Here you can find a concise guide on formatting sources in such academic formatting styles as APA, MLA, Chicago Notes and Bibliography (NB), Chicago Author-Date, Oxford, and different versions of Harvard (Kaplan University, CIPD, University of Bigmingham). It is not only useful for students or academic paper writers and editors but also bloggers who write research-based blog articles.
Checklist for Academic Formatting Styles
To get familiar with peculiarities of different styles, use this checklist.
| In-text citations or Footnotes | References | |
| APA | In-text citations | References |
| MLA | In-text citations | Works Cited |
| Chicago NB | Footnotes | Bibliography |
| Chicago Author-Date | In-text citations | References |
| Oxford | Footnotes | Reference List |
| Harvard – Kaplan University | In-text citations | Reference List |
| Harvard – CIPD | In-text citations | Reference List |
| Harvard – University of Birmingham | In-text citations | Reference List |
Authors in Various Academic Formatting Styles
The number of authors enumerated in in-text citations, footnotes, and references may differ across various academic formatting styles. So use the tables below to cite them properly. Only authors are presented without full references. For each type of reference, read next sections.
| APA 7th edition | MLA | Chicago NB | Chicago Author-Date | Oxford | |
| One Author | Author, A. A. (Date). | Last Name, First Name. | Last Name, First Name. | Last Name, First Name. Year. | Author, A. A., Title. |
| Prasad, L. M. (2020). | Prasad, L. M. Principles and Practice of Management. | Prasad, L. M. Principles and Practice of Management. | Prasad, L. M. 2020. | Prasad, L. M., Principles and Practice of Management. | |
| 2 Authors | Author, A. A., & Author, A. A. (Date). | Last Name, First Name, and First Name Last Name | Last Name, First Name, and First Name Last Name | Last Name, First Name, and First Name Last Name. Year. | Author, A. A. and Author, A. A., Title. |
| Kotler, P., & Keller, K. L. (2021). | Kotler, Philip, and Kevin Lane Keller. | Kotler, Philip, and Kevin Lane Keller. | Kotler, Philip, and Kevin Lane Keller. 2021. | Kotler, P. and Keller, K. L., Marketing Management. | |
| 3 or More Authors | Author, A. A., Author, A. A., & Author, A. A. (Date). Wensing, M., Richard, G., & Grimshow, G. (Eds.). (2020). | Last Name, First Name, et al. Wensing, Michel, et al., editors. | Author, First Name, First Name Author, and First Name Author. Wensing, Michel, Richard Grol, and Geremy Grimshow, eds. If there are more than 3 authors, list the first 6 in Bibliography. If there are more than 6, list the first 3, followed by “et al.” | Author, First Name, First Name Author, and First Name Author. Year. Wensing, Michel, Richard Grol, and Geremy Grimshow, eds. 2020. If there are more than 3 authors, list the first 6 in Bibliography. If there are more than 6, list the first 3, followed by “et al.” | Author, A. A., Author, A. A. and Author, A. A., Title. Wensing, M., Richard, R., and Grimshow, G. (eds.), Improving Patient Care: The Implementation of Change in Health Care. If there are more than 3 authors, use “et al.” Author, A. A. et al., Title. |
| Organization as an Author | World Health Organization (2023). | “Despite Notable Progress, Road Safety Remains Urgent Global Issue.” World Health Organization, 2023. | World Health Organization. “Despite Notable Progress, Road Safety Remains Urgent Global Issue.” | World Health Organization. 2023. “Despite Notable Progress, Road Safety Remains Urgent Global Issue.” | World Health Organization, ‘Despite Notable Progress, Road Safety Remains Urgent Global Issue.’ |
| No Author | Title of the work. (Date or n.d. if there is no date) Scottish government spending constraints unavoidable – Robison. (2024, August 18). | “Scottish Government Spending Constraints Unavoidable – Robison.” BBC, 18 Aug. 2024. | “Scottish Government Spending Constraints Unavoidable – Robison.” | “Scottish Government Spending Constraints Unavoidable – Robison.” 2024. BBC. | ‘Scottish Government Spending Constraints Unavoidable – Robison,’ BBC, 18 August 2024. |
