In this module you will find information about the importance of citing, review citation styles, learn how to build citations, and discover citation support tools.
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A citation is a reference to a source of information, such as a book, article, or website, used in academic or research writing. It typically includes details like the author's name, publication date, title, and source. Citing your work is crucial because it gives credit to the original authors and sources, showing that you've built your work on established knowledge. Additionally, citations lend credibility to your own research, allowing readers to verify and explore the sources you've used while demonstrating the breadth and depth of your research. Proper citations also help avoid plagiarism and maintain academic integrity.
Plagiarism can be deliberate - knowingly using someone else's work as your own. It can also be inadvertent. Sometimes plagiarism accusations are simply the result of not following a specific style properly. So, it’s important to know the citation style that your instructor wants you to use (e.g., APA, MLA, etc.). The specific citation style you are using will dictate the details.
In this module you will find:
Citing your sources lets your reader know what information you came up with yourself and what comes from someone else's work. In addition, it gives credit to the creators of the original works. Citing your sources is the best way to avoid plagiarism. Plagiarism can be deliberate - knowingly using someone else's work as your own. It can also be inadvertent. Sometimes plagiarism accusations are simply the result of not following a specific style properly. Always consult your instructor or assignment guidelines to determine which citation style to use at any given time.
Information has value, whether it is found in books or journals or freely available on the web. People work to create it, and that work should be acknowledged. When you cite a source, you are giving credit to the original author or creator of the ideas or content you are using. This is a matter of intellectual honesty and integrity. It shows that you respect and acknowledge the work and ideas of others.
By citing, you acknowledge how other people's work, ideas, or experiences have influenced your own thinking. By acknowledging the original creators of information or ideas, we not only show appreciation for their work but also foster a sense of collaboration and community. It's a simple yet powerful way to recognize that knowledge is built upon the efforts of many, and giving credit where it's due ensures that each individual's contributions are acknowledged and valued.
Citing your sources allows others to find them and benefit from what you've learned. Proper citations also allow readers, researchers, and anyone interested to follow the path of your information and verify the sources you've used. It ensures that your claims and arguments are not taken at face value but can be scrutinized and built upon, contributing to the growth of collective knowledge, and ensuring that your information is reliable and trustworthy. In a world where information is abundant, easily accessible, and constantly evolving, clear and traceable references provide the essential roadmap for others to explore, validate, and extend the ideas and discoveries presented in your work.
Citing other people's work adds credibility and authority to your own work. It demonstrates that your arguments and claims are supported by reputable sources, which can make your writing more persuasive and trustworthy. When you attribute your information to reputable sources, you not only demonstrate that your statements are well-informed, but you also invite trust, showing that your words aren't mere opinions, but rather, they carry the weight of established knowledge. When you cite reputable sources to support your statements, you're essentially saying, "I'm not making this up; experts or credible sources back me up." This can make your argument more convincing.
Moreover, it signals to readers or audiences that we have done our due diligence, reinforcing our trustworthiness. Citing sources acts as a stamp of approval from the experts in a field, granting our work the credibility it needs to stand up to scrutiny.
Citing sources is a powerful tool for preventing plagiarism, which is the unethical practice of presenting another person's work, ideas, or words as one's own. It is not just about copying text; it's also about taking someone else's ideas or concepts without attribution.
Accurately citing other people's ideas wherever they occur in your research is the best way to avoid plagiarism. This practice distinguishes our own contributions from those of others, allowing readers or evaluators to trace the origins of the content and verify its authenticity. In essence, citing is a safeguard against plagiarism, preserving the credibility of our work while upholding the fundamental principles of academic integrity and honesty.
A citation style is a set of rules that specifies the format and content of a citation. Each style outlines a set of rules for authors to follow. Adherence to the rules is required to make a correct citation. You should never use more than one citation style in a single assignment. Always remain consistent with the style that you are using. Most academic disciplines have a preferred style, but the style you should use is usually specified by the instructor or noted in the assignment guidelines.
Every citation style is based on a set of rules outlined in a published manual. Many colleges have created online versions of these guides. Getting familiar with these guides will increase your efficiency when citing your sources.
APA is often used in the following disciplines:
Purdue OWL is a great resource that provides an overview of the APA general formatting rules, along with sample papers:
MLA is often used in the following disciplines:
Purdue OWL is a great resource that provides an overview of the MLA general formatting rules, along with sample papers:
Chicago is often used in the following disciplines:
Purdue OWL is a great resource that provides an overview of the Chicago general formatting rules, along with sample papers:
Canadian Uniform Legal Citation is often used in the following disciplines:
Carlton University has a short guide providing an overview of the Canadian Uniform Legal Citation general formatting rules, along with common example citations:
All major citation styles are comprised of a brief in-text citation, as well as a detailed list of cited sources at the end of the document; however, the method varies by citation style.
The chart below outlines the terminology used by each citation style. Remember to consult the citation style guide to check for any exceptions.
Citation Style | In-Text Citation | List of Citations |
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APA | Parenthetical Citation | References |
MLA | Parenthetical Citation | Works Cited |
Chicago | Footnotes | Bibliography |
Legal | Footnotes | Bibliography |
Parenthetical citations require you to place the necessary citation components into parentheses. For example: (Freud, 1930).
Footnotes require the use of numeric footnotes, which direct readers to the footer of the document. The footer contains the necessary citation components. For example, Schama³.
Reference Lists, Works Cited pages, and Bibliographies are all alphabetical lists of the sources used within a paper.
Citing your sources is a process of wayfinding: you provide the address, so that the reader is able to find the original source. It’s an academic and ethical process to acknowledge the person whose information you used to support your research. Citing is a key component of academic integrity and alerts the reader that an idea used in your paper was someone else’s.
If you’re struggling with your citations, don’t worry! There’s lots of help available.
Start with your own college’s citation help resources. You’ll find the links below. Many college libraries provide citation examples for different formats (e.g. journals, websites, YouTube videos, etc.), and quick reference PDF guides that you can print or download. Feel free to check out other college’s help pages if you’re not finding what you need.
There is also lots of citation instruction and assistance online. Explore the rest of this tutorial to learn more specifics about citations.
Many people use the terms “citation” and “reference” interchangeably, but there is a difference in APA style. They are two different steps in the process of citing your sources in APA style.
Note: These terms apply to APA style and MLA style. Other styles may use these words differently.
Every single use of someone else’s work in your paper must be acknowledged. You do this by adding an in-text citation, sometimes called a parenthetical reference (which means in parenthesis), right before or after the use of someone else’s idea.
An in-text citation is a short indication of someone else’s work, embedded right in the body of your paper. Information typically included in an in-text citation is (author year page number), but this is style dependent.
Here are two examples of in-text citations:
Every single in-text citation must have a corresponding full reference/works cited entry at the end of the paper. You have to have both an in-text citation and a detailed reference in order for the citation to be complete.
