THE SITUATION

There are a number of "style" standards for formatting documents, including footnotes and bibliographies. Which one you use depends upon the field and the requirements of the individual instructor and the department. It is important to know, though, that all of the standards are still evolving in the way that they treat the citation of information that is acquired from electronic resources.

The best references for formatting your documents are the extensive print manuals, such as the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers and the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. There are also other books that explain the requirements of these standards. Most libraries have one or more books on the major style standards. Be sure to get the most recent edition of any manual because you want to have the most up-to-date information on how they handle electronic information.

NOTE: There are also software packages available that facilitate the formatting of documents to comply with the standards of a particular style.

IMPORTANCE OF STYLE STANDARDS

• Quality research clearly cites all sources.
• This does several things:
  • It shows that the author knows how to properly create a paper documenting his/her research
  • It demonstrates a professionalism that will give the author's work more respect.
  • Consistent, clear and accurate attribution enables other persons to explore and further validate that research.

MAJOR FORMATS

• There are several major, standard formats for drafting reports, essays, and other documents. These include:
  • APA - American Psychological Association
  • Chicago Manual of Style
  • MLA - Modern Linguistics Association
  • Turabian
• Suggested format
  • For this class, we are suggesting MLA for several reasons:
    • It is one of the two most commonly used formats for many departments at California State Universities and the University of California.
    • It is relatively straightforward in its rules.
    • It has a good set of rules for citing electronic resources, including web sites and articles from databases.

CITATION RESOURCES FOR A FEW MAJOR STYLE STANDARDS

There is no complete reference online for any of the major styles for formatting documents. The publishers, after all, want to make money. There are, though, a lot of web pages that give you the basics, even relatively extensive information for a particular style, usually with an emphasis on how to cite your online sources.

MULTIPLE STYLES

• ONLINE! A Reference Guide to Using Internet Resources - An online companion site to the book, this provides the basics of citing electronic resources in MLA, APA, Chicago, CBE, and other style standards.

MLA

• How do I document sources from the Web in my works-cited list? - This from the Modern Linguistic Association's own web site.
• Library - The De Anza College Library has the following books to help you with MLA.
  • MLA Handbook - The essential book. Be sure to use the latest edition available.
    • Call Number - LB2369 .G53 2003
    • Copies are available on Reserve (at the Checkout Desk), in Reference, and at the Reference Desk.

APA

• Reference Examples for Electronic Source Materials - This is from the American Psychological Association's own web site.

CHICAGO MANUAL OF STYLE

• Search the Manual - You can search the entire Chicago Manual of Style online. You have to register, but it is free.