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How to Write a Research Paper
Writing a research paper is a bit more difficult that a standard high school essay. You need to site sources, use academic data and show scientific examples. Before beginning, you’ll need guidelines for how to write a research paper.
Start the Research Process
Before you begin writing the research paper, you must do your research. It is important that you understand the subject matter, formulate the ideas of your paper, create your thesis statement and learn how to speak about your given topic in an authoritative manner. You’ll be looking through online databases, encyclopedias, almanacs, periodicals, books, newspapers, government publications, reports, guides and scholarly resources. Take notes as you discover new information about your given topic. Also keep track of the references you use so you can build your bibliography later and cite your resources.
Develop Your Thesis Statement
When organizing your research paper, the thesis statement is where you explain to your readers what they can expect, present your claims, answer any questions that you were asked or explain your interpretation of the subject matter you’re researching. Therefore, the thesis statement must be strong and easy to understand. Your thesis statement must also be precise. It should answer the question you were assigned, and there should be an opportunity for your position to be opposed or disputed. The body of your manuscript should support your thesis, and it should be more than a generic fact.
Create an Outline
Many professors require outlines during the research paper writing process. You’ll find that they want outlines set up with a title page, abstract, introduction, research paper body and reference section. The title page is typically made up of the student’s name, the name of the college, the name of the class and the date of the paper. The abstract is a summary of the paper. An introduction typically consists of one or two pages and comments on the subject matter of the research paper. In the body of the research paper, you’ll be breaking it down into materials and methods, results and discussions. Your references are in your bibliography. Use a research paper example to help you with your outline if necessary.
Organize Your Notes
When writing your first draft, you’re going to have to work on organizing your notes first. During this process, you’ll be deciding which references you’ll be putting in your bibliography and which will work best as in-text citations. You’ll be working on this more as you develop your working drafts and look at more white paper examples to help guide you through the process.
Write Your Final Draft
After you’ve written a first and second draft and received corrections from your professor, it’s time to write your final copy. By now, you should have seen an example of a research paper layout and know how to put your paper together. You’ll have your title page, abstract, introduction, thesis statement, in-text citations, footnotes and bibliography complete. Be sure to check with your professor to ensure if you’re writing in APA style, or if you’re using another style guide.
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How to Cite a Research Paper in Each Research Paper Format
Dissertations, thesis, and all kinds of academic papers will need to be cited using citation styles, such as APA, MLA, or Chicago. Citing academic papers properly are done to counteract plagiarism. These citing formats are used to recognize related literary pieces and to mention references used. You should study various citing styles and research paper well before producing essays or any other pieces of academic writing. In this article, our term paper writers have prepared information on how to format research papers as well as how to properly reference academic papers.
APA Research Paper Format
APA (American Psychological Association) research paper format is often used in papers related to psychology and social sciences. In this citation, there is a general format in referencing through endnotes/footnotes, in-text, and reference pages. Academic papers in APA citation has general writing guidelines.
Papers should be typed, double-spaced on standard-sized paper (8.5" x 11") with 1" margins on all sides. You should use a clear font that is highly readable. APA recommends using 12 pt. Times New Roman font. Include a page header at the top of every page. To create a page header, insert page numbers flush right. Then type the title of your paper in the header flush left using all capital letters. The page header is a shortened version of your paper's title and cannot exceed 50 characters including spacing and punctuation.
Talking about how to write a research paper in APA format, your APA paper should have four major sections :
Be sure to read about how to write an essay format . In article, we talked about the differences between formats.
How to Cite a Research Paper in APA
There are specific rules to follow when citing a research paper in APA. The following are the specific formats to follow:
- Book: Author, A.A.. (Year of Publication). The Title of work. Publisher City, State: Publisher.
- Example : Finney, J. (1970). Time and again. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.
- Magazine: Author, A.A.. (Year, a month of Publication). Article title. Magazine Title, Volume(Issue), pp.-pp.
- Example : Tumulty, K. (2006, April). Should they stay or should they go? Time, 167(15), 3-40.
- Newspaper: Author, A.A.. (Year, Month Date of Publication). Article title. Magazine Title, pp. xx-xx. Rosenberg, G. (1997, March 31). An electronic discovery proves an effective legal weapon.The New York Times, p. D5.
- Website: Author, A.A.. (Year, Month Date of Publication). Article title. Retrieved from URL
- Example : Simmons, B. (2015, January 9). The tale of two Flaccos. Retrieved from {link}
These citing formats are used to recognize related literary pieces and to mention references used. You don't need to cite information about yourself or your own thoughts. For example, when listing education on resume you don't need any citations. However, you should study various citing styles and research well before producing any other piece of academic writing.
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MLA Research Paper Format
MLA (Modern Language Association) format format is commonly used in liberal arts and humanities. Let’s talk a bit about how to write a research paper in MLA format. This format has principles rather than a set of specific rules to be followed. Papers in MLA format provides a process of documentation.
MLA recommends using Times New Roman font in size 12. The entire paper should be double spaced with 1-inch margins on all sides. Tab once to indent paragraphs (½ inch). Your last name and a page number should be inserted on the upper right-hand corner of the first page.
How to Cite a Research Paper in MLA Format
The following are formats to follow in citing research paper in MLA format:
- Book: Last Name, First Name. Book Title. Publisher City: Publisher Name, Year Published. Medium.
- Example : Smith, John. The Sample Book. Pittsburgh: BibMe, 2008. Print.
- Magazine: Last Name, First Name. “Article Title.” Magazine Name Publication Date: Page Numbers. Medium.
- Example : Smith, John. “Obama inaugurated as President.” Time 21 Jan. 2009: 21-23. Print.
- Newspaper: Last Name, First Name. “Article Title.” Newspaper Name Publication Date: Page Numbers. Medium.
- Example : Smith, John. “Steelers win Super Bowl XLIII.” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 2 Feb. 2009: 4-6. Print.
- Website: Last Name, First Name. “Page Title.” Website Title.Sponsoring Institution/Publisher. Publication Date: Page Numbers. Medium.
- Example : Smith, John. “Obama inaugurated as President.” CNN.com. Cable News Network, 21 Jan. 2009. Web. 1 Feb. 2009.
Research Paper in Chicago Style
The Chicago style of citing is commonly used in humanities. It requires writers to cite sources in endnotes or footnotes. This citation provides the author with an avenue to express accountability and credibility to related literature or references used in written material. It helps an academic writer provide quotations in a research paper, as well as being commonly used for book bibliographies.
Look at our movie review example and try to determine what format it is written in.
How to Cite a Research Paper in Chicago Style
The following are Chicago style formats to follow:
- Book: Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Publisher City: Publisher Name, Year Published.
