Researchers in various fields of study have adopted style conventions which govern the content, organization, layout, grammar and punctuation of work published in their specific fields. These style conventions also include the methods by which references to other sources are cited.

You should use the style which meets one of the following prioritized guidelines:

1. The style requested by your professor
2. The style which will be used by the journal to which you will submit your work
3. The style which is used by the journal most likely to publish work like yours
4. The style which governs your field of study

In addition, you should pay close attention to the conventions in your field, and at your level of expertise, for quoting and paraphrasing sources.

APA

The American Psychological Association (APA) publishes a Publication Manual which recommends a standard form for journal manuscripts which are used primarily by scholars in psychology, anthropology, and the social sciences. The recommended format has been changed several times through the years, most recently in the 5th edition of the Publication Manual for the American Psychological Association, available in 2001. Copies of this Manual are available in the Writing Center at Rensselaer and in the Rensselaer Library.

MLA

The Modern Language Association (MLA) publishes a style manual used primarily by scholars in literature and the humanities. The most recent edition is MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 5th Edition, by Joseph Gibaldi, Modern Language Association of America, 1998. For more complete information on MLA documentation, please consult this manual. Copies are available at the Writing Center, in the Rensselaer Library, and for purchase in the Rensselaer Bookstore.

IEEE

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. publishes the IEEE Standards Style Manual, which describes the optional and required contents and referencing conventions of drafts for working groups and instructions on submitting drafts for IEEE-SA Standards Board approval and publication. The 2000 revision of the IEEE Standards Style Manual has been substantially reordered and reorganized and available online at http://standards.ieee.org/guides/style/. A copy of this Manual is also available at the Consultant's desk in the Writing Center at Rensselaer.

ASC

The American Chemical Society publishes The ACS Style Guide: A manual for authors and editors. The ACS style guide is frequently used primarily by researchers in the sciences. The most recent edition is the second edition, 1997, Janet S. Dodd, Editor. An excellent online summary of this style is available at http://pubs.acs.org/books/references.shtml. In addition, copies of the ACS Style Guide, 2nd edition are available in the Writing Center at Rensselaer.

Chicago (Turabian) Style

The Chicago Manual of Style, published by the University of Chicago, is frequently followed by book publishers, journals, and some academic fields. It calls for sources to be cited in notes, either footnotes at the bottom of pages endnotes at the end of chapters, articles, or books. The rules for citing sources are precise, and described in detail on The Chicago Manual of Style website.