Find Out Which Citation Style You Should Use

If you aren't sure which citation style you should be using, ask your professors. When you begin to write a paper or a speech, you should know the following:

  • Which citation style do they want you to use?
  • How many sources do they want you to use?
  • What kind of bibliography do they want?
    • Do they want a list of just the sources you used in the paper, or do they want a list that includes material you read, but didn't cite or paraphrase?
    • Do they want an annotated bibliography?
    • Do they want footnotes, endnotes, or in-text citations?
 Library stacks

Once you know which citation style to use, you can visit the library’s page on Citing Sources to find manuals and guides. They can explain the different rules for all kinds of different citations and sources. Many of them also provide examples that you can use to help you write your own citations.