- Example : Brown, Dan. The DaVinci Code. New York: Scholastic, 2004.
- Magazine: Last Name, First Name. Article title. Magazine Title, Month Date, Year of publication.
- Example : Chan, Dan. The art of pandas. Panda Magazine, Nov 10, 1985.
- Newspaper: Last Name, First Name. “Article Title.” Newspaper Name, Publication Date.
- Example : Smith, John. “Steelers win Super Bowl XLIII.” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, February 2, 2009.
- Website: Last Name, First Name. “Page Title.” Website Title. Web Address (retrieved Date Accessed).
- Example : Smith, John. “Obama inaugurated as President.” {link} (accessed February 1, 2009).
ASA Research Paper Format
The leading American method of referencing and quotation created by Sociological Association. Sociological students and scholars use the ASA citation format primarily for writing university research papers in sociology or for submitting articles to ASA journals.
For the detailed information about ASA elements of style, visit the American Sociological Association official website or read our Guide to ASA Citation and Writing Style.
How to Cite a Research Paper in ASA Format
- Book: Author’s Last and First Name. Year of Publication. Title. Country of Publisher: Publisher.
- Example: James, Henry. 2003. The Turn of the Screw. New York: Barns & Noble Books.
- E-Books: Author’s Last and First Name. Year of Publication. Title. Country of Publisher: Publisher. Retrieved Month Day, Year {link}.
- Example: James, Henry. 2003. The Turn of the Screw. New York: Penguin Books Kindle Version. Retrieved January 18, 2017. {link}
- Journal Article: Author’s Last and First Name. Year of Publication. "Title." Journal Name issue #: inclusive page numbers.
- Example: Feekins, Bo. 2008. “Chasing Tree Frogs.” National Geographic #182. 6-10
- Magazine Article: Author’s Last and First Name. Year of Pub. "Title." Magazine Name, Month Year, pp. Inclusive page numbers.
- Example: Geary, Rachel. 2012. “The Issue with Mastery Learning.” New York Times, April 2002. Pp. 15-23.
- Website: Author’s Last and First Name. Date of Publishing. Title. Publisher. Retrieved Month Day, Year {link}.
- Example: Lee, Bruce. 03.09.2004. Birth of a Nation. Retrieved 18.01.2017. {link}
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Video Guide: Easy Ways How to Write a Research Paper Fast
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Citing references and related literature in a dissection, thesis paper, etc. is an important part. As a student or a professional, you should be able to show written pieces which helped you synthesize ideas and formulate conclusions. If you are having trouble referencing your gathered information, head on over to our paper writing service and you will get help with your research paper. Also, you may have the question: “Who will do my math homework?”. Our master paper writers are real professionals, so feel free to check EssayPro catalog and find your writer.
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Published on: Jan 26, 2018
Last updated on: Dec 15, 2022
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If you are in school, then you are probably assigned to research and write a paper. As part of the process, it's important to cite your sources so that readers can easily find them and read more about what you found.
In this blog post, you will be guided through the steps about how to cite a research paper properly. You will be shown helpful examples of citing different types of sources such as websites, books, scholarly journals, and more. This is your one-stop-shop for all things citation-related!
Moreover, different citation styles and referencing styles follow different formats. The goal is to help make the task of correctly citing sources less intimidating so that you can focus on getting your work done.
Stay with us and read on to know more.
What is a Citation Style?
A citation style is a set of rules and guidelines that help the students format their papers in a certain way. It is important when referring to other people’s work and using the details and sources of other researchers.
Usually, the citation styles are published in official handbooks and booklets. They also have relevant and ample examples, instructions, and explanations to help the readers understand better.
The information added in all of the citation styles remains the same. It includes the author’s full name, the name of the cited work, the year of publication, page numbers, the name of the website, and the place of publication. However, the order in which they are presented is different in every citation style.
When working on any of the styles, it is important to follow these details and format them accordingly.
Why is Following Citation Styles Important?
The main reason to cite the added sources and details is to avoid academic theft and intellectual dishonesty. Adding and presenting ideas and quotes of other scholars and researchers without crediting them properly is punishable by law. The person would even have to face legal consequences.
Below are some core reasons to add citations to your work.
- To avoid plagiarism and credit the actual writers and researchers - It is important because you should acknowledge their efforts instead of taking all of the information for your own use.
To conform to intellectual property rights - When conducting research, you may come across information and details that are intellectual property. These include patented material, trademarks, industrial designs, creative works, and architectural designs. Using it without crediting can result in a complaint about your work.
- To add and provide proof of your research - Citing the added details, studies, and research proves the credibility of your work.
- Helps the readers check the presented data themselves - With text citations and references, they can verify facts and sources in a reliable manner. This is evidence of your professionalism as well as honesty.
How to Cite a Research Paper in Different Referencing Styles?
As discussed earlier, different referring styles follow different patterns in which the details are added and presented. Below, we have explained some of the important citation styles and ways to cite them correctly.
APA Research Paper Format
The American Psychological Association, APA is the simplest kind of citation and probably the most commonly used citation style. Students and researchers use it to format their work in subjects of humanities, psychology, and social sciences.
General Guidelines - The paper should be double-spaced, have 1” margins on all sides and be written in the Times New Roman font style. Other than this, you can use any other font style that is easy to read and understand.
Add a header on top of each page. The header must have a short title of your essay’s name and the page number in the top right corner.
Below are the different citation formats for different kinds of sources.
For Books: Author, A.A.. (Year of Publication). The Title of work. Publisher City, State: Publisher.
Example: Williams, J. (1970). Time and Again. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.
For Magazines: Author, A.A.. (Year, a month of Publication). Article title. Magazine Title, Volume(Issue), pp.-pp.
Example: Tumulty, K. (2006, April). Should they stay, or should they go? Time, 167(15), 3-40.
For Newspapers: Author, A.A.. (Year, Month, Date of Publication). Article title. Magazine Title, pp. xx-xx.
Example: Rosenberg, G. (1997, March 31). Electronic discovery proves an effective legal weapon. The New York Times, p. D5.
For Websites: Author, A.A.. (Year, Month, Date of Publication). Article title. Retrieved from URL
Example: Simmons, B. (2015, January 9). The tale of two Flaccos. Retrieved from {link}
For multiple authors, you do not have to add all the authors in the list or even in the in-text citation. For more, read a complete APA format guide and learn to style your paper and citations accordingly.
MLA Research Paper Format
MLA or the Modern Language Association is another common citation style. It is usually used in the field and subjects of humanities and liberal arts. This citation helps the writers and researchers add detailed and refined information in the essays and other academic work.
General Guidelines - This kind of essay or research paper does not have a separate title page, and the details are added on the first page of the essay. The page is double-spaced and with 1” margins on all four sides of the page. The preferred font size is 12 pt. and Times New Roman is generally used.
