English Composition 101: Research and Citation - Citation Styles MLA 9th ed Intext AuthorPage Works Cited APA 7th ed AuthorDate References Chicago 17th ed NotesBibliography or AuthorDate CSE IEEE

What It Is

Citation styles are guidelines for crediting sources in academic and professional writing. In a research paper, you must acknowledge the work of others to avoid plagiarism and give credit where it's due. For example, if you're writing a paper about climate change, you might cite a study by John Smith (2020) that found a link between carbon emissions and rising temperatures. Proper citation is crucial for maintaining academic integrity and credibility.

Core Principles (MLA, APA, Chicago)

MLA (9th ed.) – In-text (Author-Page), Works Cited

• In-text citation: Use Author's Last Name and Page Number (e.g., Smith 23).
• Works Cited: List sources in alphabetical order, with Author's Last Name, First Name (e.g., Smith, John).
• MLA format: Double-space, legible font, 1-inch margins.
• Parenthetical citations: Use Author's Last Name and Page Number (e.g., (Smith 23)).
• Block quotes: Indent 5 spaces, no quotation marks.
• Sources with multiple authors: List all authors (e.g., Smith, Johnson, and Williams).
• Sources with no author: Use Title (e.g., "The Impact of Climate Change").

APA (7th ed.) – Author-Date, References

• Author-Date citation: Use Author's Last Name, Year (e.g., Smith, 2020).
• References: List sources in alphabetical order, with Author's Last Name, First Initial (e.g., Smith, J.).
• APA format: Double-space, legible font, 1-inch margins.
• In-text citations: Use Author's Last Name, Year (e.g., Smith, 2020).
• Sources with multiple authors: List all authors (e.g., Smith, Johnson, & Williams).
• Sources with no author: Use Title (e.g., "The Impact of Climate Change").

Chicago (17th ed.) – Notes-Bibliography or Author-Date

• Notes-Bibliography: Use Footnotes or Endnotes with corresponding Bibliography entries.
• Author-Date: Use Author's Last Name, Year (e.g., Smith, 2020) in in-text citations.
• Chicago format: Double-space, legible font, 1-inch margins.
• Sources with multiple authors: List all authors (e.g., Smith, Johnson, and Williams).
• Sources with no author: Use Title (e.g., "The Impact of Climate Change").

CSE and IEEE

• CSE: Use Name-Year citation style, with References list.
• IEEE: Use Author-Date citation style, with References list.

Common Writing Errors

Error: "The author's name is John Smith." Why it fails: This sentence lacks a citation and fails to provide the necessary information for the reader to locate the source. Correction: "According to John Smith (2020), the author's name is John Smith."

Error: "The study found that climate change is real." Why it fails: This sentence lacks a citation and fails to provide evidence to support the claim. Correction: "A study by Smith (2020) found that climate change is real."

Error: "The data shows that carbon emissions are increasing." Why it fails: This sentence lacks a citation and fails to provide the necessary information for the reader to locate the source. Correction: "According to Smith (2020), the data shows that carbon emissions are increasing."

Quick Application

Scenario 1: You are arguing that college tuition should be free. Write a thesis statement.

Model answer: "While some argue that free college tuition is unaffordable, I believe that it is essential for promoting social mobility and reducing student debt."

Explanation: A thesis statement should clearly state the main argument and provide a roadmap for the rest of the paper.

Scenario 2: You are writing a paper about the impact of social media on mental health. Write an in-text citation for a source that found a link between social media use and depression.

Model answer: "According to a study by Smith (2020), there is a significant link between social media use and depression."

Explanation: In-text citations should provide the necessary information for the reader to locate the source.

Scenario 3: You are writing a paper about the benefits of renewable energy. Write a Works Cited entry for a source that discusses the economic benefits of solar power.

Model answer: "Smith, John. 'The Economic Benefits of Solar Power.' Journal of Renewable Energy, vol. 10, no. 2, 2020, pp. 12-20."

Explanation: Works Cited entries should provide the necessary information for the reader to locate the source.

Last-Minute Revision

MLA format: Double-space, legible font, 1-inch margins.

APA format: Double-space, legible font, 1-inch margins.

Chicago format: Double-space, legible font, 1-inch margins.

• Transition words: Use however, in addition, and nevertheless to connect ideas.
• Punctuation traps: Use commas to separate items in a list, and semicolons to separate independent clauses.
• Citation details: Use Author's Last Name and Page Number for MLA in-text citations, and Author's Last Name, Year for APA in-text citations.
• Sources with multiple authors: List all authors (e.g., Smith, Johnson, and Williams).
• Sources with no author: Use Title (e.g., "The Impact of Climate Change").
• Block quotes: Indent 5 spaces, no quotation marks.
• Parenthetical citations: Use Author's Last Name and Page Number (e.g., (Smith 23)).
• Footnotes: Use Footnotes or Endnotes with corresponding Bibliography entries.
• Author-Date citation: Use Author's Last Name, Year (e.g., Smith, 2020).