For NPS theses, papers, and publications: to cite properly, follow the citation examples and apply the essential rules.
Citation Examples |
Essential Rules |
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If you do not see an example that matches your source type or the rule that you need, consult the Additional Resources for your style. |
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arXiv |
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| Source Type | Generic Example | Actual Example |
| R = Bibliography / List of References entry T = In-text Citation See also Capitalization (Title Case / Sentence case) | ||
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arXiv |
R: Author AA (year) Title of work in sentence case. arXiv, Place of Publication, DOI or URL. |
R: Barterra K (2023) Great grapes throughout history. arXiv, Half Moon Bay, CA, https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.10987654321. |
Blog |
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| Source Type | Generic Example | Actual Example |
| R = Bibliography / List of References entry T = In-text Citation See also Capitalization (Title Case / Sentence case) | ||
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Blog |
R: Author AA (year) Title in sentence case. Name of Blog in Title Case, blog. Accessed date, URL. T: (Author year) |
R: Locke JJ (2020) Effect of weird tails in 35mm Innsmouth sprocket periodicity distributions on re-tiered bicyclical phase shifting using Cthulhean logic. The Thing’s Credible!, blog. Accessed December 22, 2020, https://wrywhisker.pulpfriction.net/wallcrust/linear-colinear-felinear.html. T: (Locke 2020) |
Book |
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| Chapter / Section in Edited Book | ||
| Source Type | Generic Example | Actual Example |
| R = Bibliography / List of References entry T = In-text Citation See also Capitalization (Title Case / Sentence case) | ||
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One author, one editor |
R: Author AA (year) Title of chapter in sentence case. Editor AA, ed. Title of Book in Title Case and Italics (Publisher, Place of Publication), starting page of chapter–ending page of chapter. T: (Author year) |
R: Haynes P (2009) Al-Qaeda, oil dependence, and US foreign policy. Goodname A, ed. Energy Security and Global Politics: The Militarization of Resource Management (Routledge, New York), 62–74. T: (Haynes 2009) |
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Three authors, two editors From the introduction, foreword, preface, etc. |
R: Author AA, Author BB, Author CC (year) Title of section in sentence case. Editor AA, Editor BB, eds. Title of Book in Title Case and Italics (Publisher, Place of Publication), starting page of section–ending page of section. T: (Author A et al. year) |
R: Cordesman AH, Mausner A, Kasten D (2009) Introduction. Python MM, Monty PP, eds. Winning in Afghanistan: Creating Effective Afghan Security Forces (Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington, DC), 15–25. T: (Cordesman et al. 2009) |
| Electronic Book | ||
| Source Type | Generic Example | Actual Example |
| R = Bibliography / List of References entry T = In-text Citation See also Capitalization (Title Case / Sentence case) | ||
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With Digital Object Identifier (DOI) or URL |
R: Author AA (year) Title of Book in Title Case and Italics, DOI or URL or Name of Database in Title Case. T: (Author year, location information) |
DOI or URL R: Bonds ME (2014) Absolute Music: The History of an Idea, https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199343638.003.0004. T: (Bonds 2014, ch. 2) From a book provider R: Krishnan AA (2008) War as Business: Technological Change and Military Service Contracting, https://www.amazon.com. T: (Krishnan 2008) From a library database R: Crabtree J, Chaplin A (2013) Bolivia: Processes of Change, Proquest. T: (Crabtree and Chaplin 2013) |
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| Print Book | ||
| Source Type | Generic Example | Actual Example |
| R = Bibliography / List of References entry T = In-text Citation See also Capitalization (Title Case / Sentence case) | ||
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One author |
R: Author AA (year) Title of Book in Title Case and Italics (Publisher, Place of Publication). T: (Author year) |
R: Pollan M (2006) The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals (Penguin, New York). T: (Pollan 2006, p. 15) |
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Two authors with edition number |
R: Author AA, Author BB (year) Title of Book in Title Case and Italics, xx ed. (Publisher, Place of Publication). T: (Author A and Author B year) |
R: Strindberg A, Wärn M (2011) Islamism: Religion, Radicalization and Resistance, 2nd ed. (John Wiley and Sons, Hoboken, NJ). T: (Strindberg and Wärn 2011) |
