8 Citation & Bibliography
In this chapter, we will practice:
- incorporating in-text citations in MLA, APA, and Chicago Manual Style
- creating bibliographies in MLA, APA, and Chicago Manual Style
- avoiding plagiarism and giving our sources credit
What is an in-text citation?
The purpose of citation is to show your reader where you found your information. Including citations:
- Evidences to your reader that you have done your research and are therefore a credible speaker
- Indicates your statements can be verified by other sources
- Gives credit to others for their intellectual or creative work
- Helps avoid plagiarism
You are citing when you quote, paraphrase, or summarize another source. Doing so means you must also include an in-text citation. In-text citations are found directly next to the information that was referenced and are very brief to avoid distracting readers. Different citation styles (explained in the next section) each do in-text citation a little differently.
- For MLA, include in parenthesis the author’s last name and the page number: (Gonzalez 168).
- For APA, include in parenthesis the author’s last name and the date of publication: (Gonzalez 2018)
- For Chicago, include a footnote with the full reference: 2 Encarnação, João, and Gonçalo Calado. 2018. “Effects of Recreational Diving on Early Colonization Stages of an Artificial Reef in North-East Atlantic.” Journal of Coastal Conservation 22, no. 6 (December): 1209–1216. https://www.jstor.org/stable/45380397.
For MLA and APA, remember, periods, commas, colons, and semi-colons follow parenthetical citation; quotation marks, exclamation marks, and questions precede parenthetical citation.
- MLA: In recent news, India has been in the grip of its “longest heatwave in recorded history” with thermometers hitting 50°C, while Greece closed the Acropolis in the afternoon as temperatures hit 43°C” (Reed).
- APA: In recent news, India has been in the grip of its “longest heatwave in recorded history” with thermometers hitting 50°C, while Greece closed the Acropolis in the afternoon as temperatures hit 43°C” (Reed 2024).
In-text citations provide us with a brief idea as to where you found your information, though they don’t include the title and other components. Complete citations are found on what MLA calls a works-cited list, which is sometimes called an MLA bibliography. All sources that were used to develop a research project are found on the works-cited list. Complete citations include the author’s name, the title, publisher, year published, page numbers, URLs, and a few other pieces of information.
What are style guides and why do they matter?
Style guides are sets of standards for particular kinds of publication and text formatting. Like genres, style guides are normed practices generated and followed by speakers publishing and writing in particular communities. Style guides pre-determine things like font size and styles, page number location and formatting, margins and headings, title and subtitles formats, etc. Style guides also specify what in-text citations and bibliographies should look like.
Style guides matter because they make information findable and texts readable. Imagine if writers could use whatever font they wanted or wrote each page with different linespacing and different margins. Reading would get harder and harder. Style guides mean readers know where particular information is. Style guides mean we (mostly) know what to expect when we encounter a new text.
| Style Guide Description | Helpful Resources |
| MLA was developed by the Modern Language Association in 1931. It’s a way of citing research and tackling grammatical issues for people writing within the liberal arts and humanities. MLA or Modern Language Association is one of the commonly used paper formats scholars, academics and students use to cite their papers in the studies of humanities and arts. MLA has evolved across the decades to accommodate new and digital media. The 8th edition of the manual was published in 2016. | Purdue OWL MLA Works Cited: Electronic Sources
MLA Style Center: How do I cite generative AI in MLA style? OER Student Resources: Citation Style Guides |
| APA was developed by the American Psychological Association in 1929, when a group of psychologists, anthropologists, and business managers established a set of guidelines to codify scientific writing and make it more accessible. “Since then, the scope and length of the Publication Manual have grown in response to the needs of researchers, students, and educators across the social and behavioral sciences, health care, natural sciences, humanities, and more” (American Psychological Association 2024). Because of its focus on science, the author and date (i.e. relevancy and timeliness of data) are stressed. | Purdue OWL General APA Guidelines
OER Student Resources: Citation Style Guides |
| The Chicago Manual of Style was created by typesetters at the University of Chicago Press in the late 19th century. Because it was created by printers, Chicago is designed to be highly legible and economical. (Think about it, 43 takes up a lot less space on the page and a lot less ink than (Simmons & Fitzgerald 482)). Chicago makes use of footnotes for bibliographic references. The hardest thing to remember for Chicago is that, the first time you reference a source, you must include the entire bibliographic entry; for every reference afterward, you only have to include the author’s last name and page number. | Chicago Manual of Style Online
Purdue OWL Chicago General Format OER Student Resources: Citation Style Guides |
What is a bibliography?
