8. How to Cite References

If you conduct any research when you are writing an essay, you must cite your references.

Failure to cite your reference can lead to charges of plagiarism, which is a serious academic offence and can result in losing marks and receiving some further disciplinary action.

The Bibliography (or References) should include all the sources you used to find information for your research. Entries should be arranged alphabetically by authors' surnames and by titles of anonymous works, and they should include full bibliographic details:

  • name(s) of author(s)

  • full title of work

  • place and publisher

  • date of publication

  • for articles - periodical title and inclusive page numbers

Center the title Bibliography (or References) at the top of a page at the end of the document. Then, follow the appropriate example below for correct formatting of each resource.

Books

One author

Ornstein, Robert E. The Psychology of Consciousness. 2nd ed. New York: Harcourt, 1977.

Two or three authors

Gesell, Arnold, and Frances L. Ilg. Child Development: An Introduction to the Study of Human Growth. New York: Harper, 1949.

More than three authors

Spiller, Robert, et al. Literary History of the United States. New York: Macmillan, 1960.

Corporate author

United States Capitol Society. We, the People: The Story of the United States Capitol. Washington, DC: National Geographic Soc., 1964.

One of multiple volume

Pizer, Donald and Earl N. Harbert, eds. American Realists and Naturalists. Detroit: Gale Research, 1982. Vol. 12 of Dictionary of Literary Biography. 128 vols. to date. 197shy

One work in an anthology/title within title

Dimock, George E., Jr. "The Name of Odysseus". Essays on The Odyssey: Selected Modern Criticism. Ed. Charles H. Taylor. Bloomington: Indiana UP, 1963. 54-72.

Periodical Articles

Known volume, issue number and year

Posen, I. Sheldon, and Joseph Sciorra. "Brooklyn's Dancing Tower". Natural History 92.6(1983): 30-3

No volume number, no author name

"The Vietnam War: The Executioner". Newsweek. 13 Nov. 1978: 70.

Newspaper article

Greeley, Andrew. "Today's Morality Play: The Sitcom". New York Times. 17 May 1987, late ed., sec. 2: 1+.

Two publications by the same author

Foulkes, David. "Dreams of Innocence". Psychology Today. Dec. 1978: 78-88.

Foulkes, David. The Psychology of Sleep. New York: Scribner's, 1966.

Internet and CD-ROM Sources

Part of an Online Book

Dickinson, Emily.  "With Flowers". Poems. 1896. Project Bartleby, Columbia University. 6 June 1999  http://www.columbia.edu./acis/bartelby/dickingson/>.

Wilde, Oscar. The Picture of Dorian Gray.1890 Bibliomania
27 June 2006 http://www.bibliomania.com/0/0/frameset.html>;.

CD-ROM version (Note: The end date is from the CD surface, not the journal.)

O'Shea, Dan. "Fabled Publisher Goes on the Net". Telephone 227.22 (1994):7. Business Periodicals Ondisc. CD-ROM. University Microfilm International. Nov. 1994.

Schultz, Susan M. "Postmodern Promos". Postmodern Culture. 3.1 (Sept. 1992): Online.

  Article in an Online Journal

Youngquist, Walter. "Alternative Energy Sources-Myths and Realities". Electronic Green Journal.  9. (Dec 1998). 1998. June 1999
http://www.lib.uidaho.edu:70/docs/egj09/youngqu1.html>;.

Non-Print Sources

Television program

"Shakespearean Putdowns". Narr. Robert Siegel and Linda Wertheimer.

All Things Considered. Natl. Public Radio. WUWM, Milwaukee. 6 Apr. 1994.

Videotape

Capra, Frank, dir. It's a Wonderful Life. 1946. Videocassette. Republic, 1988.

Interview

Greenhill, H. Gaylon. Personal interview. 19 May 1995.