This guide includes resources to help you with how to cite your sources when writing papers, giving a presentation, or other project that require you to reference other works.
Citations: Information about an outside source to give the authors credit. It helps your readers locate the source and avoid plagiarism. A citation can include several elements depending on the format of the source. Some of these include author name(s), dates, publisher information, publication name, page numbers, and any other elements that are important for identifying and locating the source.
Citation Style: A particular set of rules for what to include in a citation and how to format it. Popular citation styles include:
MLA (Modern Language Association) -- used by the humanities
APA (American Psychological Association) -- used in education, psychology, and the sciences
Chicago/Turabian -- used in business, history, and the fine arts
A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, Ninth Edition by
When Kate L. Turabian first put her famous guidelines to paper, she could hardly have imagined the world in which today's students would be conducting research. Yet while the ways in which we research and compose papers may have changed, the fundamentals remain the same: writers need to have a strong research question, construct an evidence-based argument, cite their sources, and structure their work in a logical way. A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations--also known as "Turabian"--remains one of the most popular books for writers because of its timeless focus on achieving these goals. This new edition filters decades of expertise into modern standards. While previous editions incorporated digital forms of research and writing, this edition goes even further to build information literacy, recognizing that most students will be doing their work largely or entirely online and on screens. Chapters include updated advice on finding, evaluating, and citing a wide range of digital sources and also recognize the evolving use of software for citation management, graphics, and paper format and submission. The ninth edition is fully aligned with the recently released Chicago Manual of Style, 17th edition, as well as with the latest edition of The Craft of Research. Teachers and users of the previous editions will recognize the familiar three-part structure. Part 1 covers every step of the research and writing process, including drafting and revising. Part 2 offers a comprehensive guide to Chicago's two methods of source citation: notes-bibliography and author-date. Part 3 gets into matters of editorial style and the correct way to present quotations and visual material. A Manual for Writers also covers an issue familiar to writers of all levels: how to conquer the fear of tackling a major writing project. Through eight decades and millions of copies, A Manual for Writers has helped generations shape their ideas into compelling research papers. This new edition will continue to be the gold standard for college and graduate students in virtually all academic disciplines.
MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers by 
MLA Handbook by 
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association by
Some of our database vendors integrate their own citation generators.
Book:
Kahn, Ashley. Kind of Blue. New York: Da Capo, 2000. Print.
Anthology/Book Collection:
Burkholder, Peter J. and Claude V. Palisca, eds. Norton Anthology of Western Music. 5th ed. Vol. 1. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2006. Print.
Journal Article from an Online Database:
Takahashi, Takiko. "Long-Term Effects of Music Therapy on Elderly with Moderate/Severe Dementia." Journal of Music Therapy 43.4 (Winter 2006): 317-333. International Index to Music Periodicals. Web. 16 Aug. 2007.
Audio:
Run-D.M.C. "Walk This Way." Raising Hell. Profile, 1986. CD.
Video:
Heavy metal in Baghdad. Dir. Eddy Moretti and Suroosh Alvi. Feat. Acrassicauda. Arts Alliance America, 2008. Film.
Website:
Powers, Ann. “Country’s New Guard Gets Back to Basics.” NPR.org. National Public Radio, 11 August, 2011. Web. 17 August 2011.
Book:
Dileo, C. (2021). Ethical thinking in music therapy (2nd ed.). Jeffrey Books.
Anthology/Book Collection:
Burkholder, P. J., & Palisca, C. V. (Eds.). (2006). Norton Anthology of Western Music (5th ed., Vol. 1). New York: W. W. Norton & Company.
Journal Article from an Online Database:
Takahashi, T. (2006, Winter). Long-term effects of music therapy on elderly with dementia. Journal of Music Therapy, 43(4), 317-333. Retrieved August 16, 2007, from International Index to Music Periodicals database. (00507167)
Audio:
Run-D.M.C. (1986). Walk this way. On Raising hell [CD]. New York: Profile.
Video:
Moretti, E. & Alvi, S. (Producers). (2008). Heavy metal in Baghdad [DVD]. New York: Arts Alliance America.
Website sources:
Powers, A. (2011, August 11). Country’s New Guard Gets Back to Basics. National Public Radio. Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord
Website sources:
APA Citations Style Guide: Links and instruction on APA style from California State University Stanislaus.
Book:
Kahn, Ashley. Kind of Blue. New York: Da Capo, 2000.
Anthology/Book Collection:
Burkholder, J. Peter, and Claude V. Palisca, eds. Norton Anthology of Western Music. 5th ed. Vol. 1. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2006.
Journal Article:
Takahashi, Takiko. "Long-Term Effects of Music Therapy on Elderly with Moderate/Severe Dementia." Journal of Music Therapy 43, no. 4 (2006): 317-317-333. http://search.proquest.com/docview/1097403?accountid=8581.
Audio:
Run-D.M.C. “Walk this way.” Raising hell. Profile, PCD-1217. Compact disc.
Video:
Acrassicauda. Heavy metal in Baghdad, DVD. Directed by Eddy Moretti and Suroosh Alvi. New York: Arts Alliance America, 2008.
Website sources:
Powers, Ann. “Country’s New Guard Gets Back to Basics.” National Public Radio, August 11, 2011. http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2011/08/11/139421156/countrys-new-guard-gets-back-to-basics (accessed August 17, 2011)
1) Published music score - single title (Turabian 17.8.5.3)
Bibliography
Author Last Name, Author First Name. Title of score. Publication location: Publisher,
Date of Publication.
(Ex.)
Handel, G. F. Trio Sonata No. 1. Arranged for 2 alto saxophones by Himie Voxman
and Richard Hervig. San Antonio, TX: Southern Music, 1989.