A bibliography is a list of primary and secondary sources from which a writer has gathered information to formulate their essay. A bibliography can usually be found at the end of a written document, on the slide of a presentation, or in a bottom corner of something like an infographic. Speakers include bibliographies so that their reader 1) can see where the text’s information came from, making it more believable, and 2) can find the information for themselves to corroborate the speaker’s conclusions or formulate their own.
(In your life, you have probably also heard of “Works Cited” or “Reference” pages. These are actually slightly different from bibliographies. “Works Cited” and “Reference” pages name the texts the author cited in their work via quotation, paraphrase, or summary; the bibliography names all of the texts they used for their research whether they cited them or not.)
Bibliographies are made up of individual entries or citations for each source. These entries include relevant publication information such as:
- For books: author name, title of book, publisher, date of publication, place of publication
- For journal articles: author name, title of article, title of publication, date of publication, publisher, place of publication, Volume number of a journal, magazine or encyclopedia, page numbers
- For websites: author and/or editor name, title of the website, company or organization that owns or posts to the website, URL (website address), date of access
As you can see, the information required depends on the kind of source. After you’ve located the necessary information, the next step is formatting your bibliographic entry, i.e. putting the information in the correct order with the correct punctuation, fonts, etc. Look to your designated style guide for instructions for proper formatting. The “Helpful Resources” above can help as can the MLA, APA, and Chicago pages in the Supplemental Resources chapter of this book.
Discussion: Using Bibliographies for Research
Bibliographies and references pages are actually great places to begin your own research and find your own sources. First, locate a text about a topic similar or tangential to yours. Find its bibliography or appendix near the end of the document. Then, use the speaker’s sources as a jumping off point to begin:
1) identifying key words/terms to use in your search
2) noting journals and publishers with texts and topics similar to yours so that you can search their databases
3) locating the sources used by the similar source and reading them to inform your own research and to access other bibliographies
What is an annotated bibliography?
Content
As discussed in the last chapter, “annotation” can refer to notes scribbled in the margins of documents that help us understand and remember what we read; somewhat confusingly, “annotation” can also refer to the composition of a formal summary and/or evaluation of a text. Therefore, an annotated bibliography is a collection of formal bibliographic entries accompanied by brief paragraph summaries and/or evaluations of each source you have used in your project. Depending on your assignment or personal goals, your annotations may do one or more of the following.
- Summarize: Most annotations summarize a source. Who is the speaker? What are they talking about? What is their goal? What are their primary arguments, ideas, or conclusions? What kinds of evidence do they use to make their argument or what discussions do they offer to explore their main idea? For more help, you can see this handout on paraphrasing sources or return to Chapter 5.
- Assess: After summarizing a source, it may be helpful to evaluate it. What is the source’s bias? Is it nuanced? Does it fairly represent multiple perspectives? Do its arguments make sense? Do you think the information it offers is reliable? For more help, see this handout on evaluating resources or return to the previous section.
- Reflect: Once you’ve summarized and assessed a source, you need to ask how it fits into your research. Was this source helpful to you? What did you learn from it? How does it help you shape your argument or research? Has it changed how you think about your topic?
Your annotated bibliography may include some of these, all of these, or even others. If you’re doing this for a class, you should get specific guidelines from your instructor.
Genre Discussion: Annotated Bibliography
What is an annotated bibliography?
An annotated bibliography is a record from published sources needed for a research essay. Annotation is the notes made from the work and its contents as well as its future usefulness in research. After reading the source to be used in the essay, students will answer questions from that source (see What is the format below) to be used in developing the research required for the essay.
An annotated bibliography needs to:
- list potential sources
- follow source citation format
- provide a quick summary of the source
What is the purpose?
An annotated bibliography is a way to create a resource of all the materials that could be used for writing a paper. Since arriving at a final draft takes many stages, from inquiry to research to revision, an annotated bibliography keeps track of all the potential sources in one place. This tool can be quite beneficial throughout the writing process, especially when ideas begin to clarify and the article that, at first was only on the fringe, now has become integral to the paper. Use an annotated bibliography to save yourself the time and frustration of trying to re-find articles.
There are other reasons for the annotated bibliography. First, it indicates that active research is taking place early. Second, it provides a format where students can receive feedback from the instructor on the progress of their research for their documented essay. Third, it provides students with notes for the writing of their final paper This is not an extra step because research has to be conducted for the final essay, so the annotated bibliography becomes a useful tool in the research process.
What does an annotated bibliography look like?
It looks just like a source page. So for MLA, a Works Cited page. For APA, a References page. For Chicago, a Bibliography page. Source citations go in alphabetical order; however, each citation also includes a notation summarizing the source. LibreText offers these recommendations for writing an annotated bibliography.