| In-Text Citation or Footnote | Prasad (2020) or (Prasad, 2020) Kotler and Keller (2021) or (Kotler & Keller, 2021) Wensing et al. (2020) or (Wensing et al., 2020) World Health Organization ([WHO], 2023) or (World Health Organization [WHO], 2023) further used in the text as (WHO, 2023) According to the article titled “Scottish Government Spending Constraints”(2024) or (“Scottish Government Spending Constraints,” 2024) | Prasad writes that … (page at the end of the sentence) or (Prasad 43) Kotler and Keller …. (31) or (Kotler and Keller 31) Wensing et al. …. (45) or (Wensing et al. 45) World Health Organization (no page is needed if it not available for online sources) or (World Health Organization) According to the article titled “Scottish Government Spending Constraints”or (“Scottish Government Spending Constraints) | 1. L. M. Prasad, Principles and Practice of Management (Sutan Chand & Sons, 2020), 45. 2. Philip Kotler and Kevin Lane Keller, Marketing Management, 16th ed. (Pearson, 2021), (put page) 45. 3. Michel Wensing et al., eds., Improving Patient Care: The Implementation of Change in Health Care, 3rd ed. (Wiley Blackwell, 2020), 65. 4. “Despite Notable Progress, Road Safety Remains Urgent Global Issue,” World Health Organization. 5. “Scottish Government Spending Constraints,” BBC. Shortened footnotes: 1. Prasad, Principles and Practice of Management, 45. 2. Kotler and Keller, Marketing Management, 45. 3. Wensing et al., Improving Patient Care, 65. 4. “Despite Notable Progress.” 5. “Scottish Government Spending Constraints.” | Prasad (2020) or (Prasad 2020) Kotler and Keller (2021) or (Kotler and Keller 2021) Wensing et al. (2020) or (Wensing et al. 2020, 45) World Health Organization (2023) or (World Health Organization 2023) According to the article titled “Scottish Government Spending Constraints”(2024) or (“Scottish Government Spending Constraints” 2024) | 1. L. M. Prasad, Principles and Practice of Management, New Dehli, Sutan Chand & Sons, 2020, p. 45. 2. P. Kotler and K. L. Keller, Marketing Management, 16th edn., Boston, Pearson, 2021, p. 45. 3. M. Wensing, R. Richard, and G. Grimshow (eds.), Improving Patient Care: The Implementation of Change in Health Care, 3rd edn., Hoboken, Wiley Blackwell, p. 65. 4. World Health Organization, ‘Despite Notable Progress, Road Safety Remains Urgent Global Issue.’ 13 December 2024, https://www.who.int/news/item/13-12-2023-despite-notable-progress-road-safety-remains-urgent-global-issue, (accessed 19 August 2024). 5. ‘Scottish Government Spending Constraints,’ BBC, 18 August 2024. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3w6d1vl58lo, (accessed 19 August 2024). |
| Harvard – Kaplan University | Harvard – CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) | Harvard – University of Birmingham | |
| One Author | Author, A Year, | AUTHOR, A. Year | Author, A. (Year) |
| Prasad, LM 2020, Principles and practice of management, Sutan Chand & Sons, New Dehli. | PRASAD, L.M. 2020 | Prasad, L.M. (2020) Principles and practice of management. New Dehli: Sutan Chand & Sons. | |
| 2 Authors | Author, A & Author, A Year | AUTHOR, A. and AUTHOR, A. Year | Author, A. and Author, A. (Year) |
| Kotler, P & Keller, KL 2021, Marketing management, 16th edn, Pearson, Boston. | KOTLER, P. and KELLER, K.L. 2021 | Kotler, P. and Keller, K.L. (2021) Marketing management. 16th edn. Boston: Pearson. | |
| 3 or More Authors | Author, AA, Author, AA & Author, AA Date, Wensing, M, Richard, R & Grimshow, G (eds.) 2020, Improving patient care: the implementation of change in health care, 3rd edn, Wiley Blackwell, Hoboken. List all authors in Reference List. | AUTHOR, A., AUTHOR, A. and AUTHOR, A. Year WENSING, M., RICHARD, R. and GRIMSHOW, G. (eds). 2020 | Author, A.A., Author, A.A. and Author, A.A. (Date) Wensing, M., Richard, R., and Grimshow, G. (eds) (2020) Improving patient care: the implementation of change in health care. 3rd edn. Hooken, N.J.: Wiley Blackwell, Hoboken. List all authors in Reference List. |
| Organization as an Author | World Health Organization (WHO) 2023, Despite notable progress, road safety remains urgent global issue, viewed 22 August 2024, <https://www.who.int/news/item/13-12-2023-despite-notable-progress-road-safety-remains-urgent-global-issue>. | WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION. 2023 | World Health Organization (2023) Despite notable progress, road safety remains urgent global issue. Avaiable at: https://www.who.int/news/item/13-12-2023-despite-notable-progress-road-safety-remains-urgent-global-issue (Accessed: 22 August 2024) |
| No Author | BBC 2024, ‘Scottish government spending constraints’, 18 August, viewed 22 August 2024, <https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3w6d1vl58lo>. | Scottish government spending constraints. (2024) BBC. 18 August. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3w6d1vl58lo [Accessed 22 August 2024]. | BBC 2024 Scottish government spending constraints. Avaiable at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3w6d1vl58lo (Accessed: 22 August 2024) |