For more instructions and examples for in-text citations, please see your college citation guide, or refer to our Citation Examples tab!
In-Text Citations using APA 7th Video Transcript - RTF Opens in a new window In Text Citations Using MLA 9th Video Transcript - RTF Opens in a new windowThe References/Works Cited page contains detailed information about a particular source. This detailed reference is on a separate page at the end of your paper. It is arranged alphabetically by author’s last name. Be sure to double check capitalization and punctuation for the citation style you are using.
Tips for creating a reference list or works cited page
For more instructions and examples for reference/ works cited citations, please see your college citation guide, or refer to our Citation Examples tab!
Sometimes it’s hard to know where to look to find the information you need to create a citation. Different types of sources require different information to be included in the reference page.
This information is usually one of the first things you can locate pretty easily. If you are looking at a book, the author(s) can be found on the front cover. Journal articles have author(s) listed on the first page of the article or on the title page if there is one.
When looking at websites, it’s hard to know where to locate the author. Do a bit of digging. Is there an about us/me section? Is the author listed by the last modified or copyright date on the bottom of the page. Is there a logo? Sometimes the author of a website can be a corporation or an organization. We call these corporate or group authors.
Sometimes publication dates can be found on the very first page of the article you are looking at. You may have to look around on both the top and bottom of the first page.
Books include this info by the copyright symbol on the verso.
Websites can be tricky. Sometimes a last modified date is found on the bottom of the page. This can also be a copyright date. APA and MLA have slightly different approaches for dealing with date of publication for websites.
This can get confusing for many people. You want to make sure you know what you are citing. Most of the time, you will want to record the title of what you are looking at whether it’s the title of the book or the particular page you are looking at on a website. Usually that’s all you need and these are italicized in the reference. However, when you are citing journal, newspaper and magazine articles, you have to include both the title of the article and the title of journal/newspaper/magazine. These are usually italicized on the reference page instead of the title of the article.
DOI stands for Digital Object Identifier. A DOI is a unique number assigned to journal articles only. DOIs differ from URLs in that they are static. In other words, once they are assigned, they will not change, which makes it very easy to locate at any future time (even after it has been moved). Include a DOI for all works that have a DOI, regardless of whether you used the online version or the print version. If an article has both a DOI and a URL, use the DOI only.
Example DOI:
URL stands for Uniform Resource Locator, URLs are a website's ordinary web address typically appearing in the navigation bar at the top of your web browser. In the event that a source does not have a DOI assigned, or if the citation style you are using specifically calls for URLs over DOIs, cite the source’s URL.
Example URL:
Don’t panic if information is missing in a citation. Some citation styles are pretty flexible when it comes to missing information. Sometimes a journal may not include a volume or an issue number, and that’s perfectly fine. It’s okay to leave that information out.
Work with what you have available to you. If it’s not there, no need to include anything.
Note: This is not the case for publication dates. If there is no date, simply put (n.d.) in place of a year.
Print Books |
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Reference List Citation |
Format: Author's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if any. (Year of Publication). Title of book: Subtitle if any (edition if given and is not first edition). Publisher. Examples: One Author Marotz, L. R. (2020). Health, safety, and nutrition for the young child (10th ed.). Cengage Learning. Two Authors Vincent, C., & Amalberti, R. (2016). Safer healthcare: Strategies for the real world. Springer Open. Penguin. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-25559-0 Three to Twenty Authors Nelson, B., Phillips, A., & Steuart, C. (2019). Guide to computer forensics and investigations (6th ed.). Cengage Learning. Note:If your source has three to twenty authors, include all of the authors' last names, first intials, and second initials (if given) in the Reference List citation. Include an "&" before the final author's name. |
In-Text Citation |
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eBook from a Library Database |
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Reference List Citation |
Format: Author's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if any. (Year of Publication). Title of book: Subtitle if any. (edition if given and is not first edition ed.). Publisher Name often shortened. Hyperlinked DOI if given Example: One Author Schanbacher, W. D. (2019). Food as a human right: Combatting global hunger and forging a path to food sovereignty. Praeger. Two Authors Butts, J. B., & Rich, K. L. (2020). Nursing ethics: Across the curriculum and into practice (5th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning. Three to Twenty Authors Guo, B., Liu, X., & Tan, X. (2017). Petroleum production engineering (2nd ed.). Gulf Professional Publishing. |
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eBook from a Website |
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Reference List Citation |
Format: Author's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if any. (Year of Publication). Title of eBook (edition if given and is not first edition). Name of Website/Publisher. Hyperlinked URL (Statement of original publication date if necessary) Example: House, F.N. (n.d.). The development of sociology. McGraw-Hill Book Company. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.$b50999 (Original work published 1936) Note: Many online ebooks were published in print before they were published in eBook format. In these cases, include the year the book was originally published in a statement at the end of the citation. Don’t forget to add both dates in your in-text citation (for the above example: (House, 1936/n.d.)). |
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Edited book |
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Reference List Citation |
Format: Editor's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if any. (Ed.). (Year of Publication). Title of book. Publisher. Example: Fetherling, G. (Ed.). (2001). The vintage book of Canadian memoirs. Vintage Canada. |
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Journal Articles with DOI |
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Reference List Citation |
Format: Author's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if any., & any additional authors. (Year). Title of article. Title of Journal, volume number(issue number), page numbers. Hyperlinked DOI Example: Harwood, N., & Petric, B. (2011). Performance in the citing behavior of two student writers. Written Communication, 29(1), 55-103. https://doi.org/10.1177/0741088311424133 |
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Journal Articles without a DOI, |
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Reference List Citation |
Format: From Library Database or Print Version Author's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if any., and any additional authors. (Year). Title of article. Title of Journal, volume number(issue number), page numbers. From The Web Author's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if any., and any additional authors. (Year). Title of article. Title of Journal, volume number(issue number), page numbers. Hyperlinked URL Example: From Library Database or Print Version Cox, E. O., Green, K. E., Hobart, K., Jang, L. J., & Seo, H. (2007). Strengthening the late-life care process: Effects of two forms of a care-receiver efficacy intervention. The Gerontologist, 47(3), 388-397. From The Web Blattberg, C. (2008). The scales of injustice. The Windsor Yearbook of Access to Justice, 26(1). https://wyaj.uwindsor.ca/index.php/wyaj/article/view/4536 |
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Journal Articles with Two to Twenty Authors |
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Reference List Citation |
Format: First Author's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given, Second Author's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial., Third Author's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial., etc. & Last Author's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial. (Year). Title of article: Subtitle if given. Title of Journal, volume number(issue number), page numbers. Hyperlinked DOI or URL (if applicable). Note: List the first 1-19 authors and add an ampersand (&) before the final author. Example: Rabelo‐Silva, E. R., Dantas Cavalcanti, A. C., Ramos Goulart Caldas, M. C., Lucena, A. D. F., Almeida, M. D. A., Linch, G. F. D. C., Barragan da Silva, M. & Müller‐Staub, M. (2017). Advanced nursing process quality: Comparing the International Classification for Nursing Practice (ICNP) with the NANDA‐International (NANDA‐I) and Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC). Journal of Clinical Nursing, 26(3-4), 379-387. https://doi-org./10.1111/jocn.13387 |
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Journal Articles with more than Twenty Authors |
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Reference List Citation |
