This comprehensive reference guide provides formatting rules and examples for major academic citation styles used at Loyola. Use this page to look up specific formatting requirements and see examples for all common source types.
| Style | Disciplines | In-Text Format | Bibliography Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| APA | Psychology, social sciences, education, nursing, business | (Author, Year) | References |
| MLA | English, literature, foreign languages, humanities | (Author Page) | Works Cited |
| Chicago Notes | History, fine arts, philosophy, religion | Superscript numbers | Bibliography |
| Chicago Author-Date | Social sciences, some sciences | (Author Year) | References |
Not sure which citation style to use? Follow this guide:
What’s your academic discipline?
Still unsure? Check your course syllabus or ask your instructor. Different professors may have specific preferences even within the same discipline.
APA style is used primarily in psychology, social sciences, education, nursing, business, and social work. The style emphasizes publication dates to highlight current research, which is crucial in fields where recent findings can supersede earlier work.
APA uses in-text citations with author and year: (Smith, 2023) or (Smith, 2023, p. 45). The bibliography is called “References” (not “Bibliography”). For APA 7 th , the running head is not required for student papers unless the instructor requests it, but it should still be used for manuscripts submitted for professional publication.
Document formatting includes:
References should be listed in alphabetical order, double-spaced with a hanging indent for each citation. Do not add extra space between references.
Ettarh, F.
If a source has an editor, place the editor’s name in the author position, and enclose the abbreviation “Ed.” or “Eds.” in parentheses after the last editor’s name followed by a period.
Kendrick, K.D. & Tritt, D. (Eds.)
Matthias, R., & Henrick, S.
Sorrengail, V., Matthias, R., Gamlyn, R., Henrick, S., & Mairi, L.
Print and eBooks use the same format. You do not need to include the form, platform, or device for eBooks. You may include the DOI or URL if one is available.
Last name, First initial. Middle initial. (Publication Year). Book title : Capital letter for subtitle . Publisher name.
Note: Publisher location no longer needs to be included as part of the book citation.
Layne, P. (2025). Out of this world: Afro-German Afrofuturism . Northwestern University Press.
Last name, First initial. Middle initial. (Publication Year). Chapter title. In Author First Initial Last Name (Eds.), Book title: Capital letter for subtitle . Publisher name.
Layne P. (2025). The (im)possibility and necessity of hope. In Out of this world: Afro-German Afrofuturism. Northwestern University Press.
Last name, First initial. Middle initial. (Eds.). (Publication Year). Book title : Capital letter for subtitle . Publisher name.
Buljung, B., & Bongiovanni, E. (Eds.). (2021). The scholarly communications cookbook. Association of College & Research Libraries.
Last name, First Initial. (Publication Date). Article title. Journal Title, Volume (Issue), Page range. DOI or link if DOI is unavailable.
Saunders, L., & Ung, T. (2017). Striving for success in the reference interview: A case study. The Reference Librarian, 58 (1), 46-66. https://doi.org/10.1080/02763877.2016.1157778
Sample in-text citation:
(Saunders & Ung, 2017, p. 50)
Note: You do not need to include Retrieved from unless the information on the page is meant to be changed over time.
Author. (Publication date). Webpage title . Publisher or Sponsor. URL.
Mowreader, A. (2025, May 12). Colleges invest in range of basic needs programs. Inside Higher Ed. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/student-success/health-wellness/2025/05/12/college-programs-support-holistic-student-basic
Chicago Public Library. (2025, April 14). CyberNavigator technology tutors now available. https://www.chipublib.org/news/cybernavigator-technology-tutors-now-available/
Name associated with the account [@username] . (Publication date). First twenty (20) words of the post as the title. URLs, hashtags, and emojis count as one word. [Image attached] [Status update]. Platform. URL
Librariesluc [@librariesluc] . (2023, August 18). 💸💸 Before spending money on textbooks, see if they’re available through the University Libraries’ Course Reserves program. This program obtains [Image] [Status update]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/CwGUcbipzMm/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Author/creator. (Publication Year). Title [Description]. Source. URL
Formulanone. (2016). Rogers Park aerial along Lake Michigan 3 [Photograph]. Flickr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/formulanone/50561589996/
Name of the person or group author [@username] . (Publication date). First twenty (20) words of the caption or video title [Video]. Platform. URL
Loyola University Chicago Libraries [@luclibraries]. (2025, April 23). Alumni authors who create [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MP-Q7yhuQow
Last Name, First Initial. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Name of Newspaper or Magazine , Page numbers (if available). URL
Collins, G. (2025, May 15). The future of urban libraries. The New York Times, pp. A1, A12. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/15/opinion/urban-libraries-future.html
No author:
Libraries embrace digital transformation. (2025, April 3). Time Magazine. https://time.com/libraries-digital-transformation/
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of dissertation/thesis (Publication No. ###) [Doctoral dissertation/Master’s thesis, Name of Institution]. Database Name.