The heading added on the first page to the upper left corner of the page must include the following details;
- Your full name
- The full name of your teacher
- Course title
- Date of submission
The upper right corner of the header will include your last name and the page number.
Here is the MLA style citation to cite sources of different kinds.
For Books: Last Name, First Name. Book Title. Publisher City: Publisher Name, Year Published. Medium.
Example: Smith, John. The Sample Book. Pittsburgh: BibMe, 2008. Print.
For Magazines: Last Name, First Name. “Article Title.” Magazine Name Publication Date: Page Numbers. Medium.
Example: Smith, John. “Obama inaugurated as President.” Time 21 Jan. 2009: 21-23. Print.
For Newspapers: Last Name, First Name. “Article Title.” Newspaper Name Publication Date: Page Numbers. Medium.
Example: Smith, John. “Steelers win Super Bowl XLIII.” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 2 Feb. 2009: 4-6. Print.
For Websites: Last Name, First Name. “Page Title.” Website Title. Sponsoring Institution/Publisher. Publication Date: Page Numbers. Medium.
Example: Smith, John. “Obama inaugurated as President.” CNN.com. Cable News Network, 21 Jan. 2009. Web. 1 Feb. 2009.
A comprehensive MLA format guide will help you know and understand this style guide properly. The style uses parenthetical citations and refers to its references as ‘Works Cited.’
Chicago Style Research Paper Format
Chicago style is mainly used in the field of humanities. It is different from both the APA style and MLA citation styles. Besides citing references, the student must add additional information and details in the endnotes and footnotes sections in quotation marks. The style allows the students to add credible literature and references to the content.
General Guidelines - The paper should have 1” margins on all four sides of the page, must be double-spaced, and written in Times New Roman font. However, the double-space will not apply to table titles, blockquotes, captions of the figures, and due dates.
The page numbers will be added in the header of the first page and will begin with number 1. The page numbering will continue throughout the entire paper, including the reference list and bibliography.
Here is how you should cite different sources in a Chicago style paper.
For Books: Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Publisher City: Publisher Name, Year Published.
Example: Brown, Dan. The DaVinci Code. New York: Scholastic, 2004.
For Magazines: Last Name, First Name. Article title. Magazine Title, Month Date, Year of publication.
Example: Chan, Dan. The art of pandas. Panda Magazine, Nov 10, 1985.
For Newspapers: Last Name, First Name. “Article Title.” Newspaper Name, Publication Date.
Example: Smith, John. “Steelers win Super Bowl XLIII.” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, February 2, 2009.
For Websites: Last Name, First Name. “Page Title.” Website Title. Web Address (retrieved Date Accessed).
Example: Smith, John. “Obama inaugurated as President.” {link} (accessed February 1, 2009).
Chicago style format has many other conventions also, and you can learn them by going through a detailed guide.
ASA Research Paper Format
The citation style is developed by the Sociological Association. The students, researchers, and scholars of Sociology use this citation style for writing their university research papers.
These papers are related to Sociology, and the style is also used for submitting research articles to peer-reviewed ASA journals.
General Guidelines - The paper must have a separate abstract page before the title page, and the title must be added again as a heading. The abstract should not exceed 200 words and should be precise and brief.
The preferred font style and size are Times New Roman and 12 pt. with 1 to ¼ inches of margins on all sides of the page.
The page numbers should be added on every page and in the top right corner. ASA style research papers must also have three to five keywords that the writer should mention at the beginning of the paper.
Here is how you should cite different kinds of sources in an ASA paper.
For Books: Author’s Last and First Name. Year of Publication. Title. Country of Publisher: Publisher.
Example: James, Henry. 2003. The Turn of the Screw. New York: Barnes & Noble Books.
For E-Books: Author’s Last and First Name. Year of Publication. Title. Country of Publisher: Publisher. Retrieved Month Day, Year {link}.
Example: James, Henry. 2003. The Turn of the Screw. New York: Penguin Books Kindle Version. Retrieved January 18, 2017. {link}
For Journal Articles: Author’s Last and First Name. Year of Publication. "Title." Journal Name issue #: inclusive page numbers.
Example: Feekins, Bo. 2008. “Chasing Tree Frogs.” National Geographic #182. 6-10
For Magazine Articles: Author’s Last and First Name. Year of Pub. "Title." Magazine Name, Month Year, pp. Inclusive page numbers.
Example: Geary, Rachel. 2012. “The Issue with Mastery Learning.” New York Times, April 2002. Pp. 15-23.
For Websites: Author’s Last and First Name. Date of Publishing. Title. Publisher. Retrieved Month Day, Year {link}.
Example: Lee, Bruce. 03.09.2004. Birth of a Nation. Retrieved 18.01.2017. {link}
Read this complete ASA format and citation guide to know more about the citation style.
IEEE Style Research Paper Format
IEEE stands for the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). This style is managed by a professional organization for various technical industries and is mainly used in electronics, engineering, computer science, and telecommunication.
The in-text citations used in this format are added in the form of numbered brackets that further refer to full-length references.
General Guidelines - The page layout should be as follows:
- Top - 19mm (0.75")
- Bottom - 43mm (1.69")
- Left & Right - 14.32mm (0.56")
The text font should be Times New Roman, and the font size should be 10 pt. The spacing should be single, and the first line of each paragraph should be indented.
Here is the citation guide for different sources in the IEEE format.
For Books: J. K. Author, “Title of chapter in the book,” in Title of His Published Book, xth ed. City of Publisher, (only U.S. State), Country: Abbrev. of Publisher, year, ch. x, sec. x, pp. xxx–xxx.
Example: [1] W. K. Chen, Linear Networks and Systems. Belmont, CA: WadsworthPress, 2003.
For Conference Papers : J. K. Author, “Title of paper,” presented at the Abbreviated Name of Conf., City of Conf., Abbrev. State, Country, Month and day(s), year, Paper number.
Example: D. Caratelli, M. C. Viganó, G. Toso, and P. Angeletti, “Analytical placement technique for sparse arrays,” presented at the 32nd ESA Antenna Workshop, Noordwijk, The Netherlands, Oct. 5p, 2010.
For Periodicals: J. K. Author, “Name of paper,” Abbrev. Title of Periodical, vol. x, no. x, pp. xxx-xxx, Abbrev. Month, year.
Example: M. Ito et al., “Application of amorphous oxide TFT to electrophoretic display,” J. Non-Cryst. Solids, vol. 354, no. 19, pp. 2777–2782, Fp. 2008.