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Three authors |
R: Author AA, Author BB, Author CC (year) Title of Book in Title Case and Italics (Publisher, Place of Publication). T: (Author A et al. year) |
R: Cordesman AH, Mausner A, Kasten D (2009) Winning in Afghanistan: Creating Effective Afghan Security Forces (Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington, DC). T: (Cordesman et al. 2009, p. 23) |
Class Notes / Lecture / Presentation / Workshop |
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| Source Type | Generic Example | Actual Example |
| R = Bibliography / List of References entry T = In-text Citation See also Capitalization (Title Case / Sentence case) | ||
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Class Notes / Lecture Published |
R: Author AA (year) Title of lecture in sentence case. Class notes or Lecture, Name of Class in Title Case, Month and day of Lecture, Department, School, Location of Institution, DOI or URL. T: (Author year) |
R: Blanche C (2017) How to be the cutest cat in the world. Lecture, Meow Studies 402, August 21, Department of Applied Whiskers, Finishing School for Pets, Monterey, CA, https://wallcrust.com/meows/cats.whiskers. T: (Blanche 2017) |
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Class Notes / Lecture Unpublished |
R: Author AA (year) Title of class or lecture in sentence case. Class notes or Lecture, Name of Class in Title Case, Month and day of Lecture, Department, School, Location of Institution. T: (Author year) |
Class notes: R: Houston A (2016) Why capitalization matters when visiting the House of Potato Chips. Class notes, Performance Management and Budgeting, University of Idaho, September 28, Fort Chip, ID. T: (Houston 2016) Lecture: R: Norton ME (2004) Optimizing the rotational velocity of lizards through ceiling fan modulation. Lecture, Introduction to Veterinary Studies, May 2, Department of Dragon Husbandry, Charlatan State University, Monogahela, WV. T: (Norton 2004) |
| Presentation or Workshop |
R: Author AA (year) Title of presentation in sentence case. Presentation or Workshop, Name of Event in Title Case, Month and day of Presentation, Venue, Location of Venue, DOI or URL. T: (Author year) |
R: Horse BB (2020) Horseshoes and hand grenades: On the joys of approximation. Presentation, Conference on Improbable Probabilities, Belmont Race Track, Elmont, NY, https://horse.edu/horseshoesandgrenades. T: (Horse 2020) |
Computer Program / Software |
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| Source Type | Generic Example | Actual Example |
| R = Bibliography / List of References entry T = In-text Citation See also Capitalization (Title Case / Sentence case) | ||
| Computer Program / Software |
R: Rightsholder AA, Rightsholder BB, Rightsholder CC, Rightsholder DD (year) Title of obscure software in sentence case. Accessed date, DOI or URL. T: (Rightsholder AA et al. year) |
R: Borenstein M, Hedges L, Higgins J, Rothstein H (2005) Comprehensive meta-analysis, version 2. Accessed May 8, 2015, http://www.meta-analysis.com/?index.html. T: (Borenstein et al. 2005) |
Conference Paper / Proceedings |
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| Source Type | Generic Example | Actual Example |
| R = Bibliography / List of References entry T = In-text Citation See also Capitalization (Title Case / Sentence case) | ||
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Conference Proceedings (online) |
R: Author AA, Author BB, Author CC (year) Title of article in sentence case. Abbreviated Title of Proceedings or Collection in Title Case and Italics (Venue, Location of Conference), DOI or URL. T: (Author A et al. year) |
R: Morentz JW, Doyle C, Skelly L, Adam N (2009) Unified Incident Command and Decision Support (UICDS) a Department of Homeland Security initiative in information sharing. 2009 IEEE Conference on Technologies for Homeland Security (Waltham, MA), https://doi.org/10.1109/THS.2009.5168032. T: (Morentz et al. 2009) |
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Conference Proceedings (print) |
R: Author AA, Author BB, Author CC (year) Title of article in sentence case. Title of Proceedings or Collection in Title Case and Italics (Venue, Location of Conference), starting page of article–ending page of article. T: (Author A et al. year) |
R: Katz I, Gabayan K, Aghajan H (2007) A multi-touch surface using multiple cameras. Advanced Concepts for Intelligent Vision Systems: 9th International Conference (Berlin, Germany), 97–108. T: (Katz I et al. 2007) |
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Paper Presented at Conference Unpublished |
R: Author AA, Author BB, Author CC (year) Title of article in sentence case. Abbreviated Title of Conference in Title Case, Location of Conference. T: (Author A et al. year) |
R: Teplin LA, McClelland GM, Abram KM, Mileusnic D (2005) Early violent death in delinquent youth: A prospective longitudinal study. Ann. Mtg. of the Amer. Psych.-Law Soc., La Jolla, CA. T: (Teplin et al. 2005) |