Wilson, J. M. (2024). Information literacy in the digital age: A study of undergraduate research behaviors (Publication No. 28931750) [Doctoral dissertation, University of Illinois]. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.
Unpublished:
Martinez, S. (2025). Community engagement through public library programming [Unpublished master’s thesis]. Loyola University Chicago.
MLA style is used in English, literature, foreign languages, and humanities. The style emphasizes authorship and page numbers for close textual analysis, which serves the needs of literary and humanities scholarship.
MLA uses in-text citations with author and page: (Smith 45) or (Smith and Jones 23). The bibliography is called “Works Cited.”
Document formatting includes:
Giannini, Erin.
In-text: (Giannini 16)
Lawler, James, and Kimberly S. Engels
In-text: (Lawler and Engels 54)
Silverman, Eric J., et al.
In-text: (Silverman et al. 40)
May, Todd. Should We Go Extinct? A Philosophical Dilemma for Our Unbearable Times. Crown, 2024.
Schur, Michael. “Do I Have to Return My Shopping Cart to the Shopping Cart Rack Thing? I Mean…It’s All the Way Over There.” How to Be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question. Simon & Schuster, 2022, pp. 81-100.
Editor’s Last name, First name, editor. Book Title. Publisher, Year.
D’Agata, John, editor. The Making of the American Essay . Graywolf Press, 2016.
Last name, First name. “Title of Article.” Title of Journal, Volume, Issue, Year, pages, DOI, permalink, or URL. Date accessed for pages that change often (optional).
McKillop, Hannah. “The Good Place: A Case Study for Conceptualizing Non-Religious Ethics and Morality in the United States.” Journal of Religion and Popular Culture, vol. 36, no. 1, 2024, pp. 15–29, https://doi.org/10.3138/jrpc.2022-0024.
Rohlf, Michael. “Immanuel Kant.” The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, edited by Edward N Zalta and Uri Nodelman, Fall 2024 edition, The Metaphysics Research Lab, https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/kant/
Organization Name. “Title of Web Page.” Website Name , Date of Publication, URL.
American Library Association. “Library Bill of Rights.” American Library Association , 19 Jan. 2019, https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill.
Obama, Barack. “From our earliest days, Black history has always been American history – and Black folks have profoundly shaped our American culture through…” X, 1 Feb. 2025, 9:32 a.m., https://x.com/BarackObama/status/1885712803534700566 .
Caillebotte, Gustave. Paris Street; Rainy Day. 1877. Art Institute of Chicago. https://www.artic.edu/artworks/20684/paris-street-rainy-day . Accessed 19 May 2025.
El Greco (Doménikos Theotokópoulos). The Assumption of the Virgin . (1577-79). The Art Institute of Chicago.
@username (Real Name or Organization Name). Video Title as It Appears on the Platform. Platform , Date, URL.
@luclibraries (Loyola University Chicago). Alumni Authors Who Create. YouTube, 23 Apr. 2025, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MP-Q7yhuQow
Last Name, First Name. “Title of Article.” Name of Newspaper or Magazine , Day Month Year, pp. ##. URL (if online).
Kakutani, Michiko. “The Death of Truth in the Digital Age.” The New York Times , 14 July 2024, pp. SR1+.
Online:
Smith, Zadie. “The I Who Is Not Me.” The New Yorker , 3 Feb. 2025, https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/02/03/the-i-who-is-not-me.
Last Name, First Name. Title of Dissertation . Year. University Name, Degree. Database Name, URL or DOI.
Chen, Lisa. Digital Storytelling in Contemporary American Fiction . 2024. Harvard University, PhD dissertation. ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/docview/2890123456.
