In the academic world, mastering how to cite a research paper is crucial and essential. It is a way of crediting researchers who put in a lot of time and effort to come up with work that helps readers provide a mean to verify their claims. Accurate citation helps in academic integrity and helps build a proper foundation for your research. Here is how to cite a research paper.
What is a citation style?
A citation style is specific rules and guidelines for documenting and referencing sources in research and academic writing. It dictates how to format and present information about the sources you used in your work. Here is why citation styles are important, and every student needs to know how to cite a research paper:
- Credit and attribution
Citation styles help the researcher credit the researchers and original authors you have cited in the writing. This will help you avoid plagiarism and acknowledge the intellectual contribution of others.
- Verification
Citation styles help the reader verify the information’s accuracy and reliability by offering detailed information on the sources. The reader can trace back to the sources to ascertain the credibility of the research.
- Consistency
Citing many sorts of sources requires using consistent formats and structures. Because of this uniformity, readers and scholars will find it simpler to traverse your references.
- Clarity
Your readers can easily locate your cited sources if you properly cite them. It includes information crucial for locating the cited sources, such as author names, publication dates, page numbers, and publication titles.
Different referencing styles for citations
There are different referencing styles in citations academic and research writing. These different referencing styles vary according to formatting, citation rules, and documentation. Here are some of the most common different referencing styles for citations.
- APA (American Psychological Association) style
APA (American Psychological Association) Style is used in psychology, social sciences and education. It emphasizes author-date citations within the text, e.g., (Smith, 2020). APA requires a References page at the end of the document that includes a list of all the sources used.
- MLA (Modern Language Association) style
MLA is common in humanities and literature. It uses an author-date citation system. MLA has particular formatting requirements, including a Works Cited page.
- Chicago style
Chicago citation styles are common in arts, history, and other disciplines. It provides an author-date system similar to APA and an annotated bibliography system. It includes a bibliography and reference list.
- IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) style
IEEE is typically used in engineering and technical fields. IEEE provides guidelines for citing patents, conference papers and technical reports. It uses a numbered citation system and a bibliography to match the corresponding references.
- Harvard style
Harvard style uses the author-date system like APA but may have several variations depending on the institution and publication. Harvard style is used in several fields, such as business and social sciences.
- Vancouver style
Vancouver citation formats are standard in scientific research and biomedical areas. It uses a numbered citation style in the text. It required a number reference list at the end of the document.
- AMA (American Medical Association) style
AMA is used in medical and healthcare-related disciplines. It uses a numbered citation system where references are listed numerically at the end.
- APA Style (7th edition) and MLA Style (9th edition)
The most recent versions of the APA and MLA styles may contain additions and modifications to earlier rules.
- Turabian style
Turabian style is based on the Chicago style and is used in theology and history. Turabian style provides guidelines for author-date and bibliography systems. It is most common in long academic works such as dissertations and theses.
- Oxford style
Oxford style is used in various subjects, mostly in the United Kingdom. It uses both the author-date and footnote-style citations. It requires a reference or bibliography list.
How to cite a research paper in APA format?
To properly credit the source when citing a research paper in APA style, you must adhere to a set of rules. Here’s how to cite a research paper in APA format:
In-Text citation
- Author(s): The authors’ last names should come first, followed by the year of publication in parenthesis. If there are many writers, place a & before the last author’s name..
- One Author: (Smith, 2020)
- Two Authors: (Smith & Johnson, 2020)
- Three or More Authors: (Smith et al., 2020)
- No author: Use the first few words of the title in quotation marks, followed by the publication year if the source doesn’t include a listed author. Italicize the title of the source.
-
- (“Title of the Paper,” 2020)
Reference list entry
A thorough reference list item should be included at the end of your paper. The format changes slightly depending on the source type (such as a journal article or conference paper). Here is an example of how to format a reference page for a research paper:
- For a journal article
Author(s). (Publication Year). Title of the article. Title of the Journal, volume number(issue number), page range. DOI
Example:
Smith, J. A., & Johnson, K. L. (2020). The impact of climate change on coastal ecosystems. Environmental Science Journal, 15(3), 245-260. https://doi.org/xxxxx
- For a conference paper
Author(s). (Publication Year). Title of the paper. In Editor(s) of Conference Proceedings (Eds.), Title of Conference Proceedings (pp. page range). Publisher.
Example:
Brown, R. L. (2019). Innovative approaches to renewable energy. In S. Johnson & P. White (Eds.), Proceedings of the International Renewable Energy Conference (pp. 50-62). XYZ Publishers.
- For an online research paper without a DOI:
Author(s). (Publication Year). Title of the paper. Title of the Journal, volume number(issue number), page range. URL
Example:
Doe, A. B. (2018). The role of artificial intelligence in healthcare. Health Technology Review, 7(2), 78-92. https://www.example.com/article123
How to cite a research paper in MLA format?
Citing a research paper in the MLA (Modern Language Association) format entails following specific guidelines and offering an accurate attribution to the sources. Here is how to cite a research paper in MLA format:
In-Text citation
Author(s): The author(s)’ last name should be first, followed by the page number in brackets. If multiple authors exist, put an “and” between the writers’ names.
- One Author: (Smith 45)
- Two Authors: (Smith and Johnson 45)
- Three or More Authors: (Smith et al. 45)
- No Author: If the source does not have a named author, use the first few words of the title in quotation marks, followed by the page number. (“Title of the Paper” 45)
Works Cited entry
Add a Works Cited Entry to the last page of your research paper. The format varies differently depending on the source type. Here’s how to format a Works Cited entry for a research paper:
- For a conference paper
Author(s). “Title of the paper.” Title of Conference Proceedings, edited by Editor(s) of Conference Proceedings, publisher, publication year, page range.
Example:
Brown, Rebecca L. “Innovative Approaches to Renewable Energy.” Proceedings of the International Renewable Energy Conference, edited by Susan Johnson and Paul White, XYZ Publishers, 2019, pp. 50-62.
- For a journal article
Author(s). “Title of the article.” Title of the Journal, volume number, issue number, publication year, page range.
Example:
Smith, John A. “The Impact of Climate Change on Coastal Ecosystems.” Environmental Science Journal, vol. 15, no. 3, 2020, pp. 245-260.
- For an online research paper without a DOI
Author(s). “Title of the paper.” Title of the Journal, volume number, issue number, publication year, page range. URL
Example:
Doe, Alice B. “The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare.” Health Technology Review, vol. 7, no. 2, 2018, pp. 78-92. https://www.example.com/article123.
Tips on how to cite a research paper
Citing research papers is crucial to credit the original authors and avoid plagiarism. Here are tips on how to cite a research paper:
- Understand the citation style
Understand the citation style. Ensure you understand the citation styles as required for the research paper. Follow the instructions in the letter.
- Use citation tools
Use citation management programs like Mendeley, EndNote, or Zotero. You may manage your references more effectively and create citations using these tools.
- Identify key information
Identify the author(s), publication date, title, source (journal, book, website, etc.), page numbers, and DOI (if available) for each source you wish to cite.
- Cite as you write
Citations should be included in your work as you write instead of being added all at once. Citing as you write makes it easier to avoid unintentional plagiarism. It guarantees that each assertion or concept is correctly cited.
To wrap up
In this article, we have explored the importance of proper citation, the different citation styles, and the components of well-structured citations. Using this ultimate guide on how to cite a research paper will contribute to the academic world’s integrity and knowledge. And if you are still stuck on how to cite a research paper. You can ask our experts to do it for you. Sign up to get started.