For Software Manuals: J. K. Author (or Abbrev. Name of Co., City of Co. Abbrev. State, Country). Name of Manual/Handbook, x ed. (year). Accessed: Date. [Online]. Available: http://www.url.com
For more about the IEEE style, first, read the complete IEEE citation and format guide.
Get Help with your Research Work!
Research papers are not about research and writing only. They involve several other things also like formatting your paper and adding proper and correct citations. But, this could be difficult for many students.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do you cite an online paper.
Include information in the following order while citing an online paper.
- Author’s name
- Page title (in italics)
- Name of the sponsor of the site (if available)
- Accessed day, month, and year
How do you cite sources in an essay?
When you cite sources in an essay, list the author's last name only, and the year the information was published.
For example,
(Author, Date)
(Dodge, 2008)
How do you properly cite a website?
For citing a website properly, include:
- The title of the posting (in quotation marks)
- The website name (in italics)
- The publisher
- The posting date
- The date of access
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Citing Sources: Sample Reference List Citations
- Style Links & Samples
- Sample Reference List Citations
- Sample Notes and Bibliography Citations
- Sample Author Date Citations
- Citing Nontraditional Sources in Chicago
- Sample Citations
- Major Changes to the New MLA
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When formatting a citation in APA style, pay particular attention to italics, punctuation, indentation, and capitalization.
Many more samples of citations presented in the APA style can be found in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association . Please consult this book or a librarian for help with unusual resources.
All of the following samples are taken from:
American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
(In the above sample, the name of the organization is the author. Note that only proper names are capitalized in the title, and the edition number follows the title.)
Book: (This sample from Purdue OWL )
Calfee, R. C., & Valencia, R. R. (1991). APA guide to preparing manuscripts for journal publication . Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Book with an Editor:
Robinson, D. N. (Ed.). (1992). Social discourse and moral judgment . San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
Note: italicize the title of the book and do not capitalize any words in titles except the first word, proper names, and after a colon. Use the author's or editor's initials only for first and middle names.
Chapter from an Edited Volume or Anthology :
Haybron, D. M. (2008). Philosophy and the science of subjective well-being. In M. Eid & R. J. Larsen (Eds.), The science of subjective well-being (pp. 17-43). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Scholarly Article:
Fuentes, A. (2016). Contemporary evolutionary theory in biological anthropology: Insight into human evolution, genomics and challenges to racialized pseudo-science. Revista Cuicuilco , 23 (65), 293-304.
Note: Do not set off the title of the article with quotes, italics, underlines, or capital letters (except for the first word, proper names or after a colon). Italicize the title of the journal and capitalize all words in the title of the journal. This sample includes the volume number (23) which is italicized to set it off from the other numbers. The issue number (65) appears in parentheses and is not italicized. You will also notice that there is no space left between the volume number and the first parenthesis for the issue number.
Scholarly Article (with multiple authors):
Calvo, M. G., & Lang, P. J. (2004). Gaze patterns when looking at emotional pictures: Motivationally biased attention. Motivation and Emotion, 28 , 221-243. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:MOEM.0000040153.26156.ed
Note: This sample includes the volume number (28), which is italicized to set it off from the page numbers. There is no issue number in this example because the journal is paginated by volume. Provide the DOI when available for electronic documents. If a DOI is not available for a scholarly article retrieved online, you should supply the URL of the journal's homepage (NOT the URL from the database). Note authors' names, indentations, spare use of capital letters, page numbers, and use of periods and commas.
Popular Article (with two authors):
Kandel, E. R., & Squire, L. R. (2000, November 10). Neuroscience: Breaking down scientific barriers to the study of brain and mind. Science, 290, 1113-1120.
Note: Do not set off the title of the article with quotes, italics, underlines, or capital letters (except for the first word, proper names, or after a colon). Italicize the title of the magazine and capitalize all keywords in the title. Italicize the volume number to set it off from the page numbers.
Newspaper Article:
Scwartz, J. (1993, September 30). Obesity affects economic, social status. The Washington Post , pp. A1, A4.
Note: Do not set off the title of the article with quotes, italics, underlines, or capital letters (except for the first word, proper names or after a colon). Italicize the title of the newspaper and capitalize all keywords in the title of the newspaper.
Webpage Examples: (These samples from Purdue OWL )
Author, A. A. & Author B. B. (Date of publication , or n. d. if no date ). Title of page [Format description when necessary]. Retrieved from https://www.someaddress.com/full/url/
Eco, U. (2015). How to write a thesis [PDF file]. (Farina C. M. & Farina F., Trans.) Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/...How_to_write_a_thesis/.../Umberto+Eco-How+to+Write+... (Original work published 1977).
If the page's author is not listed, start with the title. If the date of publication is not listed, use the abbreviation (n.d.):
Spotlight Resources. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/about_the_owl/owl_information/spotlight_resources.html
Only include a date of access when page content is likely to change over time (ex: if you're citing a wiki):
Purdue University Writing Lab [Facebook page]. (n.d.). Retrieved January 22, 2019, from https://www.facebook.com/PurdueUniversityWritingLab/
Nonperiodical Web Document or Report (Examples: government data such as U.S. Census): (This sample from Purdue OWL )
Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Date of publication, or n.d. if no date). Title of document . Retrieved from https://Web address
Angeli, E., Wagner, J., Lawrick, E., Moore, K., Anderson, M., Soderland, L., & Brizee, A. (2010, May 5). General format. Retrieved from http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
Note: Italicize the title of the website but do not capitalize any words except the first, proper names, and the first word following a colon.
For citing company or industry reports from the library's MarketLine database, also see:
https://guides.library.ualberta.ca/apa-citation-style/business
Publication manual of the American Psychological Association 7.07
If map is within a book, cite as In Title of book after [Type of map].
Cite primary contributors in the Author's space followed by their contributing role in parentheses.
Other forms for [Type of map] include:
- [Demographic map]
- [Topographical map]
Use (n.d.) for No date.
Title of map. (Year). [Type of Map]. Publisher Location: Publisher.
Citation Examples:
Plattsburgh, Clinton County: Dannemora, Peru, Keeseville, Champlain, Rouses Point, New York State, 3rd ed.
(1999). [Road map]. Clifton Park, NY: Jimapco.
Topographical Map:
Berlin, N.Y. - Mass. - VT. (1988). [Topographical map]. reston, VA: U.S. Geological Survey.
Online Map:
Follow the map citation guidelines as above, but also include a stable URL where the map is found.
