Scope: This guide provides an introduction to style manuals
covering the citation systems used in a variety of disciplines.
Which
Citation System Should I Use?
The best answer to this question is to
always ask your instructors which style they prefer. There are
many style manuals in use. The most common systems are generally (but not
exclusively!) used as follows:
Sample papers in each style are available at Bedford/St. Martin's
Research and Documentation
Online.
Although these are the most common, there other style manuals
are used in a variety of disciplines.
Common Style Manuals by Subject
Area
| Anthropology |
American
Anthropological Association (AAA) Style Guide [Web] |
| Biology/Life Sciences |
Council of Science
Editors. Scientific Style and Format: The CBE Manual for Authors, Editors,
and Publishers. 7th ed. Reston, VA: Council of Science Editors, 2006.
[Catalog] Atlas, Michel C. Author's Handbook of Styles for Life
Science Journals. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 1996. |
| Business |
APA
(American Psychological Association) Publication Manual of the American
Psychological Association. 6th ed. Washington: American Psychological
Association, 2010. [Catalog] |
| Chemistry |
Coghill, Anne M., and
Lorrin R. Garson eds. The ACS Style Guide: Effective Communication of
Scientific Information. 3rd ed. Washington DC: American Chemical Society,
2006. [Catalog] |
| Earth Science/Geology |
Bates,
Robert L., Rex Buchanan, and Maria Adkins-Heljeson, eds. Geowriting: A
Guide to Writing, Editing, and Printing in Earth Science. 5th ed.
Alexandria: American Geological Institute, 2005. [Catalog] |
| Engineering |
Institute
of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. 2012 IEEE Standards Style Manual.
IEEE, 2012. PDF file. [Web] |
| English/Humanities |
MLA Handbook for
Writers of Research Papers. 7th ed. New York: Modern Language Association
of America, 2009. [Catalog]
The Chicago
Manual of Style. 16th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2010.
[Catalog] |
| Government Documents |
Cheney, Debora, Diane
L. Garner, and Diane H. Smith. The Complete Guide to Citing Government
Information Resources: A Manual for Social Science and Business Research.
3rd ed. Bethesda: Congressional Information Services, 2002. [Catalog]
|
| History |
The Chicago Manual
of Style. 16th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2010.
[Catalog] |
| Journalism |
Goldstein, Norm, Sally
Jacobsen, and David Minthorn, eds. 2011 Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law.
46th ed. New York: Basic Books, 2011. [Catalog] |
| Law |
Harvard Law Review et
al. The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation. 19th ed. Cambridge:
Harvard Law Review Association, 2010. [Catalog] |
| Mathematics |
American
Mathematical Society. AMS Author Handbook. Rev. ed. Providence:
American Mathematical Society, 2010. [PDF] |
| Medicine |
Iverson, Cheryl et al.
AMA Manual of Style: A Guide for Authors and Editors. Oxford; New
York: Oxford University Press, 2007. [Catalog] |
| Music |
Holoman, D. Kern.
Writing about Music: A Style Sheet. 2nd ed. Berkeley: University of
California Press, 2008. [Catalog] |
| Physics |
American Institute of
Physics. AIP Style Manual. 4th ed. New York: American Institute of
Physics, 1990. [Catalog] |
| Political Science |
Style Manual for
Political Science. Washington, DC: American Political Science Association,
Committee on Publications, 2001. [Catalog] |
| Psychology/Social Sciences |
APA
(American Psychological Association). Publication Manual of the American
Psychological Association. 6th ed. Washington: American Psychological
Association, 2010. [Catalog] |
| Science/Technical Writing |
Rubens, Philip, ed.
Science and Technical Writing: A Manual of Style. 2nd ed. New York:
Routledge, 2001. [Catalog] |
| Sociology |
American Sociological
Association. Style Guide. 3rd ed. Washington, DC: American
Sociological Association, 2007. [Catalog] |