| In-Text Citation or Footnote | Prasad (2020) or (Prasad 2020) Kotler and Keller (2021) or (Kotler & Keller 2021) Wensing, Richard and Grimshow (2020) or (Wensing, Richard & Grimshow 2020). Use et al. for more than 3 authors: (Author et al. Year). WHO (2023) or (WHO 2023). According to BBC (2024) or (BBC 2024). | Prasad (2020) or (Prasad, 2020) Kotler and Keller (2021) or (Kotler and Keller, 2021) Wensing, Richard and Grimshow (2020) or (Wensing, Richard and Grimshow, 2020). Use et al. for more than 3 authors: (Author et al., Year). World Health Organization (2023) or (World Health Organization, 2023). According to ‘Scottish government spending constraints’ (2024) or (‘Scottish government spending constraints,’ 2024). | Prasad (2020) or (Prasad, 2020) Kotler and Keller (2021) or (Kotler and Keller, 2021) Wensing, Richard and Grimshow (2020) or (Wensing, Richard and Grimshow, 2020). Use et al. for more than 3 authors: (Author et al., Year). World Health Organization (2023) or (World Health Organization, 2023). According to BBC (2024) or (BBC, 2024). |
Format for Different Types of Sources
Below you can find formatting examples in different academic formatting styles for the most common types of sources that you can cite in your research, article for a journal, or evidence-based blog post.
| Type of Source | APA 7th edition | MLA | Chicago NB | Chicago Author-Date | Oxford | Harvard – Kaplan University | Harvard – CIPD | Harvard – University of Birmingham |
| Book | Prasad, L. M. (2020). Principles and practice of management. Sutan Chand & Sons. | Prasad, L. M. Principles and Practice of Management. Sutan Chand & Sons, 2020. | Prasad, L. M. Principles and Practice of Management. Sutan Chand & Sons, 2020. | Prasad, L. M. 2020. Principles and Practice of Management. Sutan Chand & Sons. | Prasad, L. M., Principles and Practice of Management, New Dehli, Sutan Chand & Sons, 2020. | Prasad, LM 2020, Principles and practice of management. Sutan Chand & Sons, New Dehli. | PRASAD, L. M. (2020) Principles and practice of management. New Dehli: Sutan Chand & Sons. | Prasad, L. M. (2020) Principles and practice of management. New Dehli: Sutan Chand & Sons. |
| Journal Article | Dong, S., Mao, J., Ke, Q., & Pei, L. (2024). Decoding the writing styles of disciplines: A large-scale quantitative analysis. Information Processing & Management, 61(4), 103718. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ipm.2024.103718 | Dong, Shuyi, et al. “Decoding the Writing Styles of Disciplines: A Large-Scale Quantitative Analysis.” Information Processing & Management, vol. 61, no. 4, 2024, p. 103718. ScienceDirect, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ipm.2024.103718. Accessed 16 Sept. 2024. | Dong, Shuyi, Jin Mao, Qing Ke, and Lei Pei. “Decoding the Writing Styles of Disciplines: A Large-Scale Quantitative Analysis.” Information Processing & Management 61, no. 4 (2024): 103718. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ipm.2024.103718. | Dong, Shuyi, Jin Mao, Qing Ke, and Lei Pei. 2024. “Decoding the Writing Styles of Disciplines: A Large-Scale Quantitative Analysis.” Information Processing & Management 61 (4): 103718. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ipm.2024.103718. | Dong, S. et al., ‘Decoding the Writing Styles of Disciplines: A Large-Scale Quantitative Analysis’, Information Processing & Management, vol. 61, no. 4, 2024, p. 103718. | Dong, S, Mao, J, Ke, Q & Pei, L 2024, ‘Decoding the writing styles of disciplines: a large-scale quantitative analysis’, Information Processing & Management, vol. 61, no. 4, viewed 16 September, <https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306457324000785>. | DONG, S., MAO, J., KE, Q. and PEI, L. (2024) Decoding the writing styles of disciplines: a large-scale quantitative analysis. Information Processing & Management. Vol 61, No 4, June p103718. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306457324000785 [Accessed 16 September 2024]. | Dong, S., Mao, J., Ke, Q., and Pei, L. (2024) ‘Decoding the writing styles of disciplines: a large-scale quantitative analysis’, Information Processing & Management, 61 (4), 103718. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ipm.2024.103718. |
| News Article | Scottish government spending constraints unavoidable – Robison. (2024, August 18). BBC. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3w6d1vl58lo | “Scottish Government Spending Constraints Unavoidable – Robison.” BBC, 18 Aug. 2024, www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3w6d1vl58lo. Accessed 16 Sept. 2024. | “Scottish Government Spending Constraints Unavoidable – Robison.” BBC, August 18, 2024. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3w6d1vl58lo. | “Scottish Government Spending Constraints Unavoidable – Robison.” 2024. BBC, August 18. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3w6d1vl58lo. | ‘Scottish Government Spending Constraints Unavoidable – Robison’, BBC, 18 August 2024, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3w6d1vl58lo, (accessed 16 September 2024). | BBC 2024, ‘Scottish government spending constraints’, 18 August, viewed 22 August 2024, <https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3w6d1vl58lo>. | Scottish government spending constraints. (2024) BBC. 18 August. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3w6d1vl58lo [Accessed 22 August 2024]. | BBC 2024 Scottish government spending constraints. Avaiable at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3w6d1vl58lo (Accessed: 22 August 2024) |
