How to Reference a Book in a School Assignment

A variety of writing assignments require using certain methods in referencing books. There are many different citation systems. Three of the most common are Modern Language Association, or MLA; American Psychological Association, or APA; and Chicago Manual of Style, or CMS. Different academic subjects use different citations systems. Language and literature classes usually require the use of MLA; psychology and sociology papers use MLA; history students learn to write footnotes using CMS. Each has very specific guidelines regarding in-text citations and the creation of a page listing all books (and other sources of media) referenced.

Instructions

  1. MLA Citations

    • 1

      Write the author's last name and the page number where the quotation or information was obtained. Enclose in parenthesis. This is for an in-text citation using the MLA format.

    • 2

      Create a "Works Cited" page. All books referenced in the paper will be included.

    • 3

      Organize the Works Cited page alphabetically by each author's last name. The proper format is Last Name, First Name. Title. City of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication. Italicize the title.

    APA Citations

    • 4

      Write the author's name and the year the book was published. Enclose in parentheses for in-text citations.

    • 5

      Create a reference list organized by the last name of all authors listed.

    • 6

      Format entries. The proper format is Last Name, First Initial. Year of Publication in parentheses. Title of Book (only capitalize first letter of first word and italicize entire title). City of Publication; Name of Publishing Company.

    CMS

    • 7

      Create footnotes for each citation. The first time a book is cited the footnote should be formatted as First Name Last Name, Title of Book in italics, (City of Publication: Publishing Company, Year of Publication), pages numbers referenced. Format further citations as Last Name, title in italics, page number referenced. After the first footnote, it's acceptable to use a shortened version of the book's title.

    • 8

      Write a bibliography. Chicago Style also alphabetizes the list by the author's last name.

    • 9

      Format bibliography entries as Last Name, First Name. Title. City of Publication: Publishing Company, Date of Publication. Write the title in italics.

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