Print:
Robinson, Marcus. The Evolution of Library Science Education . 2023. University of Chicago, MA thesis.
Chicago style is used in history, fine arts, literature, and philosophy. Chicago offers two systems: Notes-Bibliography (humanities) and Author-Date (social sciences), allowing flexibility for different research needs within the humanities and social sciences.
Chicago Manual of Style offers two distinct documentation systems. Choose based on your discipline and the nature of your sources:
Notes-Bibliography System (Humanities) - Best for: History, literature, philosophy, and the arts - Uses numbered footnotes or endnotes - Allows extensive commentary in notes - Ideal when working with many primary sources - Bibliography lists all sources consulted
Author-Date System (Social Sciences) - Best for: Sociology, anthropology, and some sciences - Uses parenthetical citations: (Smith 2023, 45) - Emphasizes currency of sources - More efficient for citing multiple sources - Reference list includes only cited sources
Not sure which to use? - Check your assignment guidelines - Ask your instructor - When in doubt, humanities courses typically prefer Notes-Bibliography
Notes-Bibliography System (for humanities): - Uses numbered footnotes or endnotes with a separate bibliography - Ideal for extensive source citation and complex source types - Allows for multiple citations and commentary in notes - Bibliography lists all sources consulted
Author-Date System (for social sciences): - Uses in-text citations similar to APA: (Smith 2023, 135) - Reference list includes only sources cited in text - Emphasizes publication dates for current research
Document formatting includes: - Double-spacing throughout - 12-point Times New Roman font - 1-inch margins on all sides - Page numbers in upper right corner or bottom center
This system uses numbered footnotes or endnotes with a separate bibliography. It’s ideal for extensive source citation and provides flexibility for complex source types common in historical research.
Bernstein, Jay M.
Jay M. Bernstein
Bernstein
Foner, Eric, and John A. Garraty.
Eric Foner and John A. Garraty
Foner and Garraty
Soss, Joe, Jacob S. Hacker, and Suzanne Mettler
Joe Soss, Jacob S. Hacker, and Suzanne Mettler
Soss, Hacker, and Mettler
Bernstein, Jay M., Roger Berkowitz, Jeffrey Katz, and Thomas Keenan.
Jay N. Bernstein et al.
Bernstein et al.
Notes-Bibliography System: - Use superscript numbers in text: ¹ ² ³ - Numbers appear after punctuation and at the end of quotations - Footnotes appear at bottom of page; endnotes at end of document - First citation includes full bibliographic information - Subsequent citations use shortened form
Example in text: > Recent scholarship has challenged this interpretation.¹ However, other historians argue that the evidence remains inconclusive.²
Corresponding footnotes: > 1. Sharon Sassler and Amanda Jayne Miller, Cohabitation Nation: Gender, Class, and the Remaking of Relationships (University of California Press, 2017), 114. > 2. Sassler and Miller, Cohabitation Nation , 205.
Last name, First Name. Book Title . Publisher, Publication Year.
Bibliography: > Sassler, Sharon, and Amanda Jayne Miller. Cohabitation Nation: Gender, Class, and the Remaking of Relationships . University of California Press, 2017.
First Note: > 1. Sharon Sassler and Amanda Jayne Miller, Cohabitation Nation: Gender, Class, and the Remaking of Relationships (University of California Press, 2017), 114.
Shortened Note: > 1. Sassler and Miller, Cohabitation Nation, 205.
Note: For eBooks consulted online, include the database or URL consulted. For downloadable eBooks (such as Kindle), include the file format (EPUB, Kindle, etc.)
Hohti, Paula. Refashioning the Renaissance: Everyday Dress in Europe, 1550-1650. Manchester University Press, 2025. EBSCOhost.
Obama, Michelle. Becoming . Crown, 2018. Kindle.
Last Name, First Name. “Title of Chapter.” In Title of Book , edited by First Name Last Name. Publisher, Publication Year.
Bibliography: > Rowlandson, Mary. “The Narrative of My Captivity.” In The Making of the American Essay, edited by John D’Agata. Graywolf Press, 2016.
First Note (print book): 1. Mary Rowlandson, “The Narrative of My Captivity,” in The Making of the American Essay, ed. John D’Agata (Graywolf Press, 2016), 22.
