASA Style Lite for Research Papers - This PDF document explains how to write, format, and document a research paper in ASA style. You will need Adobe's free Acrobat Reader to view the document.
Purdue Online Writing Lab - Maintained by Purdue University, this comprehensive website provides rules and examples for formatting papers, citations, and bibliographic entries according to ASA style.
Developed by the University of Chicago Press, Chicago style is typically used in history and philosophy courses. Chicago style allows in-text parenthetical citations, footnotes, or endnotes. A references page is also required, with a bibliographic entry for each source referenced in a paper.
Resources in the Library
The Library has the sixteenth edition of the official Chicago Manual of Style available for check out and library-only use. This book explains how to format in-text citations, footnotes, endnotes, and bibliographic entries according to Chicago style. It also includes examples for numerous types of documents, including books, journal articles, magazine articles, newspaper articles, interviews, and films.
Recommended Websites
Bedford St. Martins - Explains how to format in-text citations and bibliographic entries in Chicago style. Also includes instructions for formatting a paper according to Chicago guidelines, including the title page, spacing, and margins.
BibMe - Simply provide the publishing information for a source and this free online tool will automatically generate a References entry in Chicago style. Be sure to double-check the citation to ensure it's formatted properly.
Purdue Online Writing Lab - Maintained by Purdue University, this comprehensive website provides rules and examples for formatting citations and bibliographic entries according to Chicago style.
Developed by the Modern Language Association, MLA style is typically used in composition, literature, arts, and other humanities courses. MLA style requires in-text parenthetical citations as well as a Works Cited page with a bibliographic entry for each source referenced in a paper.
Resources in the Library
The Library has the seventh edition of the Modern Language Association's official MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers available for check out and library-only use. This book explains how to format in-text citations and bibliographic entries according to MLA style. It also includes examples for numerous types of documents, including books, journal articles, magazine articles, newspaper articles, interviews, and films.
Recommended Websites
Bedford St. Martins - Explains how to format in-text parenthetical citations and Works Cited entries in MLA style. Also includes instructions for formatting a paper according to MLA guidelines, including spacing, margins, and pagination.
EasyBib - Simply provide the publishing information for a source and this free online tool will automatically generate a Works Cited entry in MLA style. Be sure to double-check the citation to ensure it's formatted properly.
Purdue Online Writing Lab - Maintained by Purdue University, this comprehensive website provides rules and examples for formatting citations and bibliographic entries according to MLA style.