Data Set / Database |
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| Source Type | Generic Example | Actual Example |
| R = Bibliography / List of References entry T = In-text Citation See also Capitalization (Title Case / Sentence case) | ||
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Data Set / Database Published |
R: Author AA or Organization (year) Title of study in sentence case. Organization. Accessed date, DOI or URL. T: (Author or Organization year) |
R: Suro R (2004) Changing channels and crisscrossing culture: A survey of Latinos on news media. Pew Research Center. Accessed April 30, 2012, https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/2004/04/19/changing-channels-and-crisscrossing-cultures/. T: (Suro 2004) |
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Data Set Unpublished |
R: Author AA (year) Data provided to the author via personal communication, Month and day. T: (Author year) |
R: Blanche C (2006) Data provided to the author via email, August 30. T: (Blanche 2006) |
Dictionary / Encyclopedia |
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| Source Type | Generic Example | Actual Example |
| R = Bibliography / List of References entry T = In-text Citation See also Capitalization (Title Case / Sentence case) | ||
| Dictionary / Encyclopedia |
R: Title of entry in sentence case (year accessed) Title of Reference Work in Title Case and Italics. Accessed date, DOI or URL. T: (Title of entry year accessed) |
R: Metamorphosis (2011) Merriam-Webster. Accessed March 4, 2011, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/metamorphosis. T: (Metamorphosis 2011) |
Fact Sheet |
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| Source Type | Generic Example | Actual Example |
| R = Bibliography / List of References entry T = In-text Citation See also Capitalization (Title Case / Sentence case) | ||
| Fact Sheet |
R: Department (year) Title of fact sheet in sentence case, DOI or URL. T (first citation): (Department [Acronym] year) T (subsequent citations): (Acronym of Department year) |
R: Department of Labor (2008) The construction industry under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/1-flsa-construction. T (first citation): (Department of Labor [DOL] 2008) T (subsequent citations): (DOL 2008) |
Government / Military Document |
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| Directive / Instruction | ||
| Source Type | Generic Example | Actual Example |
| R = Bibliography / List of References entry T = In-text Citation See also Capitalization (Title Case / Sentence case) | ||
| Directive / Instruction |
R: Department (year) Title of directive in sentence case. Type of document and identification number, Place of Publication, DOI or URL. T (first citation): (Department [Acronym] year) T (subsequent citations): (Acronym year) |
R: Department of Defense (2005) Information assurance training, certification, workforce management. DOD Directive 8570.01-M, Washington, DC, https://www.jcs.mil/Portals/36/Documents/Doctrine/pubs/jp1_ch1.pdf. T (first citation): (Department of Defense [DOD] 2005) T (subsequent citations): (DOD 2005) |
| Doctrine | ||
| Source Type | Generic Example | Actual Example |
| R = Bibliography / List of References entry T = In-text Citation See also Capitalization (Title Case / Sentence case) | ||
| Joint Doctrine |
R: Department (year) Title of joint doctrine in sentence case. Type of document and identification number, Place of Publication, DOI or URL. T (first citation): (Department [Acronym] year) T (subsequent citations): (Acronym year) |
R: Joint Chiefs of Staff (2017) Countering air and missile threats. JP 3-01, Washington, DC, https://www.jcs.mil/Portals/36/Documents/Doctrine/pubs/jp1_ch1.pdf. T (first citation): (Joint Chiefs of Staff [JCS] 2017) T (subsequent citations): (JCS 2017) |
| Field Manual / Military Regulation | ||
| Source Type | Generic Example | Actual Example |
| R = Bibliography / List of References entry T = In-text Citation See also Capitalization (Title Case / Sentence case) | ||
| Field Manual / Military Regulation |
R: Department (year) Title of field manual in sentence case. Type of document and identification number, Place of Publication, DOI or URL. T (first citation): (Department [Acronym] year) T (subsequent citations): (Acronym year) |
R: Department of the Army (1994) Sniper training. FM 23-10, Washington, DC, http://www.bits.de/NRANEU/others/amd-us-archive/fm_23-10%2894%29.pdf. T (first citation): (Department of the Army [DA] 1994) T (subsequent citations): (DA 1994) |
| Government Report | ||
| Source Type | Generic Example | Actual Example |
| R = Bibliography / List of References entry T = In-text Citation See also Capitalization (Title Case / Sentence case) | ||
| Government Report |