Format: First Author's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given, Second Author's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial., Third Author's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial., Fourth Author's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial., Fifth Author's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial., Sixth Author's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial., Seventh Author’s Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial., Eighth Author’s Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial., Ninth Author’s Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial., Tenth Author’s Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial., Eleventh Author’s Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial., Twelfth Author’s Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial., Thirteenth Author’s Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial., Fourteenth Author’s Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial., Fifteenth Author’s Last Name, First Initial., Second Initial. Sixteenth Author’s Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial., Seventeenth Author’s Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial., Eighteenth Author’s Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial., Nineteenth Author’s Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial., . . . Last Author's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial. (Year). Title of article: Subtitle if given. Title of Journal, volume number(issue number), page numbers. Hyperlinked DOI or URL (if applicable) Example: Pegion, K., Kirtman, B. P., Becker, E., Collins, D. C., LaJoie, E., Burgman, R., Bell, R., DelSole, R., Min, D., Zhu, Y., Li, W., Sinsky, E., Guan, H., Gottschalck, J., Metzger, E. J., Barton, N. P., Achuthavarier, D., Marshak, J., Koster, R., . . . Kim, H. (2019). The subseasonal experiment (SubX): A multimodel subseasonal prediction experiment. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 100(10), 2043-2061. Note: List the first 19 authors followed by an ellipsis (...) to show information is missing, and then the last author's name. |
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Websites with a known author |
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Reference List Citation |
Format: Author's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given., and any additional authors. (Year website was published or updated, Month Day). Title of article/ webpage. Website Name. Hyperlinked URL Example: Geist, M. (2019, May 22). The foundation of Canada’s digital charter: Privacy law reform focused on a data-driven economy. Michael Geist. http://www.michaelgeist.ca/2019/05/the-foundation-of-canadas-digital-charter-privacy-law-reform-focused-on-a-data-driven-economy/ |
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Websites with a Group or Corporate Author/ Government Agency |
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Reference List Citation |
Format: Group or Corporate Name. (Year webpage was published or last updated, Month Day). Title of webpage/ article. Website name (include if different from author). Hyperlinked URL Example: Automotive Industries Association of Canada. (n.d.). Be car care aware. https://www.aiacanada.com/what-we-do/our-programs/bcca.html |
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Online Encyclopedia, Dictionary or Thesaurus Entry |
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Format: Author’s Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given., and any additional authors. (n.d.). Title of entry. In Name of encyclopedia. Retrieved Month Day, Year, from Hyperlinked URL Example: Koch, E. (n.d.). Adrienne Clarkson. In The Canadian encyclopedia. Retrieved August 10, 2020, from https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/adrienne-louise-clarkson Note: When online reference works are continuously updated and no archived version is provided, enter “n.d.” for the year and provide a retrieval date. |
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Wikipedia Articles |
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Reference List Citation |
Format: Title of entry. (Date of access). In Wikipedia. Hyperlinked URL Example: Gestalt psychology. (2020, August 8). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gestalt_psychology&oldid=971777041
Notes: Always check with your instructor to make sure Wikipedia entries are allowed for the assignment.
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No Author, No Date |
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Reference List Citation |
Format: Title of document. (n.d.). Website Name. Hyperlinked URL Example: The basics of physics. (n.d.). Lumen Learning. https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-physics/chapter/the-basics-of-physics/ Note:If there is no identifiable date, put (n.d.). in place of the year to show you couldn't find a date. |
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PowerPoint Slides |
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Reference List Citation |
Format: Instructor's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given. (Year, Month Day). Title of presentation [PowerPoint slides]. Publisher. Login page for publisher. Example: Smith, J. (2017, Month Day). Cite your sources using APA style [PowerPoint slides]. eCentennial. https://e.centennialcollege.ca/ |
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Course Packs |
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Format: Author of Article/Chapter's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given. (Year of course pack's publication). Title of chapter or article in course pack. In First Initial. Last Name of Course Instructor who created course pack if given (Ed.), Title of course pack (page numbers). Name of College. (Original work published date) Example: Bigelow, B., & Peterson, B. (2016). Rethinking globalization: Teaching for justice in an unjust world. In J. Fraser (Ed.), Exploring our global village: Readings CULT 14857G (pp. 33-37). Sheridan College. (Original work published 2002) Note: The best way to cite course packs is to treat them as an article or chapter in an edited book, and include the date the work was original published (which should be included in your course pack, at the beginning or the end of the article). For your in-text citation, make sure to include both dates (for the above example: (Bigelow & Peterson, 2002/2016)). |
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Print Handouts |
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Reference List Citation |
Format: Instructor's Last Name, First Initial. (Year handout was created if given or n.d.). Title of handout [Class handout]. School, Faculty or Department Name, College Name. Example: Marlow, F. (2017). Effective Google searching [Class handout]. Faculty of Business, Humber College. |
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Your Own Class Notes |
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In-Text Citation |
Note: Notes you take in class are classified as personal communication, and appear only as in-text citations in your assignment. No References entry is needed for personal communication. Format: (Instructor initials, Instructor lastname, personal communication, Month Day, Year). Example: (B. Bassidj, personal communication, September 22, 2016). |
Streaming Video |
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Reference List Citation |
Note: The person or group who uploaded the video is considered the author. If the author’s name is the same as the username, you can omit the "[Username]". Include the author’s username and real name (if known). Format: Author's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given. [Username]. (Year, Month Day). Title of video [Video]. Name of streaming site. Hyperlinked URL Example: The Learning Portal/Le Portail d’Apprentissage. (2017, January 24). Types of paragraphs in an academic essay [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/TforwSE7ow0 |
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Film |
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Reference List Citation |
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Format: Director's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given. (Director). (Year). Title of film [Film]. Production Company. Example: Huston, J. (Director). (1941). The Maltese falcon [Film]. Warner Home Video. Slade, D. (Director). (2010). The twilight saga: Eclipse [Film]. Summit Entertainment. Netflix. https://www.netflix.com/ca/ |
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Online News Article From a Newspaper |
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Reference List Citation |
Follow this example if your article is from a news site with an associated newspaper. Format: Author's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Title of Newspaper. Hyperlinked URL Example: Guy, M. (2021, November 3). Snow problem: The best winter tire choices for 2021.The Toronto Star. https://www.thestar.com/autos/advice/2021/11/02/snow-problem-the-best-winter-tire-choices-for-2021.html |
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Webpage on a News Website with No Newspaper |
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Reference List Citation |
Follow this example if your article is from an online news source with no associated newspaper. Format: Author’s Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given. (Year, Month Day). Title of news article. Title of Site. Hyperlinked URL Example: Mark, C. (2020, April 2). Tips on avoiding back pain and injury while working from home. CBC. https://www.cbc.ca/life/wellness/tips-for-avoiding-back-pain-and-injury-while-working-from-home-1.5519774 |
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Online Magazine Articles |
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Format: Author's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Title of Magazine. Hyperlinked URL Example: Nguyen, M. (2020, July 27). Smart financial decisions small business owners should make now. Canadian Business. https://www.canadianbusiness.com/small-business/small-business-financial-decisions-to-make-now/ |
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Newspaper and Magazine Articles, Print Version |
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Reference List Citation |
Author's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Title of Newspaper or Magazine, page number. Example: Ahsan, S. (2016, June 22). All access: Toronto's tangled art gallery is bringing so-called outsiders in. The National Post, B8. |
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Newspaper and Magazine Articles from a Library Database |
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Reference List Citation |
Author's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Title of Newspaper or Magazine. Example: VanRaes, S. (2020, August 12). Winnipeg is Canada’s “kindness rock” capital. Macleans. |
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Note: If the real name of the person who created the post, profile, or media isn't given, provide their user name in the author field.
