Parts of a Citation

  • Author (who wrote the information)
  • Title of book, article, web page 
  • Page number where information was found
  • Date of publication
  • URL

Note: Each type of information source may require different information. For more obscure sources (podcasts, dissertations, government reports, etc.) please review the appropriate style guide for guidance.

 

Basic Citations Review

The citations below are examples formatted based on the MLA citation style:

For a Book:

Joyce, James. Finnegans Wake. Viking, 1957.

For an Article in an Online Periodical Database:

Pickrell. J. "Less Crying in the Kitchen." Science News, vol.162, no.16, 19 Oct. 2002, p.244. Academic Search Complete, doi-org.collegeofalameda.idm.oclc.org/10.2307/4014102. Accessed 2 May 2022.

For Sources on the Internet:

Alban, Debra. "Will Your Privacy be Compromised Online." CNN, 29 Sept. 2009, www.cnn.com/2009/TCH/09/28/online.security.tactics/index.html. Accessed 13 May 2019.

 

Commonly Used Writing Style Guides:

MLA
m l a
MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers
The MLA (Modern Language Association) style is often used by students in languages and English. Most instructors at COA require that you to use MLA.

APA

a p a
The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association
The APA style is often used by students in the social sciences.
Chicago Manual of Style
Chicago Manual of Style
A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations
This commonly-used manual by Kate Turabian is a student version of a longer guide, The Chicago Manual of Style.
These full style guides and short handouts with examples of citations are available at the Reference Desk in the COA Library.

 

Detailed handouts and tutorials are available on the Library's website on How to Cite Links to an external site.  Links to an external site.and  Research Guides Links to an external site. pages.