MLA (Modern Language Association)
* In-text citation: Use the author's last name and page number(s). If you mention the author's name in the sentence, only include the page number in parentheses. If you don't mention the author's name, include the last name and page number in parentheses.
* Example (Author's name mentioned): Smith argues that the novel's ending is ambiguous (157).
* Example (Author's name not mentioned): The novel's ending has been interpreted in various ways (Smith 157).
* Works Cited entry: This goes at the end of your paper.
* Example (single author): Smith, John. *Title of Book*. Publisher, Year.
* Example (two authors): Smith, John, and Jane Doe. *Title of Book*. Publisher, Year.
* Example (more than three authors): Smith, John, et al. *Title of Book*. Publisher, Year.
APA (American Psychological Association)
* In-text citation: Use the author's last name and year of publication. Include the page number(s) only if you're quoting directly.
* Example (paraphrase): Smith (2023) argues that the novel's ending is ambiguous.
* Example (direct quote): "The ending is intentionally ambiguous" (Smith, 2023, p. 157).
* References entry: This goes at the end of your paper.
* Example (single author): Smith, J. (2023). *Title of Book*. Publisher.
Chicago (Chicago Manual of Style)
Chicago has two main citation systems: Notes and Bibliography and Author-Date.
* Notes and Bibliography: This system uses footnotes or endnotes for in-text citations and a bibliography at the end.
* Footnote/endnote example: 1. John Smith, *Title of Book* (Publisher, Year), 157.
* Bibliography example: Smith, John. *Title of Book*. Publisher, Year.
* Author-Date: This system is similar to APA.
* In-text citation example: (Smith 2023, 157).
* References example: Smith, J. 2023. *Title of Book*. Publisher.
Important Considerations for All Styles:
* Italics: Book titles are always italicized.
* Capitalization: Follow the style guide's rules for title capitalization (usually only the first word and proper nouns).
* Publisher information: Include the city and state (or country) of the publisher, if the style guide requires it. APA generally omits this for books.
* Edition: Include the edition if it's not the first.
* DOI or URL: If available, include the Digital Object Identifier (DOI) or URL for online books. The specifics of formatting vary by style guide.
Always check your specific course's style guide. Professors may have preferences or require variations from the standard guidelines. The style guide's official website or a style manual is your best resource for detailed information.