When citing social media posts, keep these rules in mind:
Blog Post |
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Reference List Citation |
Format: Author's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given. (Year, Month Day). Title of blog post. Name of Blog. Hyperlinked URL Example: McAdoo, T. (2015, April 15). Re: Using italics for technical (or key) terms. APA Style Blog. http://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2015/04/using-italics-for-technical-or-key-terms.html |
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Twitter/X, Bluesky, Threads, etc. |
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Reference List Citation |
Format: Post: Author's Last Name, First Initial. [@username]. (Year, Month Day). Text of the post up to first 20 words [Audiovisual description – if applicable] [Post Type]. Website/App Name. Hyperlinked URL Profile: Author’s Last Name, First Initial. [@username]. (n.d.). Post Types [Name of Social Media + profile]. Website/App Name. Retrieved Month Day, Year, from Hyperlinked URL Example: Post: NASA [@NASA]. (2020, July 21). Have you ever seen something so beautiful? [globe of Americas] [pleading face] Live views from earth from space during today’s spacewalk [Video attached] [Tweet]. Twitter. https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1285573798301962241 Profile: National Geographic [@NatGeo]. (n.d.). Tweets [Twitter profile]. Twitter. Retrieved August 5, 2020 from https://twitter.com/NatGeo |
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Format: Facebook Post: Author’s Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if Given or Name of Group. (Year, Month Date). Content of the post up to the first 20 words [Type of post]. Facebook. Hyperlinked URL Facebook Page: Lastname, F. M. or Name of Group. (n.d.). Home [Facebook page]. Facebook. Retrieved Month Day, Year, from Hyperlinked URL Example: Facebook Profile: Outside Magazine. (2020, August 13). In a normal summer, thousands of AT thru-hikers need to eat over 4,000 calories a day to offset their trail [Article attached]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/outsidemagazine/posts/10158538463710429 Facebook Page: Confederation College. (n.d.). Home [Facebook page]. Facebook. Retrieved May 5, 2020 from https://www.facebook.com/confederation |
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TikTok |
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Reference List Citation |
Format: TikTok Video: Author's Last Name, First Initial or group name. [@handle]. (Year, Month Day). First 20 words of the caption text including hashtags. [Video]. TikTok. Hyperlinked URL TikTok Profile: Author's Last Name, First Initial. [@handle]. (Year, Month Day). First 20 words of the profile bio including hashtags. [TikTok Profile]. Retrieved Month Day, Year, from Hyperlinked URL Example: TikTok Video: National Geographic. [@natgeo]. (2023, Oct 5). Nat Geo photographer @Babak Tafreshi accidentally captured a fireball meteor that painted the sky with a spectacular display [comet emoji] #SpaceTok #SpaceWeek #Disney100 [Video]. TikTok. https://www.tiktok.com/@natgeo/video/7286592336002403626?lang=en TikTok Profile: National Geographic. [@natgeo]. Inspiring the explorer in everyone [earth emoji] [TikTok Profile]. Retrieved October 10, 2023, from https://www.tiktok.com/@natgeo?lang=en |
In-Text Citation |
For a quotation or paraphrase:
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Reference List Citation |
Format: Photo or Video: Last Name, F. M. or Name of Group [@username]. (Year, Month Date). Content of the post up to the first 20 words [Type of post]. Instagram. Hyperlinked URL Profile: Last Name, F. M. or Name of Group [@username]. (n.d.). name of the profile page you want to cite [Instagram Profile]. Instagram. Retrieved Month Day, Year, from Hyperlinked URL Example: Photo or Video: Julie Payette [@ggjuliepayette]. (2020, August 12). Culture, history, breathtaking beauty. Today we celebrate the day that #Nunavut officially became a recognized territory within Canada. Happy #NunavutDay! [Photograph]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/CCbIbqYAE2s Profile: Swift, T. [@taylorswift]. (n.d.). Posts [Instagram profile]. Instagram. Retrieved January 9, 2020, from https://www.instagram.com/taylorswift |
In-Text Citation |
For a quotation or paraphrase:
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Podcast Episode |
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Reference List Citation |
Format: Podcast Host Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if available. (Host). (Year, Month Day). Title of episode: Subtitle (No. If provided) [Audio podcast episode]. In Name of podcast. Publisher. Hyperlinked URL Example: Gilbert, E. (Host). (2015, July 13). Do what ignites your soul [Audio podcast episode]. In Magic lessons. Riverhead Books. https://www.stitcher.com/show/riverhead-books-podcast/episode/magic-lessons-ep-1-do-what-ignites-your-soul-43306670 |
In-Text Citation |
For a quotation or paraphrase:
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Social Media or Online Forum Comment |
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Reference List Citation |
Format: Author's Last Name, First Initial. [username]. (Year, Month Day). Up to the first 20 words of the comment. [Comment on the online forum post Title of original post, video, or other item.]. Platform, App, or Publisher. Hyperlinked URL Example: Gates, B. [thisisbillgates]. (2017, February 27). Philanthropy is small as a part of the overall economy so it can’t do things like fund health care or [Comment on the online forum post I’m Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Ask me anything.]. Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/5whpqs/im_bill_gates_cochair_of_the_bill_melinda_gates/dea82mk/ |
In-Text Citation |
For a quotation or paraphrase:
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Online Photograph, Photographer Known |
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Reference List Citation |
Format: Photographer’s Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given. (Year). Title of photograph[Photograph]. Publisher. Hyperlinked URL Example: Herber, S. (2013). Ice fishing hut 23 [Photograph]. Flickr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/sandraherber/49922430776/ |
In-Text Citation |
For a quotation or paraphrase:
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Online Photograph, No Title and Photographer Unknown |
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Reference List Citation |
Format: [Description of photograph] [Photograph]. (Year). Publisher. Hyperlinked URL Example: [Children running down a path] [Photograph]. (n.d.). Pikist. https://www.pikist.com/free-photo-vtffe Note: If the photograph does not have a title, provide a description in square brackets in place of the title. If there is no date listed, use (n.d.). |
In-Text Citation |
For a quotation or paraphrase:
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Artwork in a Museum or on a Museum Website |
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Reference List Citation |
Format: Artist’s Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given. (Year). Title of work [Format of work]. Museum Name, Museum Location. Hyperlinked URL if available Example: Johnson, S.A. (2003). Nadine [Photograph]. National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada. https://www.gallery.ca/collection/artwork/nadine |
In-Text Citation |
For a quotation or paraphrase:
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Stock Image or Clip Art |
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Reference List Citation |
Format: Artist’s Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given or username. (Year). Title of work [Clip art/Stock image]. Publisher. Hyperlinked URL Example: GDJ. (2018). Concept plane silhouette [Clip art]. Openclipart. https://openclipart.org/detail/312645/concept-plane-silhouette Note: No citation is necessary for clip art from Microsoft programs. |
In-Text Citation |
For a quotation or paraphrase:
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Note: AI-generated content may not be considered as an acceptable source for your course work. Be sure to evaluate the content carefully and check with your instructor if you are permitted to use it as a source.