Notes
1. Author First Name Author Last Name, Title of score (Publication location: Publisher,
Date of Publication), page nos.
(Ex.)
1. G. F. Handel, Trio Sonata No. 1, arranged for 2 alto saxophones by Himie Voxman
and Richard Hervig. (San Antonio, TX: Southern Music, 1989), 2-3.
Published music score - collected works (Turabian 17.8.5.3)
Bibliography
Author Last Name, Author First Name. Title of score. Series Title, volume information.
Publication location: Publisher, Date of Publication.
Strayhorn, Billy. Take the "A" Train. Edited by Milton Okun. Great songs...from the Great American songbook.
New York, NY: Cherry Mane Music, 2004.
Notes
1. Author First Name Author Last Name, Title of Book, Series/Book Titles, volume information
(Publication location: Publisher, Date of Publication), page nos.
1. Strayhorn, Billy, Take the "A" Train, edited by Milton Okun, Great songs...from the Great American songbook,
(New York, NY: Cherry Mane Music, 2004), 56.
Unpublished music score, such as a manuscript (Turabian 17.8.5.3)
Bibliography
Not applicable.
Notes
1. Author First Name Author Last Name, "Title of score," format, Year, Location.
1. Johann Sebastian Bach, "Cantatas. Selections. Seven cantatas by Bach, once owned by Mendelssohn," copyist's manuscript, [1700-1750], Department of Music Manuscripts and Books, Pierpont Morgan Library.
Online music score (actually, not discussed in Turabian, but this is a good method)
Bibliography
Author Last Name, Author First Name. Title of score or "Title of score" (as appropriate to title of the
work) Publication location: Publisher, Date of Publication. Accessed Date. Stable URL or Resource Title.
Schubert, Franz. "Erlkönig." Schubert-Album, bd.1. Leipzig: C.F. Peters, 1970. Accessed May 1, 2014.
Petrucci Music Library, International Music Score Library Project.
Notes
1. Author First Name, Author Last Name, Title of score or "Title of score" (as appropriate to title of the work)
(Publication location: Publisher, Date of Publication), accessed Date. URL or Resource Title.
1. Franz Schubert, "Erlkönig," Schubert-Album, bd.1. (Leipzig: C.F. Peters, 1970), accessed May 1, 2014,
http://petrucci.mus.auth.gr/imglnks/usimg/9/93/IMSLP00888-Schubert_-_Erlk__nig_Op1.pdf.
The Craft of Research by
With more than 200,000 copies in print, The Craft of Research is the unrivaled resource for researchers at every level, from first-year undergraduates to research reporters at corporations and government offices.
A Writer's Reference 9th edition by
Get the answers to all your common writing questions, no matter the course, as Writer's Reference gives you the tools you need to becoming a stronger writer.
Music in Words: a guide to researching and writing about music by
Music in Words is a compact guide to researching and writing about music, addressing all the issues that anyone who writes about music--from students to professional musicians and critics--may confront when putting together anything from brief program notes to a lengthy thesis. The book is a writing guide and a reference manual in one: the first part, a "how to" section, offers a clear explanation of the purpose of music research and how it is to be done, including basic introductions to the most necessary tools for musical inquiry (with special emphasis on strategic use of the internet), and how they can be accessed and used. The second part is a compendium of information on style and sources for quick reference, including a straightforward presentation of the purpose and use of citation and reference systems as they are applied to and in music. As a whole, the volume gives readers a clear picture of how to write about music at different levels and for different purposes in a handy, thoroughly cross-referenced format.This American edition has been thoroughly revised and expanded, and features an extensive section on writing for the Internet and new sections on writing for jazz, popular music, world musics, and ethnography. Additionally, a companion website presents a broad range of writing samples and links to key resources.
Writing about Music: A style sheet by
Where do you place the hyphen in "Beethoven" if it breaks between two lines? How do you cite John Coltrane's album A Love Supreme? Is it "premiere" or "première"? The answers and much more can be found in this definitive resource for authors, students, editors, concert producers--anyone who deals with music in print. Extending the principles devised for the classical repertoires, this revised and expanded edition now includes examples from world music, rock, jazz, popular music, and cinema. This essential volume covers some of the thorniest issues of musical discourse: how to go about describing musical works and procedures in prose, the rules for citations in notes and bibliography, and proper preparation of such materials as musical examples, tables, and illustrations. One section discusses program notes, while others explain the requirements for submitting manuscripts and electronic files, and outline best practices for student writers. An appendix lists common problem words. Updates include greatly simplified citations of Internet locators, the recognition of multiple platforms, and the expectation of paperless transmission and storage of work. Cited as the authority by The Chicago Manual of Style, this classic handbook is the go-to source for anyone writing about music.
Citation managers are helpful research tools for storing and organizing articles, images, and other resources you want to save or cite. Here are a few popular citation managers. Contact a librarian if you would like a consultation on choosing or using a tool.
- browser plugins that automatically detect resources/citations and saves them to a personal library
- desktop/mobile applications that provide an interface to organize files and some include PDF readers with annotation features
- word processor plugins that enable automatic formatting of in-text citations and bibliographies
- collaboration features to discover and share resources with research groups and colleagues
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Zotero is a free, open-source research tool that helps you collect, organize, and analyze research and share it in a variety of ways. Zotero interacts with online resources: when it senses you are viewing a book, article, or other object on the web, it can automatically extract and save complete bibliographic references. Download the desktop app and browser plugin here: https://www.zotero.org/download/ |
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Mendeley is a free reference manager and academic social network that can help you organize your research, collaborate with others online, and discover the latest research. |
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Free, limited online version of EndNote for basic research and writing. |