Title of map. (Year). [Type of map]. Retrieved from http://xxx.xx
Manhattan sightseeing map. (2010). [City map]. Retrieved from http://www.ny.com/maps/shopmap.html
MTA Metro-North railroad. (2010). [Railroad map]. Retrieved from http://www.mta.info/mnr/html/mnrmap.htm
MTA New York City subway. (2010). [Subway map]. Retrieved from http://www.mta.info/nyct/maps/submap.htm
Charts and Graphs
Since the APA manual does not give direct information for citing every type of source, including charts or graphs, they instruct you to follow the example that is most like the source you are trying to cite. Be sure to provide enough information so your readers can locate the source on their own. When possible provide author or creator, year of publication, title, and publishing and/or retrieval data. When citing a chart, graph or map it may be best to follow the citation style for the format in which the information is presented.
All captions for charts should follow the guidelines below for captions for figures.
Captions for Figures (Charts, Graphs, and Maps): Publication manual of the American Psychological Association 5.20-5.25
All captions should be labeled as Figure followed by a number. The caption should begin with a descriptive phrase and include a citation to the original source and copyright information at the end.
Figure 1. Relations between trust beliefs and school adjustment at T1 and loneliness changes during development in early childhood. All paths attained significance at p> .05. Adapted from “The Relation Between Trust Beliefs and Loneliness During Early Childhood, Middle Childhood, and Adulthood,” by K. J. Rotenberg, N. Addis, L. R. Betts, A. Corrigan, C. Fox, Z. Hobson, & … and M. J. Boulton, 2010, Personality and social psychology bulletin , 36, p. 1090. Copyright 2010 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.
Documentaries or Feature Films:
David, L., Bender, L., Burns S.Z. (Producers), & Guggenheim, P.D. (Director). (2006). An inconvenient truth [Motion picture]. United States: Paramount Pictures.
Note : If a film is not available in wide distribution, add the following to the citation after the country of origin: (Available from Distributor name, full address and zip code).
Online Resources
More examples and samples of papers written using the APA style can be found at the following websites:
- APA Style.Org The APA Citation Style's official website, as excerpted from the 6th edition.
- Excelsior College OWL APA style guide from Excelsior College's Online Writing Lab.
- Slate Citation Machine Excellent tool for citing sources in MLA and APA style. Simple fill in the form for the type of source you are citing, i.e. a book, journal article, website, etc., and this tool will show you the way to cite the reference. Be careful of your capitalization.
- Cornell University Library Guide to APA Citation Style
Additional Information for Citing Special Sources
- Ohio Wesleyan University - Citing Maps
- Map Citation Guide from the University of North Carolina
- Citation Fox (citation generator)
- Knight Cite from Calvin College (citation generator)
- Last Updated: Jan 27, 2023 8:53 AM
- URL: https://libguides.dickinson.edu/citing
Purdue Online Writing Lab College of Liberal Arts
MLA Sample Paper
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How to Cite a Research Paper
Last Updated: January 31, 2023 References
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Jennifer Mueller, JD . Jennifer Mueller is a wikiHow Content Creator. She specializes in reviewing, fact-checking, and evaluating wikiHow's content to ensure thoroughness and accuracy. Jennifer holds a JD from Indiana University Maurer School of Law in 2006. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 378,443 times. Learn more...
When writing a paper for a research project, you may need to cite a research paper you used as a reference. The basic information included in your citation will be the same across all styles. However, the format in which that information is presented is somewhat different depending on whether you're using American Psychological Association (APA), Modern Language Association (MLA), Chicago, or American Medical Association (AMA) style.
Citation Help
- For example: "Kringle, K., & Frost, J."
- For example: "Kringle, K., & Frost, J. (2012)."
- If the date, or any other information, are not available, use the guide at http://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2012/05/missing-pieces.html .
- For example: "Kringle, K., & Frost, J. (2012). Red noses, warm hearts: The glowing phenomenon among North Pole reindeer."
- If you found the research paper in a database maintained by a university, corporation, or other organization, include any index number assigned to the paper in parentheses after the title. For example: "Kringle, K., & Frost, J. (2012). Red noses, warm hearts: The glowing phenomenon among North Pole reindeer. (Report No. 1234)."
- For example: "Kringle, K., & Frost, J. (2012). Red noses, warm hearts: The glowing phenomenon among North Pole reindeer. (Report No. 1234). Retrieved from Alaska University Library Archives, December 24, 2017."
- For example: "(Kringle & Frost, 2012)."
- If there was no date on the research paper, use the abbreviation n.d. : "(Kringle & Frost, n.d.)."
- For example: "Kringle, Kris, and Jack Frost."
- For example: "Kringle, Kris, and Jack Frost. "Red Noses, Warm Hearts: The Glowing Phenomenon among North Pole Reindeer." Master's thesis."
- For example: "Kringle, Kris, and Jack Frost. "Red Noses, Warm Hearts: The Glowing Phenomenon among North Pole Reindeer." Master's thesis, Alaska University, 2012."
- For example: "Kringle, Kris, and Jack Frost. "Red Noses, Warm Hearts: The Glowing Phenomenon among North Pole Reindeer." Master's thesis, Alaska University, 2012. Accessed at http://www.northpolemedical.com/raising_rudolf."
- Footnotes are essentially the same as the full citation, although the first and last names of the authors aren't inverted.
- For parenthetical citations, Chicago uses the Author-Date format. For example: "(Kringle and Frost 2012)."
- For example: "Kringle, Kris, and Frost, Jack."
- For example: "Kringle, Kris, and Frost, Jack. "Red Noses, Warm Hearts: The Glowing Phenomenon Among North Pole Reindeer.""
- For example, suppose you found the paper in a collection of paper housed in university archives. Your citation might be: "Kringle, Kris, and Frost, Jack. "Red Noses, Warm Hearts: The Glowing Phenomenon Among North Pole Reindeer." Master's Theses 2000-2010. University of Alaska Library Archives. Accessed December 24, 2017."
- For example: "(Kringle & Frost, p. 33)."
- For example: "Kringle K, Frost J."
- For example: "Kringle K, Frost J. Red noses, warm hearts: The glowing phenomenon among North Pole reindeer."
- For example: "Kringle K, Frost J. Red noses, warm hearts: The glowing phenomenon among North Pole reindeer. Nat Med. 2012; 18(9): 1429-1433."
- For example, if you're citing a paper presented at a conference, you'd write: "Kringle K, Frost J. Red noses, warm hearts: The glowing phenomenon among North Pole reindeer. Oral presentation at Arctic Health Association Annual Summit; December, 2017; Nome, Alaska."