Text generated by an AI tool (e.g., ChatGPT) |
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Note: If you're using ChatGPT and other AI tools for coursework, include a description of how you used AI within your work. For example, you can describe in your introduction how you used ChatGPT to generate an outline for your presentation. When citing AI-generated text, remember to include both in-text and references list citations. For more information, see APA Style's How to cite ChatGPT.- opens in a new window |
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Reference List Citation |
Format: Developer. (Version Year). Name of generative AI tool (Version number) [Type of AI Model]. Hyperlinked URL of tool Example: OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (Mar 23 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com |
In-Text Citation |
Remember to include the prompt you used whenever you quote or paraphrase text generated by an AI tool. Since your reader can't access the exact AI-generated text, you may also consider including a copy of the text as an appendix or as part of supplemental materials. If you are including a copy of the generated text, you may refer to it in the body of your text, or as part of the in-text citation such as in the example below. For a quotation or paraphrase:
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Image generated by an AI tool (e.g., DALL-E, Midjourney) |
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Note: If you're using AI image or video generating tools for coursework, explain your methodology of how you used the A.I. tool in your paper. To create the reference, follow the principles outlined in APA Style's blogpost: How to cite ChatGPT.- opens in a new window to determine the author, date, title, and source elements for the software. Whether to include the AI-generated images or videos as figures, appendices, or supplemental materials would be a decision to discuss with your instructor or editor. | |
Reference List Citation |
Format: Developer's Name. (Version Year). Name if AI tool (Version number [Type of AI model]. Hyperlinked URL of tool Example: OpenAI. (2023). DALL-E (Version 2) [Large language model]. https://labs.openai.com/ |
Reproducing the image in your work |
If you are inserting the AI-generated image in your coursework, start with a figure number followed by an image title. Beneath the image, include a note with details about the prompt and the source (see example below). Remember to include the full citation in your References List. Example: citing AI-generated images as a figures Figure 3 Example of an AI-generated image Note: Image generated using the prompt "Two puppies playing by the sea in the style of Renoir," by OpenAI, DALL-E, 2023 (https://labs.openai.com- opens in a new window). |
Note: This template should be used when citing oral communication with Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers. If you are citing material authored by an Indigenous person, please follow the appropriate citation template for citing the source. For example, follow the citation template for a book when citing a novel written by an Indigenous author.
Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers (Oral Communication) |
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Reference List Citation |
Format: Last name, First initial., Nation/Community. Treaty Territory if applicable. Where they live if applicable. Topic/subject of communication if applicable. Personal communication. Month Date, Year. Example: Cardinal, D., Goodfish Lake Cree Nation. Treaty 6. Lives in Edmonton. Oral teaching. Personal communication. April 4, 2004. |
In-Text Citation |
For a quotation or paraphrase:
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Print Books |
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Works Cited Citation |
Format: Author's Last Name, First Name. Title of Book: Subtitle if Any. Edition if given and is not first edition, Publisher Name often shortened, Year of Publication. Example: One Author Sun, Jonny. Goodbye, Again: Essays, Reflections, and Illustrations. Harper Perennial, 2021. Three or more authors Pomeroy, Sarah B. et al. A Brief History of Ancient Greece: Politics, Society, and Culture. 4th ed., Oxford UP, 2019. With editor(s) only Glazebrook, Allison, and Christina Vester, editors. Themes in Greek Society and Culture: An Introduction to Ancient Greece. Oxford UP, 2017. |
In-Text Citation |
Format: (Author’s Last Name Page Number) Examples:
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eBooks |
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Works Cited Citation |
Format: Author's Last Name, First Name. Title of eBook: Subtitle if Any. Website, Sponsoring Organization if given, Year of Publication, URL. Example: Anderson, Catherine. Essentials of Linguistics. Open Library, eCampus Ontario, 2018, openlibrary.ecampusontario.ca/catalogue/item/?id=890fb2bb-f721-422e-88a8-121e045a19c3. Note: As most eBooks are available through a variety of databases, it is not necessary to include the name of the database where you viewed the eBook. If you do include the database name, it must be italicized, and at the end of the citation. |
In-Text Citation |
Format: (Author’s Last Name Page Number) Note: If there are no page numbers, use the chapter number in your in-text citation. Examples:
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Journal Articles with DOI |
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Works Cited Citation |
Format: Author's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if any., and any additional authors. (Year). Title of article. Title of Journal, volume number(issue number), page numbers. Database Name if any, Hyperlinked DOI Example: Hauck, Pia, and Heiko Hecht. “Having a Drink with Tchaikovsky: The Crossmodal Influence of Background Music on the Taste of Beverages.” Multisensory Research, vol. 32, no. 1, Jan. 2019, pp. 1–24. Academic Search Premier, https://doi.org/10.1163/22134808-20181321. |
In-Text Citation |
Format:
Examples:
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Journal Articles without a DOI |
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Works Cited Citation |
Format: Author's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article." Title of Journal, vol. Volume Number, no. Issue Number, Publication Date, pp. Page Numbers if given. Database Name if any, Hyperlinked URL. Example: Narayanan, Nirupama, and Robin Sturtz. "Success in the STEM Curricula." College Quarterly, vol. 21, no. 2, 2018. collegequarterly.ca/2018-vol21-num02-spring/index.html. |
In-Text Citation |
Format: (Last Name Page Number) Examples:
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Journal Articles with three or more authors |
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Works Cited Citation |
Format: First Author's Last Name, First Name, et al. "Title of Article." Title of Journal, vol. Volume Number, no. Issue Number, Publication Date, pp. Page Numbers. Database Name if any, DOI link if given. Example: Meacham, Shuaib James, et al. “Hip-Hop Early Literacy in K–1 Classrooms.” The Reading Teacher, vol. 73, no. 1, July/August 2019, pp. 29–37. Wiley Online Library Journals, https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1809. PDF download. Note: If you are using a pdf version of the article, add the following at the end of your citation: PDF download. |
In-Text Citation |
Format: (First author’s Last Name et al. Page Mumber) Examples:
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Note: If there is no author, start the citation with the title of the source you are citing. Note that an author can also be an organization or corporation (e.g., Health Canada). If and only if an item is signed as being created by Anonymous, use "Anonymous" where you'd normally put the author's name.
