To help you learn the different style formats for citation and documenting your research, the Library and the Learning Centre have created a directory of style guide resources. To learn more about which style guide you should use for which course or subject please read About Documenting Your Research.
REMEMBER: It is your responsibility to learn and apply standard
citation and reference techniques.
The Library links to a variety of resources for each styles guide, which are indexed in the Learning Centre Resources Directory. This includes handouts, links to style guide handbooks in the Library's catalogue, online reference resources (handbooks, guides & FAQs), directories & indexes, and more. Resources are available for the following documentation styles:
APA
American Psychological Association
Generally used for most social sciences disciplines, particularly sociology & psychology. |
Chicago
Chicago Manual of Style
Appropriate for research in disciplines in which multiple media types need to be documented: classical studies, history, music history, & musicology, etc. |
CSE
Council of Science Editors
Acceptable for use in natural & physical sciences research: biology, chemistry, environmental science, mathematics, physics, etc. |
MLA
Modern Language Association
Used most often for English Literature and other modern languages & literatures disciplines. |
IMPORTANT: Your instructor has the final say as to which style guide is appropriate for the course in question. You should consult your course syllabus and your instructor if you have any questions about which style guide to use.
Tools and software products that help you manage your research are known as reference management software (RMS). There are a variety of commercial and open source products that are comparable to more well known products such as Endnote and ProCite. The STMU Library highly recommends Zotero as a good "poor man's" citation management tool.
To learn more about using RMS please visit the Library Tutorial on Citation Tools & Software.
When you make a citation in an essay, article, book or any other published or non-published writing your are giving credit to someone else's intellectual property. Under certain conditions you have the right to make a copy of materials that are under copyright, for the purpose of private study and research.
To help you understand your rights and responsibilities with respect to intellectual property library has created a directory of resources:
