12 min read
Published on: Feb 19, 2020
Last updated on: Jan 20, 2023
On This Page On This Page
Citing the sources is an important part of writing a research paper. Thesis, research papers, dissertations, and any other type of academic writing need to be cited using different citation styles.
Commonly, students use APA, MLA, and Chicago style styles for citing different sources. You can easily save yourself from plagiarism and show the relevance of your research with proper citation.
However, some students get confused about different citation styles. Thus, refer to this blog and get a complete style guide important to learn how to cite a research paper.
The citation style is an essential part of the paper when you cite another researcher's work. It is used to format the papers in a specific style that makes it easier for others to find your sources and verify them.
The manual on how to do citations contains the information, including examples, explanations, and instructions.
The main purpose of citations is to:
The chosen citation style will depend on the discipline in which you are writing. However, sometimes, the professors assign a citation style to students. Thus, it is better to consult the instructor before starting to write the research paper.
Here are some major elements that you should mention when citing sources:
As previously mentioned, a writer must cite all the sources used while writing a paper. Some of the citation style formats that are used in academic writing include:
The information is the same in all the citation styles, but only the format to present it depends on the styles mentioned above. Let us discuss the referencing styles in detail.
It is the most commonly used research paper format. This citation style is typically used in psychology and social science papers. Nevertheless, it is not limited to these disciplines only.
It is not a complex citation style, and students often use it to format their papers. It is also known as the 7th edition citation. Below-given are the formatting rules that you should follow when writing a research paper in APA format.
Moreover, in APA format style, a research paper must include the following sections:
Have a look at some specific APA formats for different kinds of sources:
Source | Format |
Website | Author, (Year, Month Date of Publication). Article title. Retrieved from URL |
News Paper | Author, (Year, Month Date of Publication). Article title. Magazine Title, pp. xx-xx |
Magazine | Author, (Year, a month of Publication). Article title. Magazine Title, Volume(Issue), pp.-pp |
Book | Author, (Year of Publication). The Title of work. Publisher City, State: Publisher |
APA in-text citations direct the readers to cite the entries at the end of the paper. It is mainly used to describe another author’s work or ideas.
The major elements of the APA in-text citation are:
Make sure to add the timestamp and page number when citing the source. Similarly, the in-text citations in the APA format come in two different forms:
Example:
(David, 1995, p. 67)
In parenthetical citation, it would be written like (David, 1995), while in the narrative, it would be cited as David (1995). Refer to the following sample to understand the APA citation style.
MLA citation format is another commonly used format, especially in the disciplines of humanities and liberal arts. Most scholars and researchers used this citation style for writing their assignments.
When you write the paper in MLA format , use the title for your reference list. Here are some formatting rules that you should follow when drafting an MLA-style paper.
Check out the following MLA formats for citing different kinds of sources:
Source | Format |
Website | Last Name, First Name. “Page Title.” Website Title. Sponsoring Institution/Publisher. Publication Date: Page Numbers. Medium. |
Book | Last Name, First Name. Book Title. Publisher City: Publisher Name, Year Published. Medium. |
Magazine | Last Name, First Name. “Article Title.” Magazine Name Publication Date: Page Numbers. Medium. |
News Paper | Last Name, First Name. “Article Title.” Newspaper Name Publication Date: Page Numbers. Medium. |
Blog Posts | Last name, Middle name, Surname. “Title of the blog post.” Blog Title, Publisher, date posted, URL. |
@twitterhandel. “Description.” Twitter, date, time. URL. | |
Last name, first name. “Description” Website Title, date, URL. |
Below is the sample for you to understand this format style.
The Sociological Association develops this citation style. Most scholars use it for writing sociology research papers. The main elements of an ASA paper include:
Follow the formatting tips given below to write a research paper in ASA format.
Here are the ASA citation guidelines for citing different types of sources.
Source | Format |
Website | Author’s Last, First Name. Date of Publishing. Title. Publisher. Retrieved Month Day, Year (link). |
Magazine Article | Author’s Last, First Name. Year of Pub. "Title." Magazine Name, Month Year, pp. Inclusive page numbers. |
Book | Author’s Last, First Name. Year of Publication. Title. Country of publisher: Publisher. |
Newspaper Article | Author Last name, First name. Year of publication. "Title of Article." Title of Newspaper (italicized), Month date, pp. Numbers. |
Check out the following sample paper for a better understanding.
Researchers mostly use the Chicago style in humanities and book bibliographies. Here, the writers cite sources in endnotes and footnotes. Similarly, it also allows them to demonstrate acceptability to the related references used in the content.
