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A Guide to Citing
Internet Sources
No definitive guidelines exist for citing electronic sources. Many groups are discussing the issue
and are producing guidelines for review. Citation formats suggested here are based on Beyond
the MLA Handbook: Documenting Electronic Sources on the Internet by Andrew Harnack and Gene
Kleppinger and the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. A list of web sites containing
citation guidelines appears at the end of this page.
E-MAIL
Format
Author. (author's e-mail address) "Subject Line." Date of post. Kind of communication (i.e. personal e-mail, distribution list, office
communication). Recipient's name. (Date read).
Example
Andrec, Mike. (andrec@glyco.chem.yale.edu) "New England School of Bandura." 18 Apr. 1996. Personal e-mail to John WIlliams. (19 Apr. 1996)
WEB PAGE
Format
Author [if known]. "Title of document". Title of the site or complete
work. Date of publication or revision [if known]. Publication
medium (online). Name of computer network. [URL] (date accessed).
Example
E-JOURNAL (with publication information for a printed source)
Format
Author. "Title of article." Title of journal. Volume number, issue number, or other identifying number.
(Year or date of the publication). Name of database. Publication medium (e.g. online). Name of
database publisher/producer. Internet address. Date of access in parentheses.
Example
E-JOURNAL (with no printed source)
Format
Author. "Title of article." Title of journal. Volume number, issue number, or other identifying number.
Number of pages or paragraphs, or n.pag (no paginaition). Publication medium (e.g. cd-rom, online). Internet address. (Date of access).
Example
Newspaper Article
Format
Author [if given]. "Article title." Newspaper title Date of publication and edition. Name of database.
Publication medium (e.g. online, cd-rom, etc.). Database publisher/producer. (Date accessed).
Example
ARTICLE IN A REFERENCE WORK
Format
Author [if given]. "Article title." Title of complete work. Database name. Date of publication. Number of pages or paragraphs, or n.pag (no pagination).
Publication medium (e.g. online,cd-rom, diskette, tape). Database publisher/producer. Internet address. (Date of access).
Example
ELECTRONIC TEXTS
Format
Name of author(s) [if given]. Title of text. Publication information for the printed source. Publication medium (e.g. online).
Name of the repository of the electronic text (e.g. Center for Electronic Texts in the Humanitis, Oxford Text Archive, etc.).
Internet address. (Date of access).
Example
FILMS
Format
Photographer's last name, first name, middle initial. "Title of film." Date. Title of collection.
[Protocol and address] [digital ID] (date of visit).
Example
LEGAL DOCUMENTS AND GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS
Format
Author's last name, first name. "Title of work." Title of complete work. [Protocol and address] [path] (date of visit).
Example
MAPS
Format
Photographer's last name, first name, middle initial. "Title of work." Date. Title of collection.
[Protocol and address] [digital ID] (date of visit).
Example
PHOTOGRAPHS
Format
Photographer's last name, first name, middle initial. "Title of photograph." Date. Title of Collection.
[Protocol and address] [digital ID] (date of vist).
Example
RECORDED SOUND
Format
Last name of performer(s), first name, middle initial. "Title of work." Date. Title of Collection or Special
Presentation. [Protocol and address] (date of visit).
Example
FTPExample
GOPHER
Example
Westlund, Mark. "Boycott of Mitsubishi in Japan by Peaceful Protest in Osaka." Published in "RAN News" (the Rainforest Action Network newsletter) March 21, 1996. Gopher igc.apc.org/Organizations/Rainforest Action Network/Ran News/Mitsubishi Boycott (21 Jun. 1996).
USENET NEWS
Example
Straczynski, J.M. jmsatb5@aol.com "Re: ATTN JMS: Is B5 Dead?" 19 Jun. 1996. rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated (23 Jun. 1996)
MAILING LIST
Example
Tracz, Orysia. tracz@cc.umanitoba.ca "Shevchenko in Love." 1 May 1996.
ukes-social@soma.crl.mcmaster.ca (23 Jun. 1996).
GENERAL RULES OF THUMBMore is better. Provide as much information as possible so that the reader can find the source.
Draw an analogy to a print guideline or style manual.
Punctuation and capitalization, especially for addresses, should appear just as it is used.
If you can't find some of the information required, cite what is available.
LINKS TO WEB SITES FOR CITING INTERNET SOURCES | Columbia Guide to Online Style |
| MLA web site |
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Chicago Manual of Style Citation Guide - Ohio State University Libraries |
| Citation Styles for Electronic Media by John Lamp |
| Internet Public Library - Citing Electronic Resources |
| Online! Citation Styles |
| Yahoo! Internet Citation is a list of links to other sites. |
Note: The library has a book called Bibliographic Formats for Citing Electronic Information in the reference collection, call number PN 171 D37 L5 REF.
Content Contact:
Lori Ricigliano, rev. May 2003
