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Citing Research References

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When you research information you must cite the reference. Citing for websites is different from citing from books, magazines and periodicals. The style of citing shown here is from the MLA Style Citations (Modern Language Association).

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When citing a WEBSITE the general format is as follows.

Author Last Name, First Name(s). "Title: Subtitle of Part of Web Page, if appropriate." Title: Subtitle: Section of Page if appropriate. Sponsoring/Publishing Agency, If Given. Additional significant descriptive information. Date of Electronic Publication or other Date, such as Last Updated. Day Month Year of access <URL>.

Here is an example if you were researching grizzly bears from this website:

Amsel, Sheri. “Wildlife: Mammals” Bear (Grizzly). Exploring Nature Educational Resource. ©2005-2008. Today’s Date. </db/detail.php?dbID=43&detID=937>

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When citing a MAGAZINE the general format is as follows.

Author Last Name, First Name(s). "Title of Article." Title of Magazine Day Month Year of Publication: page-numbers or initial-page+ if nonconsecutive.

Here is an example from this website, where we cited a magazine for the research published here under the Discoveries and Inventions Section:

Kruglinski, Susan. “Cop Wasps vs. Drug Smugglers.” Discover February 2006: P. 13

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When citing a BOOK the general format is as follows.

Author#1 Last Name, First Name(s), and Author#2 First Name(s) Last Name. Title of Book. Place of Publication: Publisher, Date of publication.

Here is an example of a book we used as reference for this website:

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb's Wildflower Guide. Boston-Toronto: Little, Brown and Company, 1977.

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When citing a NEWSPAPER the general format is as follows.

Author#1 Last Name, First Name(s). “Title of Article.” Title of Newspaper [City of Publication If Not in Title] Day Month Year of Publication, edition: page-numbers or initial-page+ if non-consecutive.

Here is a made up example of a general newspaper reference citing:

Doe, Jane. “I love Animals.” New York Times 15 Nov. 2009, national ed.: B6-7.

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