All academic research builds on the work that went before it. No matter what your research subject, it is very important to appropriately credit the sources of the ideas that you express in your papers.

All academic papers need to include a Bibliography, Works Cited, or List of References, with in-text citations that refer to the identified sources. However, various academic disciplines have different conventions for what style to use.

Your instructor will generally tell you what citation style he or she expects you to use. If not, you should still adhere to one of the recognized styles, to make your references consistent. The most common citation styles used by undergraduates are MLA and APA.

In some of the article databases available through the library (such as Academic Search Premier), there is a Cite button which provides citations in the most common styles.

Rowan University Libraries now has a subscription to The Chicago Manual of Style Online. Check it out below, or under "C" on the A-Z list of E-Resources.

The following websites offer guidance on the use of various academic citation styles.

American Psychological Association style guide

Chicago Manual of Style online

Modern Language Association style guide information

Purdue University guide to citing sources

University of Texas Libraries guide to style manuals

The link in each title will take you to the Library Catalog record so you can check for the latest editions and availability. Style manuals are typically updated every few years to incorporate the latest formats (for example, citing websites).

Chicago manual of style. (Chicago style, sometimes called Turabian, is commonly used in Business and Music)

 Reference Collection - 2nd Floor, Ref. Z 253 U69 

MLA style manual and guide to scholarly publishing. (MLA style is commonly used in English Literature and Modern Languages)

Reference Collection - 2nd Floor, Ref. PN 147 G4444 

Publication manual of the American Psychological Association. (APA style is commonly used in Psychology, History and Social Sciences)

Reference Collection - 2nd Floor, Ref. BF 76.7 P93 

Scientific style and format : the CSE manual for authors, editors, and publishers. (CSE style is often used in the Sciences)

Reference Collection - 2nd Floor, Ref. T 11 .S386