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Writing Center: Documentation Styles

A guide to information to help you research and write more effectively.

Official Handbooks

MLA Style Guide

What is MLA Style?

A set of guidelines for formatting academic manuscripts and citing materials used by other writers. It is most often used by writers in the Humanities and Liberal ArtsCiting sources you've consulted gives your paper credibility, and adhering to MLA's citation guidelines protects you from unintentional plagiarism.

Follow the links below for any questions about MLA style!

                                                                                                     

APA Style Guide

What is APA Style?

When documenting sources, writers of research papers use a particular citation style. APA (American Psychological Association) Style is generally used for disciplines such as Psychology, Sociology, Education, Nursing, Communication, and other social sciences.

 

Follow the links below for any questions about APA style!

Chicago/Turabian Style Guide

What is Chicago/Turabian Style?

The Chicago Manual of Style (CMS) covers a variety of topics from manuscript preparation and publication to grammar, usage, and documentation. There are two CMS documentation styles: the Notes-Bibliography System (NB), which is preferred for literature, history, and the arts. The other documentation style, the Author-Date System, is preferred in the social/sciences. We will focus on the Notes-Bibliography System here. Bibliographical info is placed in notes and a bibliography. A bibliography follows the end of a research paper.

Follow the links below for any questions about Chicago style!

CSE Style

What is CSE Style?

The standard citation style guide book for the natural and physical sciences is the Scientific Style and Format: The CSE Manual for Author, Editors and Publishers, 7th edition, 2006. We commonly refer to it as "the CSE Manual".

CSE (Council of Science Editors) is used to be called CBE (Council of Biology Editors). However, since most biologists, zoologists, earth scientists, geneticists, and other scientists use one of three systems of documentation specified by CSE, finally they decided to change the name CBE to CSE to be more inclusive.

Follow the links below for any questions about Scientific style!

CBE Style

What is CBE Style?

Scientific Style and Format (6th ed.), a publication of the Council of Biology Editors (CBE), outlines proper documentation style for writers in many areas of the sciences, and particularly the biological sciences. However, since most biologists, zoologists, earth scientists, geneticists, and other scientists use one of three systems of documentation specified by CSE, finally they decided to change the name CBE to CSE to be more inclusive.

Follow the links below for any questions about CBE style!

ACS Style

What is ACS Style?

Developed by the American Chemical Society, this style may be used for research papers in the field of chemistry.

Follow the links below for any questions about ACS style!

AP Style

What is AP Style?

AP (Associated Press) style provides guidelines for news writing. Many newspapers, magazines and public relations offices across the United States use AP style. Although some publications such as the New York Times have developed their own style guidelines, a basic knowledge of AP style is considered essential to those who want to work in print journalism.

Follow the links below for any questions about AP style!