Websites with a known author |
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Works Cited Citation |
Format: Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article or Page." Website Name, Sponsoring Organization if different from website name, Date of publication or last modified date, Hyperlinked URL. Accessed Day Month Year viewed (optional, add if there is no upload/publication date). Example: Rich, Sarah. "Inside the Design Process to Protect People’s Health on Public Transit." IDEO, 11 Feb. 2021, www.ideo.com/journal/inside-the-design-process-to-protect-peoples-health-on-public-transit. |
In-Text Citation |
Format: (Author’s Last Name) Examples:
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Websites with a group or corporate author |
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Works Cited Citation |
Format: Name of Group/Organization. "Title of Page or Article." Website Name, Publisher or Sponsoring Organization if different from website name, Date of publication or last modified date, Hyperlinked URL. Accessed Day Month Year viewed (optional, add if there is no upload/publication date). Note: If no publication date is provided, you may exclude the date element from your Works Cited List citation. MLA recommends including an access date at the end of your citation if your online source does not have a publication date. The access date is the date you viewed the online source. Example: IBM Cloud Education. "Types of Artificial Intelligence: Weak AI vs. Strong AI." IBM, 3 June 2020, www.ibm.com/cloud/learn/what-is-artificial-intelligence#toc-types-of-a-q56lfpGa. |
In-Text Citation |
Format:
Note: If the source has a long title, you may shorten it in your in-text citation by using the first word/phrase from the title. Examples:
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Online Encyclopedia, Dictionary or Thesaurus Entry |
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Works Cited Citation |
Format: Author's Last Name, First Name if given. "Title of Encyclopedia Entry." Title of Encyclopedia, edited by First Name Last Name if given, Sponsoring Organization if given, Year of Publication, Hyperlinked URL. Accessed Day Month Year viewed (optional, add if there is no upload/publication date). Example: Gwiazda, Emily. "Hide Hyodo Shimizu." The Canadian Encyclopedia, Historica Canada, 15 Mar. 2019, www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/hide-hyodo-shimizu. Wikipedia "The Lark Ascending (Vaughan Williams)." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 18 May 2021, 22:53 (UTC), en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lark_Ascending_(Vaughan_Williams). Note: Wikipedia may not be considered an acceptable source for a college or university assignment. Be sure to evaluate the content carefully and check with your instructor regarding using Wikipedia as a source. |
In-Text Citation |
Format:
Examples:
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PowerPoint Slides |
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Works Cited Citation |
Format: "Title of Slides." Course Code: Name of Course, taught by Instructor's First Name Last Name. Learning Management System (e.g., Blackboard, D2L, Canvas), Day Month Year Posted. Notes:
Example: "Week 5: Rome and Rise of Empire." HUM100: The Development of Western Thought, taught by Sam James. Learn@Seneca, 31 Mar. 2021. |
In-Text Citation |
Format: ("Title of Slides" slide number) Examples:
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Course Packs |
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Works Cited Citation |
Format: Author's Last Name, First Name or Group Name. "Title of Reading." Course pack for Course Code: Course Name, compiled by Instructor's First Name Last Name, semester, Institution Name. Example: Poe, Edgar Allan. "The Tell-Tale Heart." Course pack for FIC200: The Short Story, compiled by Mary Smith, fall 2020, Seneca College. Note: The best way to cite course packs is to treat them as an article or chapter in an edited book. |
In-Text Citation |
Format: (Last Name or Group Name) Example:
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Print Handouts |
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Works Cited Citation |
Format: “Title of Handout.” Course Code: Name of Course, taught by Instructor’s First Name Last Name, Institution Name, Day Month Year Received. Class Handout. Example "Career Resources at the Library." LIT 150: Introducing Libraries, taught by Adele Georgievski. Seneca College, 8 Aug. 2022. Class Handout. |
In-Text Citation |
Format: ("Title of Handout") Note: If the source has a long title, you may shorten it in your in-text citation by using the first word/phrase from the title. Example:
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Streaming Video from a Website (YouTube, Vimeo, etc.) |
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Works Cited Citation |
Format: "Title of Video." Website Name, uploaded by Name of Uploader, Day Month Year Uploaded, Hyperlinked URL. Note: If the website name is the same as video uploader, you may leave out the "uploaded by" element from your citation. Example: "Accent Expert Gives a Tour of North American Accents - (Part 3)." YouTube, uploaded by Wired, 25 Mar. 2021, youtu.be/Sw7pL7OkKEE. |
In-Text Citation |
Format: ("Title of Video") Note: If the video has a long title, you may shorten it in your in-text citation by using the first word/phrase from the title. Examples:
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Streaming Video from an App (Netflix, Disney+, etc.) |
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Works Cited Citation |
Format: Films Title of Video. Production Studio, Year. App Name app. TV Shows "Episode Title." Directed by First Name Last Name of Director. Title of Series, season number, episode number, Network, Day Month Year of Broadcast if given. App Name app. Examples: Films Pan's Labyrinth. Warner Brothers, 2006. Netflix app. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. Fox Searchlight, 2017. Crave app. TV Shows "The Hope That Kills You." Directed by MJ Delaney. Ted Lasso, season 2, episode 10, Apple TV+, 2 Oct. 2020. Apple TV app. |
In-Text Citation |
Format: Film—(Title of Video) TV Show—("Title of Episode") Example:
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Live Presentation Recording (TED Talks, etc.) |
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Works Cited Citation |
Format: Presenter's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Video." Website Name, uploaded by Name of Uploader, Day Month Year Uploaded, Hyperlinked URL. Accessed Day Month Year viewed (optional, add if there is no upload/publication date). Note: If the website name is the same as video uploader, you may leave out the "uploaded by" element from your citation. Example: Sarago, Sasha Kutabah. "The (De) Colonizing of Beauty." TED, Nov. 2020, www.ted.com/talks/sasha_sarago_the_de_colonizing_of_beauty. |
In-Text Citation |
Format: (Last Name of Presenter) Example:
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Notes:
Online News Article From a Newspaper |
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Works Cited Citation |
Format: Author's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article." Title of Newspaper [City of Publication if not stated in newspaper title], Day Month Year of Publication, Hyperlinked URL. Examples: One Author Deschamps, Tara. "Companies Offer Vaccinated Customers Freebies and Discounts in Marketing Push." Toronto Star, 9 May 2021, www.thestar.com/business/2021/05/09/companies-offer-vaccinated-customers-freebies-and-discounts-in-marketing-push.html. Two Authors Hayley, Austin, and Jack Ewing. "The Tailor, the Florist, the Violin Maker: Improvising to Survive." The New York Times, 10 May 2021, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/07/business/coronavirus-hamburg-germany-small-businesses.html. Three or more Authors Bhattacharya, Jhumpa, et al. "Open Forum: Having Kids is Becoming a White Privilege in California." San Francisco Chronicle, 10 May 2021, https://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/article/Open-Forum-Having-kids-is-becoming-a-white-16162934.php. |