Shortened Note: 2. Rowlandson, “Captivity,” 42-44.
Editor(s) Last name, First name, eds. Book Title . Publisher, Publication Year.
Bibliography: Rosenstein, Nathan, and Robert Morstein-Marx, eds. A Companion to the Roman Republic . Wiley-Blackwell, 2010.
First Note: 1. Nathan Rosenstein and Robert Morstein-Marx, eds., A Companion to the Roman Republic (Wiley-Blackwell, 2010), 105.
Shortened Note: 2. Rosenstein and Morstein-Marx, Companion , 225.
Note: If the work includes individual, unique volume titles or volume editors, it is usually best to cite the volumes individually.
Author(s) Last name, First name. Title of Multivolume Work. Volume number, Title of Individual Volume , editor name. Location: Publisher, Publication Year.
Bibliography: Naficy, Hamid. A Social History of Iranian Cinema. Vol. 2, The Industrializing Years, 1941-1978. Duke University Press, 2011.
First Note: 3. Naficy, Hamid. A Social History of Iranian Cinema, vol. 2, The Industrializing Years, 1941-1978 (Duke University Press, 2011), 222.
Shortened Note: > 4. Naficy, Social History , 2:112.
Last Name, First Name. “Title of Article.” Name of Journal (italicized) Volume Number, issue number (Publication Date): Page number range. DOI or permalink/stable URL.
Bibliography: Perkins, Sid. “Can Nuclear Fallout Make It Rain?” Science (May 2020). https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abc7875.
First Note: 1. Sid Perkins, “Can Nuclear Fallout Make It Rain?” Science (May 2020), https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abc7875.
Shortened Note: 2. Perkins, “Nuclear Fallout”
Last Name, First Name. “Title of Article.” Name of Newspaper or Magazine (italicized), Publication Date (Month Day, Year). URL.
Bibliography: Mullin, Benjamin. “NPR Sues Trump Over Order to Cut Funding.” New York Times , May 27, 2025. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/27/business/media/npr-trump-lawsuit-executive-order-funding.html .
First Note: 1. Benjamin Mullin, “NPR Sues Trump Over Order to Cut Funding,” New York Times , May 27, 2025, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/27/business/media/npr-trump-lawsuit-executive-order-funding.html .
Shortened Note: 1. Mullin, “NPR Sues Trump.”
Note: Content from websites can usually be cited in text or notes rather than the bibliography.
“Immanuel Kant.” The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Fall 2024 edition, https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/kant/
“‘The Two Georges,’ a New Exhibition Opening at Library of Congress, will Reveal George Washington and King George III in Their Own Words,” March 24, 2025, https://newsroom.loc.gov/news/-the-two-georges---a-new-exhibition-opening-at-library-of-congress--will-reveal-george-washington-an/s/0636b925-7bf0-4756-aa43-20128093bf39 .
“Digital disruption: How technology has transformed the news landscape.” Ask.com, Accessed May 19, 2025, https://www.ask.com/news/digital-disruption-technology-transformed-news-landscape .
Note: In place of a title, use the text of the post. Quote up to the first 280 characters. Because social media is subject to editing and deletion, it is a good idea to keep a copy of anything you cite (like a screenshot of the tweet or image). Social media is often cited only within the text of the paper. A corresponding bibliography entry is not needed as long as the item has been documented in the text.
X (Formerly known as Twitter)
Note: posts created before the rebranding in 2023 do not need to refer to the new name
Barack Obama ( @barackobama ), “From our earliest days, Black history has always been American history – and Black folks have profoundly shaped our American culture through…” X, February 1, 2025, https://x.com/BarackObama/status/1885712803534700566 .
Loyola University Chicago Libraries (@librariesluc ), “💸💸 Before spending money on textbooks, see if they’re available through the University Libraries’ Course Reserves program.” Instagram, August 18, 2023, https://www.instagram.com/p/CwGUcbipzMm/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Loyola University Chicago Libraries (@librariesluc), “🎓 Congratulations to the Class of 2025, Loyola Ramblers!” Facebook, May 5, 2025, https://www.facebook.com/luclibraries/posts/pfbid0V6sUGYUR7GmWCV3A6qnZ6aAKSwH3jr58m6JNLSR1fa6PqhRg7zDSynC99G8SjbYtl
Last name, First name. Title of Image . Medium. Date. Institution, Location. URL (if online).
