Stephens Library
Citation Style Guide
Why is citing your sources correctly important?
To give credit where credit is due.
To help support any claims you’re making.
Help readers easily find and access the sources you use.
The most common citation styles are APA style and MLA style.
MLA Citation Style
MLA style, created and governed by the Modern Language Association, is most commonly used to cite sources within the language arts, cultural studies, and other humanities disciplines. When deciding how to cite your source, start by consulting the list of core elements. These are the general pieces of information that MLA suggests including in each Works Cited entry. Useful resources include:
MLA Formatting and Style Guide - Purdue Online Writing Lab (“OWL”)
MLA Style - from Excelsior University
MLA Handbook, Ninth Edition - physical copy located in the library’s reference section.
APA Citation Style
APA style, created and governed by the American Psychological Association, is most commonly used to cite sources within the social sciences. Generally, when doing APA formatting, basic components such as a title page, abstract, body, and reference page are used. Useful resources include:
APA General Format - Purdue Online Writing Lab (“OWL”)
Style and Grammar Guidelines - From the American Psychological Association.
Publication Manual of American Psychological Association: the official guide to APA style - physical copy located in the library.
The Concise APA Handbook - available as an electronic book.
Library Database Citation Generators
Many of the library’s databases, including all EBSCO databases, make it easy to copy citations of database results in a variety of styles. Note, however, that no citation generator is perfect. Always double check before using them. The process for EBSCO databases is as follows:
To copy citation information for articles, eBooks, etc:
From a record's detail view, click the Cite tool icon.
Select a citation style from the Style drop-down menu. (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.)
Click the Copy to clipboard button.
To export a citation for use in a citation manager:
From a record's detail view, click the Cite tool icon.
Click Export Citation in the Cite box.
Click the link for the desired tool.
Zotero: A Library Supported Citation Tool
Zotero is a free citation management program that assists with collecting, organizing, citing, and sharing research.
In order to use Zotero, download the Zotero software to your computer and install the Zotero Connector to your internet browser.
It is also beneficial to register for a free Zotero account. Having an account will allow you to sync and access your library from anywhere. It will also allow you to join groups and back up any attached files.
Zotero allows you to organize your research into different collections, create citations from scratch, and import citations by keying in ISBNs, DOIs, and PubMed IDs. You can also edit entries as needed and create notes and tags.
Check out our Zotero Library Guide.