- To cite a paper you read online, you'd write: "Kringle K, Frost J. Red noses, warm hearts: The glowing phenomenon among North Pole reindeer. http://www.northpolemedical.com/raising_rudolf"
- For example: "According to Kringle and Frost, these red noses indicate a subspecies of reindeer native to Alaska and Canada that have migrated to the North Pole and mingled with North Pole reindeer. 1 "
Community Q&A
- If you used a manual as a source in your research paper, you'll need to learn how to cite the manual also. ⧼thumbs_response⧽ Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
- If you use any figures in your research paper, you'll also need to know the proper way to cite them in MLA, APA, AMA, or Chicago. ⧼thumbs_response⧽ Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
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- ↑ http://askus.library.wwu.edu/faq/116659
- ↑ https://guides.libraries.psu.edu/apaquickguide/intext
- ↑ http://guides.libraries.psu.edu/apaquickguide/intext
- ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/chicago_manual_17th_edition/cmos_formatting_and_style_guide/general_format.html
- ↑ https://libanswers.snhu.edu/faq/48009
- ↑ https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide/citation-guide-2.html
- ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_in_text_citations_the_basics.html
- ↑ https://morningside.libguides.com/MLA8/location
- ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/ama_style/index.html
- ↑ https://research.library.oakland.edu/sp/subjects/tutorial.php?faq_id=187
About This Article
To cite a paper APA style, start with the author's last name and first initial, and the year of publication. Then, list the title of the paper, where you found it, and the date that you accessed it. In a paper, use a parenthetical reference with the last name of the author and the publication year. For an MLA citation, list the author's last name and then first name and the title of the paper in quotations. Include where you accessed the paper and the date you retrieved it. In your paper, use a parenthetical reference with the author's last name and the page number. Keep reading for tips on Chicago and AMA citations and exceptions to the citation rules! Did this summary help you? Yes No
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Organizing Academic Research Papers: 11. Citing Sources
- Purpose of Guide
- Design Flaws to Avoid
- Glossary of Research Terms
- Narrowing a Topic Idea
- Broadening a Topic Idea
- Extending the Timeliness of a Topic Idea
- Academic Writing Style
- Choosing a Title
- Making an Outline
- Paragraph Development
- Executive Summary
- Background Information
- The Research Problem/Question
- Theoretical Framework
- Citation Tracking
- Content Alert Services
- Evaluating Sources
- Primary Sources
- Secondary Sources
- Tertiary Sources
- What Is Scholarly vs. Popular?
- Qualitative Methods
- Quantitative Methods
- Using Non-Textual Elements
- Limitations of the Study
- Common Grammar Mistakes
- Avoiding Plagiarism
- Footnotes or Endnotes?
- Further Readings
- Annotated Bibliography
- Dealing with Nervousness
- Using Visual Aids
- Grading Someone Else's Paper
- How to Manage Group Projects
- Multiple Book Review Essay
- Reviewing Collected Essays
- About Informed Consent
- Writing Field Notes
- Writing a Policy Memo
- Writing a Research Proposal
- Acknowledgements
A citation is a reference to a published or unpublished source that you consulted and obtained information from while writing your research paper. The way in which you document your sources depends on the writing style manual your professor wants you to use for the class [e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago, Turabian, etc.]. Note that some disciplines have their own citation method [e.g., law].
Importance of a Citing your Sources
Citations show your readers where you obtained your material, provides a means of critiquing your study, and offers the opportunity to obtain additional information about the research problem under investigation.
Properly citing the works of others is important because:
- Proper citation allows others to locate the materials you used . Citations to other sources helps readers expand their knowledge on a topic. In some disciplines, one of the most effective strategies for locating authoritative, relevant sources is to follow footnotes or references from known sources ["citation tracking"].
- Citing other people's words and ideas indicates that you have conducted thorough review of the literature on your topic and, therefore, you are operating from an informed perspective. This increases your credibility as the author of the work.
- Other researcher's ideas can be used to reinforce your arguments , or, if you disagree with them, can act as positions from which to argue an alternative viewpoint. In many cases, another researcher's arguments can act as the primary context from which you can emphasize a different viewpoint or to clarify the importance of what you are proposing.
- Ju st as other researcher's ideas can bolster your arguments and act as evidence for your ideas, they can also detract from your credibility if they are found to be mistaken or fabricated . Properly citing information not unique to you prevents your reputation from being tarnished if the facts or ideas of others are proven to be inaccurate or off-base.
- Outside academe, ideas are considered intellectual property and there can serious repercussions if you fail to cite where you got an idea from . In the professional world, failure to cite other people's intellectual property ruins careers and reputations and can result in legal action. Given this, it is important to get into the habit of citing sources.
In any academic writing, you are required to identify for your reader which ideas, facts, theories, concepts, etc., are yours and which are derived from the research and thoughts of others. Whether you summarize, paraphrase, or use direct quotes, if it's not your original idea, the source needs to be acknowledged. The only exception to this rule is information that is considered to be common knowledge [e.g., George Washington was the first president of the United States]. If in doubt regarding whether something is common knowledge, take the safe route and cite it, or ask your professor for clarification.
Citing Information . The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; Referencing More Effectively. Academic Skills Centre. University of Canberra.
Structure and Writing Style
Referencing your sources means systematically showing what information or ideas you are quoting or paraphrasing from another author’s work, and where they come from . You must cite research in order to do research, but at the same time, you must indicate what are your original thoughts and ideas and what are the thoughts and ideas of others. Systems used to reference the sources you've used vary among different fields of study. However, always speak with your professor about what writing style for citing sources should be used for the class because it is important to fully understand the citation style to be used in your paper, and to apply it consistently.
GENERAL GUIDELINES
- Should I avoid referencing other people's work? No! Referencing other people's work is never an indication that your work is poor or lacks originality if placed in the proper context. In fact, the opposite is true. If you write your paper with no references to previous research, you are indicating to the reader that you are not familiar with the research that has already been done, thereby undermining your credibility as an author and the validity of your research. Including references in academic writing is a way of demonstrating your knowledge of pertinent literature about the research problem.
- What should I do if I find that my idea has already been published by another researcher? Acknowledge the other researcher's work by writing in your reference something like this: [see also Smith, 2002]. Do not ignore another author's work because doing so will lead your readers to believe that you have either taken the idea or information without properly referencing it [this is plagiarism] or that you have failed to conduct a thorough review of the literature in your field.
- What should I do if I want to use an adapted version of someone else's work? You still must cite the original work. For example, maybe you are using a table of statistics from a journal article published in 1996 by author Smith, but you have altered or added new data to it. Reference the revised chart as: [adapted from Smith, 1996]. You can also use other terms in order to specify the exact relationship between the source and the version you have presented, such as, based on Smith [1996], summarized from Smith [1996], etc.
- What should I do if several authors have published very similar information or ideas? You can indicate that the idea or information can be found in the work of more than one author, by stating something like: "Though in fact many authors have applied this theory to understanding economic relations among nations [for example, Smith, 1989; Jones, 19991; Johnson, 1994], little work has been done on applying it to understand the actions of non-governmental organizations." If you only reference one author, then your readers may assume that only one author has published on this topic, or, conclude that you have not read the literature thoroughly knowing that others have published research in this area. Referencing multiple authors indicates to your readers a clear idea of the breadth of analysis you conducted about the research problem, not a distorted or incomplete one.