R: Department (year) Title of report in sentence case. Type of document and identification number, Place of Publication, DOI or URL. T (first citation): (Department [Acronym] year) T (subsequent citations): (Acronym year) |
R: Secretary of Lard (2023) Craving potato chips while working. Report DPG 138-1883, Monterey, CA, https://www.ecoli.gov/bites-but-wearehungry.pdf. T (first citation): (Secretary of Lard [SOL] 2023) T (subsequent citations): (SOL 2023) |
| Strategy Document | ||
| Source Type | Generic Example | Actual Example |
| R = Bibliography / List of References entry T = In-text Citation See also Capitalization (Title Case / Sentence case) | ||
| Strategy Document |
R: Department (year) Title of document in sentence case. Type of document and identification number, Place of Publication, DOI or URL. T (first citation): (Department [Acronym] year) T (subsequent citations): (Acronym year) |
R: Joint Chiefs of Calf (2023) National mooing strategy of the United Cows of America. Tulare, CA, https://www.moo.org/moooooooooooooooooooooooooo.pdf. T (first citation): (Joint Chiefs of Calf [JCC] 2023) T (subsequent citations): (JCC 2023) |
Handbook |
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| Source Type | Generic Example | Actual Example |
| R = Bibliography / List of References entry T = In-text Citation See also Capitalization (Title Case / Sentence case) | ||
| Online |
R: Organization (year) Title of Handbook in Title Case and Italics. Document identification number (Place of Publication), DOI or URL. T: (Organization year) |
R: Western Spud (1972) Transmission Systems for Potatoes, 168th ed. (Kinston-Slalom, ID), https://www.spud.org/potato/transmission/grease.html. T: (Western Spud 1972) |
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R: Organization (year) Title of Handbook in Title Case and Italics. Document identification number (Place of Publication). T: (Organization year) |
R: Western Electric (1985) Transmission Systems for Communications, 3rd ed. (Winston-Salem, NC). T: (Western Electric 1985) |
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Journal Article |
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| Source Type | Generic Example | Actual Example |
| R = Bibliography / List of References entry T = In-text Citation See also Capitalization (Title Case / Sentence case) | ||
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Online |
R: Author AA, Author BB (year) Title of article in sentence case. Abbreviated Title of Journal in Title Case and Italics volume(issue number), DOI or URL or Name of Database in Title Case. T: (Author A and Author B year, p. xxx) |
DOI or URL R: Sanico GF, Kakinaka M (2008) Terrorism and deterrence policy with transnational support. J. of Def. and Peace 19(2), https://doi.org/10.1080/10242690701505419. T: (Sanico and Kakinaka 2008, p. 588) From a library database R: Brown GG, Dell RH, Holtz, H, Newman AM (2003) How US Air Force Space Command optimizes long-term investment in space systems. INFORMS J. on Applied Analytics 33(4), INFORMS PubsOnLine. T: (Brown et al. 2003, p. 2) |
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R: Author AA (year) Title of article in sentence case. Abbreviated Title of Journal in Title Case and Italics volume(issue number):starting page of article–ending page of article. T: (Author year) |
R: Griffin G (2009) Managing peacekeeping communications. J. of Bus. Continuity & Emer. Planning 3(4):317–327. T: (Griffin 2009) |
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Legal |
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| Bill / Resolution | ||
| Source Type | Generic Example | Actual Example |
| R = Bibliography / List of References entry T = In-text Citation See also Capitalization (Title Case / Sentence case) | ||
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Bill/Resolution Federal unenacted |
R: None T: None In your text: (Abbreviated Bill or Resolution Chamber and Number, xxx Cong. (year)) Footnote: See header notes. |
R: None T: None In your text: The Managed Competition Act (H.R. 5936, 102nd Cong. (1992)) noted that potatoes are smarter than E. coli–laden cats . . . Footnote: See header notes. |
| Code of Federal Regulations | ||
| Source Type | Generic Example | Actual Example |
| R = Bibliography / List of References entry T = In-text Citation See also Capitalization (Title Case / Sentence case) | ||
| Code of Federal Regulations |
R: None T: None In your text: Include name of act, C.F.R. title number and section number (title number C.F.R. § xxx), and year published. Footnote: See header notes. |
R: None T: None In your text: In 2006, the Department of Energy introduced the Renewable Energy Production Incentives (10 C.F.R. § 451), which . . . or In 10 C.F.R. § 451 (2006), the Department of Energy establishes guidelines on Renewable Energy Production Incentives, which . . . Footnote: See header notes. |
| Congressional Hearing / Testimony within a Hearing | ||
| Source Type | Generic Example | Actual Example |
