Library: Introduction to Doing Research: Citations

Citation styles

When in doubt, ask your instructor which citation style to use for your paper or project. Some of the most widely used citation styles include:

Citation guides in the Library

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.) by American Psychological Association
Call Number: BF76.7 .P83 2020
Copies of this edition can be found at the Research Desk on Level 2 and in the Webster Stacks on the Lower Level.
The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition by The University The University of Chicago Press Editorial Staff
Call Number: Z253 .U69 2017
Copies of this edition can be found at the Research Desk on Level 2 and in Webster Stacks on Level 4.
MLA Handbook (9th ed.) by The Modern Language; The Modern Language Association of America
Call Number: LB2369 .M52 2021
Copies of this edition can be found at the Research Desk on Level 2 and in Webster Stacks on Level 3.
Cite Right, Second Edition by Charles Lipson
Call Number: Research Desk
This edition is only available at the Research Desk on Level 2.
A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, Ninth Edition by Gregory G. Colomb (Revised by); Joseph M. Williams (Revised by); Joseph Bizup (Revised by); William T. FitzGerald (Revised by); The University The University of Chicago Press Editorial Staff (Revised by); Kate L. Turabian; Wayne C. Booth (Revised by)
Call Number: Research Desk
This edition is only available at the Research Desk on Level 2.

What is an annotated bibliography

An annotated bibliography is a list of cited sources from books, articles, documents, or websites. Some annotated bibliographies summarize a source and some evaluate or assess a source. Your professor will specify the type and citation style of annotated bibliography they would like.

Need help with an Annotated Bibliography?

Visit Purdue OWL's website for more information about annotated bibliographies.

Sample annotated bibliography

Sample Annotated Bibliography Entries

The following example uses APA style (Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th edition, 2020) for the journal citation:

Waite, L. J., Goldschneider, F. K., & Witsberger, C. (1986). Nonfamily living and the erosion of traditional family orientations among young adults. American Sociological Review, 51, 541-554.
The authors, researchers at the Rand Corporation and Brown University, use data from the National Longitudinal Surveys of Young Women and Young Men to test their hypothesis that nonfamily living by young adults alters their attitudes, values, plans, and expectations, moving them away from their belief in traditional sex roles. They find their hypothesis strongly supported in young females, while the effects were fewer in studies of young males. Increasing the time away from parents before marrying increased individualism, self-sufficiency, and changes in attitudes about families. In contrast, an earlier study by Williams cited below shows no significant gender differences in sex role attitudes as a result of nonfamily living.

This example uses MLA style (MLA Handbook, 9th edition, 2021) for the journal citation:

Waite, Linda J., et al. "Nonfamily Living and the Erosion of Traditional Family Orientations Among Young Adults." American Sociological Review, vol. 51, no. 4, 1986, pp. 541-554.
The authors, researchers at the Rand Corporation and Brown University, use data from the National Longitudinal Surveys of Young Women and Young Men to test their hypothesis that nonfamily living by young adults alters their attitudes, values, plans, and expectations, moving them away from their belief in traditional sex roles. They find their hypothesis strongly supported in young females, while the effects were fewer in studies of young males. Increasing the time away from parents before marrying increased individualism, self-sufficiency, and changes in attitudes about families. In contrast, an earlier study by Williams cited below shows no significant gender differences in sex role attitudes as a result of nonfamily living.

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