| Web Page | World Health Organization. (2023, December 13). Despite notable progress, road safety remains urgent global issue. https://www.who.int/news/item/13-12-2023-despite-notable-progress-road-safety-remains-urgent-global-issue | “Despite Notable Progress, Road Safety Remains Urgent Global Issue.” World Health Organization, 13 Dec. 2023, www.who.int/news/item/13-12-2023-despite-notable-progress-road-safety-remains-urgent-global-issue. Accessed 16 Sept. 2024. | World Health Organization. “Despite Notable Progress, Road Safety Remains Urgent Global Issue.” Last modified December 13, 2023. https://www.who.int/news/item/13-12-2023-despite-notable-progress-road-safety-remains-urgent-global-issue. | World Health Organization. 2023. “Despite Notable Progress, Road Safety Remains Urgent Global Issue.” Last modified December 13. https://www.who.int/news/item/13-12-2023-despite-notable-progress-road-safety-remains-urgent-global-issue. | World Health Organization, ‘Despite Notable Progress, Road Safety Remains Urgent Global Issue’, WHO, 13 December 2023, https://www.who.int/news/item/13-12-2023-despite-notable-progress-road-safety-remains-urgent-global-issue, (accessed 16 September 2024). | World Health Organization. 2023, Despite notable progress, road safety remains urgent global issue, viewed 16 September 2024, <https://www.who.int/news/item/13-12-2023-despite-notable-progress-road-safety-remains-urgent-global-issue>. | WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION. (2023) Despite notable progress, road safety remains urgent global issue [online]. Available at: https://www.who.int/news/item/13-12-2023-despite-notable-progress-road-safety-remains-urgent-global-issue [Accessed 16 September 2024]. | World Health Organization. (2023) Despite notable progress, road safety remains urgent global issue. Available at: https://www.who.int/news/item/13-12-2023-despite-notable-progress-road-safety-remains-urgent-global-issue (Accessed: 16 September 2024) |
| Theses | Grossman, A. G. (2020). Long-range temperature forecasting correction techniques using machine learning (Publication No. 7582) [Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology]. MIT Libraries. http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582 | Grossman, Alexander G. Long-Range Temperature Forecasting Correction Techniques Using Machine Learning. 2020. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Thesis. MIT Libraries, dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582. Accessed 16 Sept. 2024. | Grossman, Alexander G. “Long-Range Temperature Forecasting Correction Techniques Using Machine Learning.” Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2020. MIT Libraries (7582). | Grossman, Alexander G. 2020. “Long-Range Temperature Forecasting Correction Techniques Using Machine Learning.” Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. MIT Libraries (7582). | Grossman, A.G., Long-Range Temperature Forecasting Correction Techniques Using Machine Learning, Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2020, http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582, (accessed 16 September 2024). | Grossman, AG 2020, ‘Long-range temperature forecasting correction techniques using machine learning’, thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge. | GROSSMAN, A.G. (2020) Long-range temperature forecasting correction techniques using machine learning [online]. Thesis. Cambridge: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Available at: http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582 [Accessed 16 September 2024]. | Grossman, A.G. (2020) Long-range temperature forecasting correction techniques using machine learning [online]. Thesis. Cambridge: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Available at: http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582 (Accessed 16 September 2024) |
Click the link in the list of references if you need to format other types of sources in the discussed academic formatting styles.
Note that different universities use different Harvard referencing style versions. So the choice depends on the educational institution.
References
APA 7th edition: Purdue Online Writing Lab
MLA: Purdue OWL
Chicago NB: The Chicago Manual of Style Online
Chicago Author-Date: The Chicago Manual of Style Online
Oxford: Victoria University
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