| R = Bibliography / List of References entry T = In-text Citation See also Capitalization (Title Case / Sentence case) | ||
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Congressional Hearing Full hearing |
R: None T: None In your text: Include title of hearing, date, and any other useful identifying information. Footnote: See header notes. |
R: None T: None In your text: In 2009, the House Committee on the Budget held a hearing on the Long-term Sustainability of Current Defense Plans to ascertain . . . Footnote: See header notes. |
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Testimony within a Hearing |
R: None T: None In your text: Include name of testifier, title of hearing, date, and any other useful identifying information. Footnote: See header notes. |
R: None T: None In your text: In his 2015 testimony during the NASA Infrastructure–Enabling Discovery, Enabling Durability hearing, NASA lead scientist Paul K. Martin remarked that . . . Footnote: See header notes. |
| Court Case Decision | ||
| Source Type | Generic Example | Actual Example |
| R = Bibliography / List of References entry T = In-text Citation See also Capitalization (Title Case / Sentence case) | ||
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Court Case Decision Lower court |
R: None T: None In your text: Party Names (Case ID [includes first page of decision] (Court Abbreviation and year)) Footnote: See header notes. |
R: None T: None In your text: In the case Lessard v. Schmidt (349 F. Supp. 1078 (E.D. Wis. 1972)), the court ruled that . . . Footnote: See header notes. |
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Court Case Decision Supreme Court |
R: None T: None In your text: Party Names (Case ID [includes first page of decision (year)) Footnote: See header notes. |
R: None T: None In your text: In the case Winter v. NRDC, Inc. (129 S. Ct. 365 (2008)), the court ruled that . . . Footnote: See header notes. |
| Executive Order | ||
| Source Type | Generic Example | Actual Example |
| R = Bibliography / List of References entry T = In-text Citation See also Capitalization (Title Case / Sentence case) | ||
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Executive Order |
R: None T: None In your text: Include "Title of Executive Order in Title Case," executive order number, and year. Footnote: See header notes. |
R: None T: None In your text: In 2013, Executive Order 13655, "Adjustments of Certain Rates of Pay," established that . . . Footnote: See header notes. |
| Public Law | ||
| Source Type | Generic Example | Actual Example |
| R = Bibliography / List of References entry T = In-text Citation See also Capitalization (Title Case / Sentence case) | ||
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Public Law |
R: None T: none In your text: Include the title and year of the act. Note: if the year is included in the act, there is no need to repeat it Footnote: See header notes. |
R: None T: None In your text: The 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act established . . . Footnote: See header notes. |
Magazine / Newspaper Article |
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| Source Type | Generic Example | Actual Example |
| R = Bibliography / List of References entry T = In-text Citation See also Capitalization (Title Case / Sentence case) | ||
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Author given (print) |
R: Author AA (year) Title of article in sentence case. Title of Magazine or Newspaper in Title Case and Italics (Month and day). T: (Author year) |
R: Beforebad S (2014) Cold spaghetti: To eat or not to eat? Pasta Dynamics (January 1). T: (Beforebad 2014) |
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No author given (online) |
R: Title of Magazine or Newspaper in Title Case and Italics (year) Title of article in sentence case (Month and day), DOI or URL T: (Title of Magazine or Newspaper year) |
R: The Economist (2014) So long easy money: Foreign drug firms face a severe profit squeeze (June 12), https://www.economist.com/news/business/21604178-foreign-drug-firms-face-severe-profit-squeeze-so-long-easy-money. T: (The Economist 2014, p. 18) |
Patent |
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| Source Type | Generic Example | Actual Example |
| R = Bibliography / List of References entry T = In-text Citation See also Capitalization (Title Case / Sentence case) | ||
| Patent |
R: Rightsholder AA (year patent issued) Patent Number in Title Case. Patent Office, Location of Office, DOI or URL. T: (Patent number year) |
R: Bell AG (1876) U.S. Patent No. 174,465. U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Washington, DC, https://www.google.com/patents/US174465. T: (U.S. Patent No. 174,465 1846) |
Personal Communication / Interview / Email |
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| Source Type | Generic Example | Actual Example |