- What if I find exactly what I want to say in the writing of another researcher? It depends on what it is; if someone else has investigated precisely the same research problem as you, then you likely will have to change your topic, or at the very least, find something new to say about what you're researching. However, if it is someone else's particularly succinct expression, but it fits perfectly with what you are trying to say, then you can quote directly, citing the page reference as well as the author and year of publication. Finding someone else who has stated or made the same point that you have is an opportunity to reinforce your own interpretation of the research problem.
How to Cite Other Sources in Your Paper . The Structure, Format, Content, and Style of a Journal-Style Scientific Paper. Department of Biology. Bates College; Lunsford, Andrea A. and Robert Connors; The St. Martin's Handbook. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1989; Research and Citation Resources . The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Using Evidence. Writing Tutorial Services, Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning. Indiana University.
Citation Research Guides
SHU Library has a collection of Quick Guides to help you cite your sources. They are all available on our Citation Style Guides page.
Listed below are particularly well-done and comprehensive websites that provide specific examples of how to cite sources under different style guidelines.
- Purdue University Online Writing Lab
- University of Wisconsin Writing Center
Automatic Citation Generators
Type in your information and have a citation compiled for you. Note that these are not foolproof systems so it is important that you verify that your citation is correct and check your spelling, capitalization, etc. However, they can be useful in creating basic types of citations, particularly for online sources.
- BibMe -- APA, MLA, Chicago, and Turabian styles
- DocsCite -- for citing government publications in APA or MLA formats
- EasyBib -- MLA style
- KnightCite -- APA, MLA, and Chicago styles
- Son of Citation Machine -- APA, MLA, Chicago, and Turabian styles
Most databases provide some kind of automatically generated citations for the major citation styles. Here is a video explaining how to find the citation feature in an EBSCO database.
- Research 911: Citations (printable tutorial)
- << Previous: Common Grammar Mistakes
- Next: Avoiding Plagiarism >>
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Research Paper Guide
How To Cite A Research Paper
Last updated on: Feb 8, 2023
How to Cite a Research Paper with the Help of Examples
By: Nathan D.
17 min read
Reviewed By: Rylee W.
Published on: Dec 28, 2021
Citations are a key component of academic writing. Citations allow the reader to trace where your information came from. In addition, they provide documentation for your research or paper to be cited properly for future work.
When you write a paper for the research project, it's important to cite your sources so that they can be properly credited. The basic information in citations will stay consistent across all styles; however, how it is presented depends on your educational institute guidelines.
Citations are a vital part of any researcher’s work. They are the backbone of your research paper. They provide an author's credibility and help readers trust their work, but it can be tedious to write them correctly.
Unfortunately, many students get confused about different citation styles. In this blog post, you will learn how to cite your research paper in various formats.
On this Page
What is a Citation Style?
Citing sources is an important academic skill. Whenever you refer to someone else's work, it must be properly cited so that your papers do not contain any plagiarized content. And can earn credit for using information from other writers' published documents or ideas without crediting them directly in the text of your paper itself.
The citation style is important because it helps students or researchers format their papers in a specific way.
Citations should demonstrate what was read, where this material came from originally, and when exactly these words were spoken/uttered by various people mentioned within its papers.
Citations are used for many purposes, including enabling better verification of your work and giving proper credit to the authors. They also help writers avoid committing plagiarism by making them more trustworthy on paper.
The right citation style depends on the discipline in which you will write your research paper . Therefore, it is important to consult your professor about the citation style for research papers. In most cases, they assign one and if not, then choose wisely.
Moreover, citations are a way to ensure accuracy, and they'll help you avoid losing credit for others’ work. Here's what citations should include:
- Name of the author
- The year of publication
- Name of the book, article, or other resources
- The place of publication
- Page numbers
- The name of the website
When using citations, it's important to keep in mind the information they contain. The order of the citation may change depending on your style.
What are the Different Referencing Styles for Citations?
When you write a research paper, it's necessary to cite your sources. For academic papers, there are six main citation styles:
- APA (American Psychological Association)
- MLA (Modern Language Association)
- Chicago citation style
- Harvard citation style
- ASA (American Sociological Association)
- IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)
The information is the same in all citation styles. However, only formatting your citations depends on which style to use, such as APA, MLA, Chicago, and any citation style.
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How to Cite a Research Paper in APA Format?
The APA research paper format is mainly used in the field of psychology and social sciences. But it isn't just for those disciplines - this type can apply to any scientific study where clarity, organization, and an orderly documentation process are necessary. This citation style is a little simpler than most, and students usually use this for their papers.
The following are a few formatting rules to help you write your research paper in APA citation format.
- Use double spacing throughout the paper.
- The title should be between 10-12 words.
- The title page, references, and abstract should be on their own pages.
- Use 12 pt font size.
- An abstract is not more than 120 words.
- Table of content is not compulsory but recommended for lengthy papers.
Also, in APA format, the research paper should include:
There are many different APA formats for sources, depending on what you're looking to cite. Below you'll go over some of the most common ones that you cite in your paper.
Here is a document that helps you to cite your research paper in APA format.
HOW TO CITE A RESEARCH PAPER IN APA 7TH EDITION
APA In-Text Citation
In-text citations help users know which ideas come from whom and when. APA style has two major elements for in-text citation: the author and date (2019). It comes with both parenthetical reference format and narrative; choose whichever is more appropriate based on your needs.
In parenthetical citation, you write like this (Brown, 2002) , but in a narrative, write the citation in this format Brown (2002) .
How to Cite a Research Paper in MLA Format?
The MLA citation is a common style used in the humanities and liberal arts for formatting research papers. This particular format can be applied by scholars, researchers, or students writing assignments on these subjects.
In MLA style, use the title “Works-Cited List” for your reference list. This will help readers look at the bibliography and want more information on each source you cited in order of their importance so they can find it easily when writing their papers.
The following are some formatting rules that should be followed when drafting a research paper in MLA format.
- Set 1’’ margins on all sides of the document.
- Font size should be 12 pt.
- Include endnotes on a separate page before the Work Cited page.
- Indent first word in every paragraph.
- Use Times New Roman font.
The following are the most common MLA formats for different types of sources:
Take a look at this document and know how to cite a research paper in MLA format.
HOW TO CITE A RESEARCH PAPER MLA 8
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MLA In-Text Citation
Citations are a way to credit the source of your information. If the author is known, cite web pages in the text. Likewise, use a title as an in-text citation when referencing if the author is not known.