The following are the Chicago-style formatting rules that every student should follow:
Below-mentioned is the Chicago style citation to cite sources of different kinds:
Source | Format |
Website | Last Name, First Name. “Page Title.” Website Title. Web Address (retrieved Date Accessed). |
Article | Last Name, First Name. “Article Title.” Journal Name Volume Number (Year Published): Page Numbers. |
Magazine | Last Name, First Name. Article title. Magazine Title, Month Date, Year of publication. |
News Paper | Last Name, First Name. “Article Title.” Newspaper Name, Publication Date. |
Youtube Video | Last name, First name, “Title of Video.” YouTube video, length. Date published. URL. |
Last name, First name. Twitter Post. Month, Day, Year, Time. Tweet URL. | |
Author(s) of the post (@handle). "Text of the Instagram post." Instagram, Date of posting. URL. | |
Blog Posts | First name, Last Name, “Title of Blog Post,” Blog Title (blog), Month Date, Year of Post, URL. |
Book | Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Publisher City: Publisher Name, Year Published. |
You can also have a look at the following sample to understand better.
The Harvard citation format is used in economics and is based on the author-date system. This style also has in-text citations in the body section.
Here are some tips that you should follow while writing a Harvard-style research paper.
Refer to the following table to format your paper in Harvard style.
Source | Format |
Book | Author A and Author B (year) Book Title. Place: Publisher name. |
Journal Articles | Author Surname, Initial. (Year) Title of article. Title of journal, Vol. no. (Part no./Issue/Month), Pages, use p. or pp. |
Report | Author Surname, Initial(s) or Corporate Author., (Year of publication). Title of report. Paper number [if applicable]. Place of Publication: Publisher. |
Below is an example that will help you understand this citation style in detail.
The IEEE citation style is used while writing electronic, computer science, engineering, and IT papers. It is an official style of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
Also, this citation style has three main elements that must be kept in mind:
However, the format, page numbers, and other information will be different from other citation styles.
The following table shows how to cite different kinds of sources in an IEEE research paper.
Source | Format |
Handbooks | Name of Manual/Handbook, x ed., Abbrev. Name of Co., City of Co., Abbrev. State, year, pp. xxx-xxx. |
Books | J. K. Author, “Title of chapter in the book,” in Title of His Published Book, xth ed. City of Publisher, (only U.S. State), Country: Abbrev. of Publisher, year, ch. x, sec. x, pp. xxx–xxx. |
Conference Paper | J. K. Author, “Title of paper,” presented at the Abbreviated Name of Conf., City of Conf., Abbrev. State, Country, Month and day(s), year, Paper number. |
Periodicals | J. K. Author, “Name of paper,” Abbrev. Title of Periodical, vol. x, no. x, pp. xxx-xxx, Abbrev. Month, year. |
Reports | J. K. Author, “Title of report,” Abbrev. Name of Co., City of Co., Abbrev. State, Country, Rep. xxx, year. |
Thesis and Dissertation | J. K. Author, “Title of thesis,” M.S. thesis, Abbrev. Dept., Abbrev. Univ., City of Univ., Abbrev. State, year. |
Website | First Name Initial(s) Last Name. “Page Title.” Website Title. Web Address (retrieved Date Accessed). |
Check out the following sample paper given below:
Below, we have mentioned some expert tips for you to follow while citing references in a research paper.
Now you get a comprehensive understanding of different citation styles. However, if you still need professional help with citing your sources properly, consult us at FreeEssayWriter.net.
We have a team of professional writers at our essay writing service. They have the right knowledge, skills, and expertise to guide you about the complete writing process.
Thus, contact us now to get a well-written and properly cited paper in no time.
WRITTEN BY
Jared P. (Law, Education)
Jared P. is a renowned author and writing service provider with over fifteen years of experience in the publishing industry. He has a Ph.D. degree in English Literature and has spent his entire career helping students achieve their academic goals by providing expert writing assistance.
Jared P. is a renowned author and writing service provider with over fifteen years of experience in the publishing industry. He has a Ph.D. degree in English Literature and has spent his entire career helping students achieve their academic goals by providing expert writing assistance.
Share this article
Research Paper Writing Guide For Beginners
Research Paper Topics - 100+ Best Ideas To Get Started
Learn How to Write a Research Proposal - Expert Guide
Research Paper Outline – A Complete Guide with Examples
Research Paper Example - Free Sample Papers
Learn How to Start a Research Paper in Simple Steps
Best History Research Paper Topics for All Academic Levels
How to Write a Literature Review of a Research Paper
Different Types of Research Methodologies
Interesting Psychology Research Topics for Your Paper
How to Write a Hypothesis for a Research Paper
Interesting Sociology Research Topics for Students (2022)
What is Qualitative Research - Methods, and Types
Quantitative Research Method - Examples and Topics
Types of Qualitative Research Methods and Examples
Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research – Pros and Cons
How to Write an Abstract – Professional Tips & Examples