| R = Bibliography / List of References entry T = In-text Citation See also Capitalization (Title Case / Sentence case) | ||
| Personal Communication / Email |
R: Correspondent AA (year) Type of information provided to the author via personal communication, Month and day. T: (Correspondent year) |
R: Wunkerbunk TT (2002) Moss-growing statistics provided to the author via personal communication, June 11. T: (Wunkerbunk 2002) |
| Interview |
R: Interviewee AA (year) Interview by Interviewer. Medium, Month and day. Name of Institution. T: (Interviewee year) |
R: Monster C (1985) Interview by Ernest J. Keebler. Betamax, November 20. Keebler Company. T: (Monster 1985) |
Secondary / Indirect Source |
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| Source Type | Generic Example | Actual Example |
| R = Bibliography / List of References entry T = In-text Citation See also Capitalization (Title Case / Sentence case) | ||
| Secondary / Indirect Source |
R: List the indirect source that quotes or discusses the material you're referring to (cite using the appropriate reference-list format for the source type—book, journal article, etc.) In your text: Signal phrase (citation of indirect source, using the appropriate in-text format for the source type—book, journal article, etc.) In your text: See example. |
R: Nicholson, IAM (2003) Inventing Personality: Gordon Allport and the Science of Selfhood (American Psychological Association, Washington, DC). In your text: We can see this principle at work in the following passage from Allport’s diary, as cited in Nicholson (2003): " . . . " |
Report |
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| Research Report / Think Tank Report / White Paper | ||
| Source Type | Generic Example | Actual Example |
| R = Bibliography / List of References entry T = In-text Citation See also Capitalization (Title Case / Sentence case) | ||
| Research Report / Think Tank Report / White Paper |
R: Author AA, Author BB, Author CC or Organization (year) Title of report in sentence case. Type of document and identification number, Organization, Place of Publication, Country if not in U.S., DOI or URL. T: (Author et al. or Organization year) |
R: Dixon L, Clancy N, Miller BM, Hoegberg, S, Lewis MM, Bender B, Ebinger S (2017) The cost and affordability of flood insurance in New York City. Report RR-1776-NYCEDC, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA, https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR1776.html. T: (Dixon et al. 2017, p. 4) |
| Technical Report | ||
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Author given |
R: Author AA, Author BB, Author CC (year) Title of report in sentence case. Type of document and identification number, Organization, Place of Publication, Country if not in U.S., DOI or URL. T: (Author et al. or Organization year) |
R: Wonka W, Loompa O, Bucket C (1972) Stochastic error-correction in a hyperbaric ethereal pulley system for vitreous personal vertical displacement apparatuses (PVDA). Technical report VK-1916, GLOOP Corporation, Great Missenden, UK, https://www.beanfeast.org/badegg/wahwah.pdf. T: (Wonka et al. 1972) |
| Organization as author |
R: Organization (year) Title of report in sentence case. Type of document and identification number, Place of Publication, Country if not in U.S., DOI or URL. T: (Organization year) |
R: Trotter Agricultural Group (1961) Applications for transatlantic perambulation of gigantomorphic distention in P. persica. Technical Report OGG-19551962, New York, https://www.centipede.org/502seagulls.pdf. T: (Trotter Agricultural Group 1961) |
Thesis / Dissertation |
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| Source Type | Generic Example | Actual Example |
| R = Bibliography / List of References entry T = In-text Citation See also Capitalization (Title Case / Sentence case) | ||
| From a commercial database |
R: Author AA (year) Title of thesis/dissertation in sentence case. Type of document, Institution, Location of Institution (if not included in institution name), Database (document identification number). T: (Author year) |
R: Nekeip R (2008) Pescatarians and daisies: A match made in sushi heaven. Master’s thesis, Garden of Sushi School of Sushi, Maui, HI, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database (AAT 3300426). T: (Nekeip 2008) |
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From an institutional archive such as the NPS Archive: Calhoun |
R: Author AA (year) Title of thesis/dissertation in sentence case. Type of document, Department Name, Institution, Location of Institution (if not included in institution name), DOI or URL. T: (Author year) |
R: Yoshi H (1988) Effects of pizza consumption on katana-wielding dexterity in terrapinoids. Doctoral dissertation, Department of Reptile Bellicosity, Eastman & Laird University, New York, https://hdl.handle.net/6576565753/splinter.html. T: (Yoshi 1988) |
Unpublished / Informally Published Work |