For Example:
An entire website with the author:
In-text citation
When children are being bullied, parents can play a major role in assisting them to learn techniques for coping. (Kaiser).
Reference entry
Kaiser, Alexa. Safe Child. Coalition for Children, 2008, www.safechild.org.
Web page with no author:
The term Nittany Lion was coined by Penn State football player Joe Mason in 2001 ("All Things Nittany").
"All Things Nittany." About Penn State. Penn State University, 2016, www.psu.edu/ur/about/nittanymascot.html.
How to Cite a Research Paper in Harvard Style?
Harvard style is a popular formatting style used in academic papers, along with APA and MLA. It contains rules about formatting the margins of your paper and which fonts should be used not to disrupt readability.
Moreover, this citation style is commonly used in humanities, behavioral sciences, and philosophy.
There are several guidelines to follow when formatting a paper in Harvard style.
- Use 1-inch margins on all sides of the page.
- The tile is placed in the center of the page.
- Use double-space between the lines.
- Arrange reference list alphabetically.
The following table shows different kinds of sources and their Harvard-style format for your research paper.
How to Cite a Research Paper in Chicago Style?
This citation style is mainly used in the humanities and book bibliographies. It allows researchers to cite sources with endnotes or footnotes and demonstrate acceptability for related references they may use within their content.
Here are Chicago-style formatting rules every student and researcher should follow.
- Use 1-inch margins.
- Indent every new paragraph by ½ inch.
- The title page is not required in Chicago style.
- All headings should be capitalized.
- The page numbers should place at the top-right or bottom center of the page.
Here is a table that shows the Chicago-style citation for different types of sources.
How to Cite a Research Paper in an Essay?
Citing a research paper in an essay is not difficult. You can use any citation format that matches your academic needs, but when you choose the one for citing, it's important to consult with and get approval from your professor.
Creating a reference section will help you and avoid plagiarism in your work. When you are making a case for something, citing evidence and data correctly can help your credibility.
How to Cite a Research Paper in ASA Format?
The Sociological Association created this citation style, and it is normally used in psychology and social sciences papers. The ASA Citation Style is a simple format for writing research papers.
The following are some formatting rules that you should follow when writing a paper in ASA format.
- All text must be double-spaced.
- All margins should be 1-inch.
- Periodical titles should be italic.
Below are the main elements of the ASA paper are:
- Citation and In-Text Citation
The following table show some specific ASA formats for different kinds of sources:
How to Cite a Research Paper in IEEE Format?
In electronics, computer science, and engineering, the IEEE style is commonly used. This citation style is an official style of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
The below table shows how to cite different sources in IEEE format.
Excellent Tips for Citing a Research Paper
Here are some expert tips that you should follow when citing a research paper.
- Understand your teacher’s guidelines.
- Follow proper citation format.
- Use quotation marks where needed.
- Cross-check citing references.
- Remember that in Harvard style, the body of your paper contains in-text citations.
- Separate the multiple author names with a comma.
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APA 6th ed. Style Guide: Scholarly Journal Articles
- Getting Started
- Scholarly Journal Articles
- Books & Reports
- Newspapers & Magazines
- Web Sources & Multimedia
- Legal Sources
- Citing Sources in Text
- Formatting an APA Paper
- APA Sample Paper
On This Page
Journal Article with DOI
Journal Article without a DOI
Journal Article with seven or more authors
Essential Elements
Citations for scholarly articles should include the following:
1. Name of Author(s)
2. Year of Publication
3. Full Title of Article
4. Title of Journal (italicized)
5. Volume Number of Journal
6. Page Numbers of Article
General Format Guidelines for Scholarly Articles
What is a DOI (digital object identifier)??
- the DOI system provides persistent identification for managing digital content.
- if a DOI is available, it is used in place of a URL.
- DOI numbers can often be found on the first page of an online source, or with the article's bibliographic information on the item record page.
- DOIs are now displayed as permanent URLs: http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0024996
For more information, see "The DOI System" (p. 5) in APA Style Guide to Electronic References .
Sample Citations - Scholarly Articles
Journal Article with DOI (Digital Object Identifier):
All of the following are currently considered correct DOI display guidelines:
- https://doi.org/10.1037/arc0000014
- http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/arc0000014
- doi:10.1037/arc0000014
If you consulted the article in print, you do not need to include a DOI or URL.
Journal Article without a DOI (when DOI is not available):
If no DOI is assigned to the online content, include the URL for the journal home page.
Use this format: Retrieved from http://xxxx
No retrieval date is needed because the journal article content will not change over time.
Journal Article With Seven or More Authors
When a reference has 1-7 authors, spell out all authors' names in the reference list citation. If a source has 8 or more authors, list the first six, insert an ellipses, and then provide the name of the final author.
Example (article with 8 or more authors) :
- << Previous: Getting Started
- Next: Books & Reports >>
- Last Updated: Jul 12, 2022 12:05 PM
- URL: https://guides.zsr.wfu.edu/apa6
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
To make an acknowledgement in a research paper, a writer should express thanks by using the full or professional names of the people being thanked and should specify exactly how the people being acknowledged helped.
Writing a research paper is a bit more difficult that a standard high school essay. You need to site sources, use academic data and show scientific examples. Before beginning, you’ll need guidelines for how to write a research paper.
Citation generators can be lifesavers when it comes to academic papers. Not only do they make citing your sources easy, but many of them also offer helpful formatting options to ensure you’re providing sources in line with the style manual ...
How to Cite a Research Paper in MLA Format · Book: Last Name, First Name. Book Title. · Example: Smith, John. The Sample Book. · Magazine: Last
Author, F. M. (Year, Month). Title of contribution. [Type of contribution]. Conference Name, City. DOI or URL when applicable. Example
For E-Books: Author's Last and First Name. Year of Publication. Title. Country of Publisher: Publisher. Retrieved Month Day, Year {link}.
All captions should be labeled as Figure followed by a number. The caption should begin with a descriptive phrase and include a citation to the
When using APA format, follow the author-date method of in-text citation. This means that the author's last name and the year of publication for the source
This resource contains a sample MLA paper that adheres to the 2016 updates. To download the MLA sample paper, click this link.
For example, suppose you found the paper in a collection of paper housed in university archives. Your citation might be: "Kringle, Kris, and
A citation is a reference to a published or unpublished source that you consulted and obtained information from while writing your research
Author Last name, First name. Year of publication. "Title of Article." Title of Newspaper (italicized), Month date, pp. Numbers. How to Cite a
A basic guide to integrating research sources and common knowledge into the flow of your essay: ... APA Citations--Sample Research Paper.
1. Name of Author(s) · 2. Year of Publication · 3. Full Title of Article.