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History and Political Science

Choosing a Citation Style

Check with your professor to find out which citation style is preferred for your research. Commonly-used styles include:

  • Turabian
  • MLA
  • APA

When citing your research:

  • use a clear format;
  • be consistent;
  • provide enough information to allow others to identify and find the cited work.

Some databases can generate citations for users after they select a preferred citation style. If you are using one of these databases, be aware that they do not always produce correctly formatted citations. You will have to double-check the citations to make sure they are formatted properly.

Citation Generators

Citation generators create citations using information extracted from webpages or provided by users. Citations generated automatically may not be perfectly formatted, so remember to check your work.

  • ZoteroBib

    Automatically generates citations in over 9,000 styles, including specific journal citation styles

Style Guides

  • Purdue OWL

    Purdue's Online Writing Lab provides a guide to using the APA, MLA, and Chicago citation styles. It includes examples of citations as well as sample papers.

  • Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 9th ed.
    Reference LB2369 .T8 2018
    A variation on the Chicago style for students and researchers

  • MLA Handbook, 8th ed.
    Reference LB2369 .G53 2016
    Official style manual of the Modern Language Association

  • Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th ed.
    Reference BF76.7 .P83 2020
    Official manual for the APA citation style