In-Text Citation |
Format: (Author's Last Name) Example:
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Magazine Articles from the Web |
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Works Cited Citation |
Format: Author's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article." Title of Magazine, vol. Volume Number if given, no. Issue Number if given, Day Month Year of Publication, Hyperlinked URL. Example: Waite, Kevin. “The Bloody History of Anti-Asian Violence in the West” National Geographic, 10 May 2021, www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/the-bloody-history-of-anti-asian-violence-in-the-west. |
In-Text Citation |
Format: (Author's Last Name) OR if no author ("Title of Article") Examples:
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Newspaper and Magazine Articles, Print Version |
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Works Cited Citation |
Format: Author's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article". Title of Newspaper or Magazine, Day Month Year of Publication, pp. Page Numbers if given. Notes:
Examples: Kay, Barbara. “'Problematic' Prose; in the Progressive Era, Even Literary Critics Aren't Safe.” National Post [Toronto], 27 Mar. 2021, p. A18. Mull, Amanda. “Generation Work-From-Home May Never Recover” The Atlantic, Oct. 2020, pp. 30-2. |
In-Text Citation |
Format: (Author's Last Name Page Number) Example:
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Newspaper and Magazine Articles from a Library Database |
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Works Cited Citation |
Format: Author's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article". Title of Newspaper or Magazine, Day Month Year of Publication, pp. Page Numbers if given. Database Name. Notes:
Examples: Lee, Justina. “Crypto Pros are Getting Tired of $79-Billion Dogecoin Joke; Unlike Bitcoin, Supply Isn't Finite.” National Post [Toronto], 8 May 2021, p. FP16. Canadian Major Dailies. Kotkin, Joel, and Marshall Toplansky. "A New Age of Reconnaissance: Entrepreneurs are Leading the Way to Space." National Review, vol. 73, no. 5, 22 Mar. 2021, p. 28+. ABI/INFORM. |
In-Text Citation |
Format: (Author's Last Name Page Number if given) OR if there's no author ("Title of Article" Page Number if given) Example:
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Notes:
Twitter/X, Threads, etc. post |
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Works Cited Citation |
Format: Last Name, First Name—if available [Hyperlinked @username]. "Text of Post." Website/App Name, Day Month Year of Post, Hyperlinked URL. Notes:
Examples: Lee, Min Jin [@minjinlee11]. "I will never be ashamed of being hated for my race. This shame belongs to the racist. It is not my shame." X, 17 Mar. 2021, twitter.com/minjinlee11/status/1372038596463624192. Hubble. "#MayThe4thBeWithYou! Hubble captured this view of a celestial 'lightsaber' that’s called HH 24..." X, 4 May 2021, twitter.com/NASAHubble/status/1389581790868905991. |
In-Text Citation |
Format: (Author's Last Name or Account Name) Examples:
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TikTok |
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Works Cited Citation |
Format: Video: Author’s Last Name, First Name or Account Name. [Hyperlinked @username]. "Text of TikTok." TikTok, Day Month Year Posted, Hyperlinked URL. Profile: Author’s Last Name, First Name or Account Name. [Hyperlinked @username]. "Posts." TikTok, Year Retrieved, Hyperlinked URL. Examples: Video: Saturday Night Live [@nbcsnl]. "Ok but for real what is an NFT." TikTok, 29 Mar. 2021, https://www.tiktok.com/@nbcsnl/video/6945222679502785797. Profile: Keys, Alicia. “Posts.” TikTok, 2020,www.tiktok.com/@aliciakeys?lang=en. |
In-Text Citation |
Format: (Author's Last Name or Account Name) Examples:
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Works Cited Citation |
Format: Post/ Story: Author’s Last Name, First Name or Account Name. [Hyperlinked @username]. Description of post. Instagram, Day Month Year Posted, Hyperlinked URL. Profile: Author’s Last Name, First Name or Account Name. [Hyperlinked @username]. "Posts." Instagram, Year Retrieved, Hyperlinked URL. Highlight: Author’s Last Name, First Name or Account Name. [Hyperlinked @username]. "Title of Highlight." Instagram, Year Posted, Hyperlinked URL. Examples: Post: Kaur, Rupi. Video of Rupi Kaur poem reading. Instagram, 30 Apr. 2021, www.instagram.com/p/COTCyVaADQe/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link.. Profile: Gay, Roxane. “Posts.” Instagram, 2020,www.instagram.com/roxanegay74/. Highlight: Guggenheim Museum. "People." Instagram, 2020, www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17850044881917911/. |
In-Text Citation |
Format: (Author's Last Name or Account Name) Examples:
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Facebook/ LinkedIn |
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Works Cited Citation |
Format: Post: Author’s Last Name, First Name or Account Name. "Text of post or Title of Video". App Name, Day Month Year Posted, Hyperlinked URL. Profile/ Group: Author’s Last Name, First Name or Account Name. "Information Referenced." App Name, Year Retrieved, Hyperlinked URL. Thread: Author’s Last Name, First Name or Account Name, et al. "Original Post Title" in the Name of Group group. App Name, Day Month Year Posted, Hyperlinked URL. Comment: Author’s Last Name, First Name or Account Name. Comment on First Name Last Name of original poster "Original Post Title" in the Name of Group group. App Name, Day Month Year Posted, Hyperlinked URL. Examples: Post: Cho, Seong-Jin. "The Unknown Mozart: World Premiere by Seong-Jin Cho." Facebook, 27 Jan. 2021, https://www.facebook.com/100044536921960/videos/828765901006444.. Profile: World Wildlife Fund. "Photos." Facebook, 2020,www.facebook.com/ worldwildlifefund/photos/. Thread: Matejka, Monique, et al. “Going to a friend’s for dinner tonight . . . ” post in the Cheap Meal Ideas group. Facebook, 21 June 2022, www.facebook.com/groups/cheapmealideas/posts/5585793521479770?comment_id=5585828271476295. Comment: Stanford, Mialey Desirae. Comment on Monique Matejka’s “Going to a friend’s for dinner tonight . . . ” post in the Cheap Meal Ideas group. Facebook, 21 June 2022, 1:40 p.m., www.facebook.com/groups/cheapmealideas/posts/5585793521479770?comment_id=5585828271476295. |
In-Text Citation |
Format: (Author's Last Name or Account Name) Examples:
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Online Forum/ Discussion Board (e.g. Reddit) |
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Works Cited Citation |
Format: Post: U/Username. "Title of Post." Name of Forum, Day Month Year Posted, Hyperlinked URL. Comment: U/Username. Comment on U/OriginalUsername's "Title of Original Post" post. Name of Forum, Year Retrieved, Hyperlinked URL. Examples: Post: U/HiinXCVIII. "Fantastic view from google earth." Reddit, 24 Sep, 2018, https://reddit.com/r/funny/comments/9ihsdp/fantastic_view_from_google_earth/. Comment: U/djh_van. Comment on U/informatica6's "[OC] Google Year in Search 2020 Top Search Terms" post. Reddit, 15 Dec. 2020,https://www.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/kdhjpn/oc_google_year_in_search_2020_top_search_terms/. |
