About Citation Help
Different courses in political science may use different citation styles. The most common are APA Style (widely used across the social sciences) and APSA Style (developed by the American Political Science Association).
Use the guides and examples below for each style. Always check your syllabus or ask your professor which style to use before you start writing.
APSA Style (American Political Science Association Style)
Use these resources to format in-text citations and reference lists in APSA Style (author–date). Always confirm the required style in your syllabus.
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APSA Style Manual (PDF)Official American Political Science Association style manual, 2023 update.
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APSA Quick Guide (PDF)Two-page quick guide with common examples.
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APSA Citation Examples by Source TypeExamples for books, articles, chapters, reports, datasets, etc.
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In-Text Citation is APSAOfficial APSA instructions on author-date format, multiple authors, organizations as authors, etc.
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Reference List in APSAOfficial APSA rules for reference lists: alphabetizing, punctuation, DOIs/URLs, and more.
American Psychological Association Style (APA)
These links offer advice for using APA Style and have enough information for most student papers.
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APA 7th ed. Quick Reference GuideCharts detail how to create a reference for a journal article, book, and a book chapter.
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APA Style Reference ExamplesThis page offers links to example references for common types of materials such as journal articles, magazine articles, books, chapters from edited books, dissertations, etc.
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APA Style 7th ed. @ Purdue OWLInformation on the format, in-text citations and the reference page for 7th ed. APA research papers. There are also links to archived pages for APA 6th information.
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APA Style Blog 7th ed.Official blog with posts on common questions about 7th ed APA style.
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Citation ToolsTools for creating citations and managing references.
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Microsoft Word / Google Docs: APA Formatting HelpTips for formatting documents in APA style in Microsoft Word or Google Docs.
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APA Student Paper Setup GuideGuide from APA showing how to set up an APA Style student paper.
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How to cite ChatGPTHow to cite ChatGPT or other AI models in APA style.