Bibliography: Adams, Ansel. Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico . Photograph. 1941. Museum of Modern Art, New York.
First Note: 1. Ansel Adams, Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico (photograph, 1941, Museum of Modern Art, New York).
Creator/Channel Name. “Video Title.” Video. Publication Date. Platform. URL.
Bibliography: Loyola University Chicago Libraries. “Alumni Authors Who Create.” Video. April 23, 2025. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MP-Q7yhuQow.
First Note: 1. Loyola University Chicago Libraries, “Alumni Authors Who Create,” video, April 23, 2025, YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MP-Q7yhuQow.
Note: If you’ve consulted the paper online, include a DOI/Permalink/URL (if available).
Last name, First name. “Title of Paper.” Type of dissertation or Thesis., Academic Institution, Publication Year. Database or Institutional Repository consulted.
Bibliography: Pinkney, Jacqueline Renee. “Holy Communion - A Seat at the Table: Creating Sacred Black Liturgy Towards a Healing Community.” Doctoral diss., Drew University, 2025. ProQuest (31998752).
First Note: Jacqueline Renee Pinkney, “Holy Communion - A Seat at the Table: Creating Sacred Black Liturgy Towards a Healing Community” (Doctoral diss., Drew University, 2025), 84-86, ProQuest (31998752).
Short Note: Pinkney, “Holy Communion,” 90.
Note: Researchers should review the original sources that they are citing to make sure that the quote is accurate and reflects the original meaning. If the original source is unavailable, cite it as “quoted in” the secondary source in your note. For the bibliography, adapt the “quoted in” format as needed.
Author last name, first name. “Title of document.” Title of original source (publication month and year): Page range. Quoted in Author’s first name, Last Name: Title of secondary source (Publication location: Publisher, Publication Year).
Bibliography: Zukofsky, Louis. “Sincerity and Objectification.” Poetry 37 (February 1931): 269. Quoted in Bonnie Costello, Marianne Moore: Imaginary Possessions (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1981).
First Note: 1. Louis Zukofsky, “Sincerity and Objectification,” Poetry 37 (February 1931): 269, quoted in Bonnie Costello, Marianne Moore: Imaginary Possessions (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1981), 78.
Shortened Note: 2. Zukofsky, “Sincerity and Objectification,” 269.
This system uses in-text citations similar to APA: (Smith 2023, 135) with a Reference List that is also similar to APA. A significant difference is that the author-date system uses quotation marks rather than sentence case to indicate journal articles, book chapters, and other portions of a larger work.
Reference List Example: Smith, John A. 2023. “Understanding Citation Practices.” Journal of Academic Writing 15 (2): 123-145.
Turabian Style: Turabian is a student-friendly version of Chicago style with the same citation systems but simplified formatting requirements for student papers rather than publication manuscripts.
Digital and Online Sources: Modern research increasingly involves digital sources that require special attention to citation. Include access dates for materials that may change or be restricted.
Exercise caution when using AI-generated content. If in doubt, get permission from your instructor.
APA: OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (March 14 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat
MLA: “Text of prompt.” ChatGPT , Version used, OpenAI, Day Month Year, chat.openai.com/chat.
Chicago Notes-Bibliography: 1. ChatGPT, response to “Explain the impact of climate change on library preservation,” OpenAI, March 14, 2023, https://chat.openai.com/chat.
Chicago Author-Date: (ChatGPT 2023)
ChatGPT. 2023. Response to “Explain the impact of climate change on library preservation.” OpenAI, March 14. https://chat.openai.com/chat.
Videos, podcasts, and other multimedia require specific formatting for platform, host, and access information. Include episode numbers for series content and access dates for streaming content.
Historical documents, government publications, and archival materials often require additional location information and access details. Formatting varies significantly between styles, with Chicago providing the most comprehensive guidelines for historical sources.
Proper citation serves both academic integrity and intellectual honesty.
Always cite:
No citation needed for:
When in doubt, cite. Over-citing is better than plagiarism. Keep track of sources as you research, not after writing. Use citation management tools for consistency and double-check formatting against official style guides. Verify that cited information accurately represents the source and its context.
