About Reference & Citation Help
Different disciplines often use different citation styles. The most common are APA Style (widely used across the social sciences), APSA Style (developed by the American Political Science Association), and Chicago Style.
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.
APA Style (American Psychological Association)
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.
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.
Chicago Style
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The Chicago Manual of Style (18th ed) - Online
Publication Date: 2024The newest (18th) edition. Emich login required for off-campus use. -
The Chicago Manual of Style - 17th ed. - Online
Publication Date: 2017The previous (17th) edition. Emich login required for off campus use.
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Chicago Manual of Style - Author-Date: Sample Citations - 18th Ed.Author-Date: Sample citations from the publisher of the Chicago Manual of Style
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Chicago Manual of Style - Notes and Bibliography: Sample Citations - 18th Ed.Notes and Bibliography: Sample citations from the publisher of the Chicago Manual of Style