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Subject Guide: Communication: Citing Sources

Resources and tools for students of Communication Studies

Citations in Communication Classes

Different areas of Communication use different citation styles.  Always check with your professor first, but here is the typical breakdown:

                             Rhetoric classes use MLA

                             Social Science classes use APA

APA Citation, 7th edition

   

This page will help you with APA citation for your sources. If you need further help, please use the links below or ask a reference librarian.

Introduction to APA, 7th edition

Citing Your Sources in APA Style, 7th edition

Format Guidelines for Reference List:

  • Double-space the References page.
  • One space follows a period.
  • Use a hanging indent format (first line is flush left, all other lines are indented .5 inch. In MS Word, use Format→Paragraph→Hanging Indent).
  • Arrange the list of references alphabetically by authors' last names (or by title if no author).
  • Authors' names are inverted, followed by the initials of their first and middle names (Last name, A.A.).
  • The date of publication follows the author's name in parentheses.
  • If no author is listed, list the source by title, followed by date of publication in parentheses.
  • Capitalize only the first word of the title and subtitle of a book or article.
  • Capitalize the titles of journals, magazines, and newspapers normally.
  • Italicize titles of books, journals, magazines, etc., and the volume numbers of journals as well.
  • Do not include "retrieved from" information, such as the name of the database, nor a URL for the source unless it is an active URL to a website.
  • Do not include place of publication for books (no city and state).

Things to Notice About APA Citations, 7th edition

Similar to MLA.  Biggest differences are:
– only initials for first & middle names, and all entries last name, first initial. middle initial.
– year of publication placement after author, and in (parentheses)
–only capitalize first letter of title and subtitle for books and articles

 

Cite journal articles, magazine articles, and newspaper articles the same whether in print or digital.  Do not include the name of the database or a URL.  Only include a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) if provided.  The standard format for DOIs is https://doi.org/...(the DOI number given).

Cite books, eBooks, and parts of books found in a subscription database the same whether in print or digital.  Do not include the name of the database or a URL.  Do not include the place of publication (city and state).

For webpages or articles found on websites, do not use a period at the end of the URL.  Provide a URL that links directly to the section, not the home page of the website, and is a live hyperlink.  Do not include a "retrieved from" statement.  Only include a retrieval date if the work is designed to change over time.  

Examples of APA Citations, 7th edition

Further Breakdown of Source Part of Journal Article Citation:

Example APA, 7th edition Journal Article Citation

 

Example APA, 7th edition Book or eBook Citation

Example of APA, 7th edition Webpage on a Website Citation

MLA Citation, 9th edition

MLA Handbook, 9th edition    This page will help you with MLA citation for your sources. If you need further help, please use the links below or ask a reference librarian.

 

Citing Your Sources in MLA Style, 9th edition

Find as much of the citation information below as you can for each of your sources.  Then use the indicated order, format, and punctuation to put the information together into a proper citation for each source.

Format Guidelines for Works Cited:

1. Author.

One author: Cannon, Joseph S.

Two authors: Dorrison, Michael, and Louise Erdrich.

Three or more authors: Burdick, Anne, et al.

2. Title of source.

Book title (if self-contained): The Devil’s Highway.
Title of article, webpage, or chapter name (if part of a larger work): “Anemia, Iron Depletion, and the Blood Donor: It’s Time to Work on the Donor’s Behalf.”

3. Title of container,

Title of larger work (periodical, book, website):
Encyclopedia of Diversity and Social Justice,

Academic Search Premier,

4. Other contributors,

Names of others who contributed to the source:

Edited by Howard S. Becker,

Translated by Seamus Heaney,

5. Version,

Use if a version or edition is indicated:

King James Version, Expanded ed., 3rd ed.,

6. Number,

Volume number in book series: vol. 4,

Volume & issue number for scholarly journals: vol. 22, no. 3,

7. Publisher,

If article, Name of periodical: Journal of Applied Mathematics, TIME, 

If book, Book publisher: Oxford UP, Penguin Press,

If website, Name of website: U.S. Department of Justice,

8. Publication date,

If book, Year of publication: 2003,

If article or website, day month year: 28 Sept. 2013,

9. Location.

If book or article: Page number(s): p.33., pp.97-108.

If website or video: URL or DOI, omitting the http:// and the carrot brackets < > Note: if available, use the “Permalink” option when copying the URL.

While the 9th edition does not specify that database providers be included in citations for online databases, the Bakersfield College English department has stipulated the inclusion of this information in citations for the sake of clarity. So the names of database providers, such as EBSCO and Gale, should follow the database title.

Examples of MLA Citations, 9th edition

For an article within a reference book within a database/e-book collection:

Avoiding Plagiarism