Your annotated bibliography should be in a sentence outline form with complete sentences:
Part 1 The bibliographic entry for the work in the correct MLA format as found in the current handbook or in the MLA Handbook. In other words, how would this source look on a works cited page.
Part 2 Summary of the source with all questions answered.
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- What is the main argument of the topic found in the resource?
- What is the position of the author(s) on the argument found in the source?
- What does the author use to support his/her position? (graphs, allusions, stats, tables, etc.)
- What are some of the facts that support either position of the argument?
- What are some relevant statements that support your author’s position? (include pg. #’s in parenthesis)
Part 3 The final part of the annotation is how the source could be used to develop an essay. These are brainstorming ideas, for possible topics for your own essay. Do Not use first person. Answer all questions.
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- Provide ideas about how the resource could be used to develop the argument.
- What specific facts could be used to support the argument?
- What facts could be used to support the position the argument?
- How does the source relate to other ideas related to your argument?
- Write a quote that supports a negative or positive position and explain why. (include pg. #’s in parenthesis)
What information is generally Included in the annotation?
Start your bibliography entry just like a normal works cited entry. At the end of the normal citation include:
- Between 2 to 4 sentences that summarize the sources main idea.
- Between 1 or 2 sentences that relate the article to your paper either indicating how that information is useful to your research or how the information will be used.
The information within your annotation may include:
- A brief description of content.
- The main purpose of the source.
- The intended audience: Who the information seems to be targeting.
- The relevance of the information provided to your paper’s subject matter.
- If the source includes anything special (diagrams, charts, quotes, good pictures).
- A warning. You may want to mention if the source you are looking at is weakly written, biased to a point of view, or if it is lacking in any way.
What do audiences expect?
- Correctness of MLA citations (use the MLA Handbook or other relevant MLA material) Part 1
- Thoroughness (support) of the details listed in Part 2
- Thoroughness (support) of the ideas presented in Part 3
- Organized as instructed
- Grammar and mechanics
- Complete sentences
Format example
The format of an annotated bibliography can vary, so make sure to check with your instructor for specific guidelines. In MLA, the bibliographic entry for each source (title, author, etc.) is written in MLA format as described above and listed in alphabetical order. A blocked and indented annotation follows each entry, providing the details for the source above it. Annotations can vary in length from a few sentences to a page, depending on the purpose. If you are only offering summary, annotations can be short. If you are offering an analysis and evaluation of each source, they may be longer. Again, your instructor will clarify your class requirements.
Sample MLA Annotation
Lamott, Anne. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life. Anchor Books, 1995.
Lamott’s book offers honest advice on the nature of a writing life, complete with its insecurities and failures. Taking a humorous approach to the realities of being a writer, the chapters in Lamott’s book are wry and anecdotal and offer advice on everything from plot development to jealousy, from perfectionism to struggling with one’s own internal critic.
In the process, Lamott includes writing exercises designed to be both productive and fun. Lamott offers sane advice for those struggling with the anxieties of writing, but her main project seems to be offering the reader a reality check regarding writing, publishing, and struggling with one’s own imperfect humanity in the process. Rather than a practical handbook to producing and/or publishing, this text is indispensable because of its honest perspective, its down-to-earth humor, and its encouraging approach.
Chapters in this text could easily be included in the curriculum for a writing class. Several of the chapters in Part 1 address the writing process and would serve to generate discussion on students’ own drafting and revising processes. Some of the writing exercises would also be appropriate for generating classroom writing exercises. Students should find Lamott’s style both engaging and enjoyable.
Additional Resources
Cornell University has “How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography: The Annotated Bibliography.”
Lone Star College’s Annotated Bibliography and MLA Style
Tiffin University’s Creating an Annotated Bibliography in APA Style
Eastern Nazarene College’s Annotated Bibliography: Chicago Style Annotations
Attributions
“How to Annotate,” Lumen Learning, CC BY-NC: Attribution-NonCommercial, https://courses.lumenlearning.com/engcomp1-wmopen/chapter/text-how-to-annotate/.
“How to Annotate Text,” Biology Corner, CC BY-NC, https://biologycorner.com/worksheets/annotate.html.
“How to Summarize—An Overview,” authored, remixed, and/or curated by Steven D. Krause, CC BY-NC-SA, https://human.libretexts.org/@go/page/6482.
“How to Quote and Paraphrase- An Overview,” authored, remixed, and/or curated by Steven D. Krause, CC BY-NC-SA, https://human.libretexts.org/@go/page/6483.