* Author(s): The author(s) of the paper are always included. The order of authors is generally consistent with the publication itself.
* Publication Date: The year of publication is always included. Some styles also require the month and/or day.
* Title of the Paper: The title of the paper is always included, often italicized or in quotation marks depending on the style guide.
* Publication Information: This includes information about where the paper was published. This might include the journal title (italicized), volume number, issue number, page numbers, and sometimes the DOI (Digital Object Identifier). The specific elements and their formatting differ between styles.
* Uniqueness and Accuracy: The citation must uniquely identify the specific paper and be accurate in representing its publication details.
In short, while the *format* of the citation varies significantly (punctuation, order of elements, capitalization), the *core information* conveyed remains consistent across different citation styles. The goal is always to provide enough information for a reader to locate the original source.