In-Text Citation |
Format: (Username or Author's Last Name) Examples:
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Note: AI-generated content may not be considered as an acceptable source for your course work. Be sure to evaluate the content carefully and check with your instructor if you are permitted to use it as a source. For more information, see MLA Style Center's How do I cite generative AI in MLA style?- opens in a new window
Text generated by an AI tool (e.g., ChatGPT) |
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Works Cited List Citation |
Format: "Text of prompt" prompt. Name of AI Tool, version number if known, Name of company that made the tool, Day Month Year content was generated, Hyperlinked URL of Tool. Example: "What is generative AI? Explain it like I'm 5" prompt. ChatGPT, Mar 14 version, OpenAI, 21 Mar. 2023, chat.openai.com/chat. |
In-Text Citation |
Format: ("Shortened text of prompt") Example:
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Image generated by an AI tool (e.g., DALL-E, Midjourney) |
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Works Cited List Citation |
Format: "Text of prompt" prompt. Name of AI Tool, version number if known, Name of company that made the tool, Day Month Year content was generated, Hyperlinked URL of Tool. Example: "Two puppies playing by the sea in the style of Renoir" prompt. DALL-E, version 2, OpenAI, 21 Mar. 2023, labs.openai.com/. |
Reproducing the image in your work |
If you are inserting the AI-generated image in your coursework, follow the format below. Remember to include the full citation in your Works Cited List if you are also referring to the image in your text. Example: Fig 3: "Two puppies playing by the sea in the style of Renoir" prompt, DALL-E, version 2, OpenAI, 21 Mar. 2023,https://labs.openai.com- opens in a new window. |
Note: This template should be used when citing oral communication with Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers. If you are citing material authored by an Indigenous person, please follow the appropriate citation template for citing the source. For example, follow the citation template for a book when citing a novel written by an Indigenous author.
Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers (Oral Communication) |
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Works Cited Citation |
Format: Last name, First Name, Nation/Community. Treaty Territory if applicable. Where they live if applicable. Topic/subject of communication if applicable. Interview. Day Month Year. Example: Cardinal, D., Goodfish Lake Cree Nation. Treaty 6. Lives in Edmonton. Oral teaching. Interview. 4 Apr. 2004. |
In-Text Citation |
Format: (Last Name of Elder/ Knowledge Keeper) Example:
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Writing a citation from scratch can seem like an overwhelming task. Citation generators are tools that help create a “rough draft” of the citation. They are a convenient tool for managing references, but they should be used with caution and in conjunction with a solid understanding of citation rules.
Online library resources have an auto citation generator built in. When you’re searching your library’s resources, look for the "Cite It" or "Cite" button. This tool works similarly to other citation generators you might be familiar with. Remember to always double check your citation from online citation tools against the rules and examples in a citation guide you trust (such as one from your college library) to avoid marks off from your instructor, or even unintentional plagiarism.
Citation generators are handy online tools that create properly formatted citations for academic papers. They automate the citation process, saving time and reducing formatting errors. However, they can also have limitations. Citation generators may not always provide perfect accuracy, especially for less common sources. Over-reliance on these tools can discourage students from developing a proper understanding of citation practices, which is a valuable skill in academic and professional writing. Check out Purdue OWL's guide for using citation generators responsibly- opens in a new window to learn more about how citation generator apps work, as well as a few “best practices” for using citation generators. Explore some of the most popular citation generators and managers below.
Note: Your college may not support your use of citation generators. Refer to your college guidelines before using any of the tools listed here.
Citation Machine, BibMe, and EasyBib were all acquired by Chegg in 2016 and are now almost interchangeable. Citation Machine and BibMe default to APA, and EasyBib defaults to MLA.
To create a citation, first choose your source (website, print book, journal article, etc.), then enter your identifying resource information (URL, book or journal title, etc.). The citation generator will find everything that matches your criteria, from there you can choose the result that most accurately matches your resource. The generators will then automatically create citations. You can add in any missing information (page numbers, date accessed, missing author etc.) to completely customize the citation to fit your needs. Once you've confirmed everything is correct, the citation will be generated. You will be taken to a "My Citation List" page where you can see all the citations you've made that day, make any edits, and select the citation style from the dropdown arrow. You are able to choose between current and past versions of APA, MLA, or Chicago, as well as other, less common styles.
Click on the images below to explore these citation generators.
Zotero is a handy research tool and reference management software designed to help students, academics, and researchers organize their sources and citations effectively. It allows users to save and store references from books, articles, websites, and other sources, creating a personal library of research materials. Zotero is a free and open-source software, making it a popular choice for those looking to streamline their research and referencing processes. To cite with Zotero, simply add your sources to your Zotero library. While writing your document, use the Zotero plugin to insert citations from your library, and Zotero will automatically generate citations and a bibliography in your chosen citation style.
ZoteroBib is a simplified, web-based citation tool by Zotero that helps users generate citations and bibliographies quickly without the need for a full reference management system. It's a user-friendly option for those looking for a quick and straightforward way to cite sources for their research or writing projects.
Click on the images below to explore Zotera's full version, as well as their simple citation generator.
Mendeley is a reference management software and academic social network. It helps researchers organize and collaborate on their research papers, allowing them to store, manage, and annotate documents while generating citations and bibliographies. Mendeley also facilitates online networking and knowledge sharing within the research community. It's available as a desktop application and a web-based platform, making it accessible across different devices.
To cite with Mendeley, first add your sources to your Mendeley library. Then, while writing your document, use the built-in citation tool to insert references from your library into your text, and Mendeley will automatically generate citations and a bibliography in your preferred style.
Click on the image below to explore Mendeley and its various features.
- opens in a new windowStill haven't found what you're looking for? Search the web for citation generators and choose from many available tools.