How to Cite a Book
Familiarize yourself with the accepted citation styles.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Familiarize yourself with the accepted citation styles.
Use only one style when citing a book reference—each style has very specific rules about capitalization, punctuation and placement of the facts.
That said, all styles are designed for the same purpose: to give proper credit where credit is due.
Listed below are the most common styles:
Modern Language Association (MLA) style.
This is a citation style most often used within the liberal arts and humanities departments of universities.
American Psychological Association (APA) style.
This citation style is most often used within the social sciences departments of universities and is always used when writing for the American Psychological Association.
The Chicago Manual of Style.
This citation style is often used for writing papers in literature, history and the arts.
However, the majority of scholars use either APA or MLA style for citations.
Detailed Guide
Use only one style when citing a book reference—each style has very specific rules about capitalization, punctuation and placement of the facts.
That said, all styles are designed for the same purpose: to give proper credit where credit is due.
Listed below are the most common styles:
Modern Language Association (MLA) style.
This is a citation style most often used within the liberal arts and humanities departments of universities.
American Psychological Association (APA) style.
This citation style is most often used within the social sciences departments of universities and is always used when writing for the American Psychological Association.
The Chicago Manual of Style.
This citation style is often used for writing papers in literature, history and the arts.
However, the majority of scholars use either APA or MLA style for citations.
About the Author
Ryan Tucker
Specializes in breaking down complex crafts topics into simple steps.
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