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| Source Type | Generic Example | Actual Example |
| R = Bibliography / List of References entry T = In-text Citation See also Capitalization (Title Case / Sentence case) | ||
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Unpublished Accepted for publication (online) |
R: Author AA (year) Title of document in sentence case. Title of Journal in Title Case and Italics. Forthcoming, DOI or URL. T: (Author year) |
R: Horse BB (1996) Back in the saddle 2: Back in the saddle. Gaucho Marx: A Journal of Cowpoke Consciousness. Forthcoming, https://blahblahblahhorse.com/bits2bits. T: (Horse 1996) |
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Unpublished Work (print) |
R: Author AA (year) Title of document in sentence case. Unpublished type of document, Organization, Location of Organization. T: (Author year) |
R: Horse BB (1995) Back in the saddle. Unpublished memoir, Leaping H Ranch, Peoria, IL. T: (Horse 1995) |
Website / Webpage |
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| Source Type | Generic Example | Actual Example |
| R = Bibliography / List of References entry T = In-text Citation See also Capitalization (Title Case / Sentence case) | ||
|
Author and date given |
R: Author AA (year) Title, section, or page name in sentence case. Name of Website in Title Case. Accessed date, URL. T: (Author year) |
R: Sushi UQ (1995) Absorption of cats in sushi. Sushi Lab. Accessed November 9, 1999, https://www.wallcrust.com/hgtehrwOIASD.html. T: (Sushi 1995) |
| Organization as author |
R: Organization (year) Title, section, or page name in sentence case. Accessed date, URL T: (Organization year) |
R: Federal Bureau of Investigation (2017) Forging papers to sell fake art. Accessed April 13, 2017, https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/forging-papers-to-sell-fake-art. T (first citation): (Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI] 2017) T (subsequent citations): (FBI 2017) |
| No date given |
R: Author AA or Organization (year accessed) Title, section, or page name in sentence case. Name of Website in Title Case. Accessed date, URL. T: (Author year accessed) |
R: Python M (2017) Finding a dead parrot on a silly walk. Ministry of Silly Walks. Accessed August 6, 2017, https://www.omgitsadeadparrot.com/feathers. T: (Python 2017) |
|
Janes example |
R: Janes (year) Title, section, or page name in sentence case. Accessed date, URL. T: (Janes year) |
R: Janes (2017) Mali: Country overview. Accessed June 16, 2017, https://customer.janes.com/CountryIntelligence/Countries/Country_986. T: (Janes 2017) |
Wikipedia |
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|---|---|---|
|
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| Source Type | Generic Example | Actual Example |
| R = Bibliography / List of References entry T = In-text Citation See also Capitalization (Title Case / Sentence case) | ||
| Wikipedia |
R: Title of entry in sentence case (year accessed) Wikipedia. Accessed date, DOI or URL. T: (Title of entry year accessed) |
R: Psychology (2016) Wikipedia. Accessed October 10, 2016, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychology. T: (Psychology 2016) |
Working Paper / Occasional Paper |
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|---|---|---|
| Source Type | Generic Example | Actual Example |
| R = Bibliography / List of References entry T = In-text Citation See also Capitalization (Title Case / Sentence case) | ||
|
Working Paper / Occasional Paper |
Author AA (year) Title of working paper in sentence case. Working paper [number if available], Organization, Place of Publication, URL. | Sushi UQ (2023) Three-handed Fibonacci model for optimizing surface-to-volume ratio of temaki in Hilbert space. Working paper, Donburi Institute of Internal Gastronomy, Pierre, SD, https://www.wallcrust.com/403t3-9j/340txf%oii%/gonzoponzu.html. |
Always include date accessed for webpages.
Do not include honorifics (Dr., Col., Professor, etc.) when citing author names. Including these titles in the body of your document is acceptable.
For the National Security Strategy, cite the president as the author.
For other official documents, the author is the organization immediately responsible for creating the document. In the example below, the author is the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations and the publisher is the Department of the Navy.
In the example above, the author is NOT an umbrella organization, signatory, or any of the following:
Do not include acronyms for organizations listed as authors in the List of References or footnotes:
The NPS Thesis Processing Office prefers a List of References for the following:
For papers, check with your professors for their preference.
| Title Case | Sentence case |
| Love among the Ruins: A Memoir of Life and Love in Hamburg, 1945 | Love among the ruins: A memoir of life and love in Hamburg, 1945 |
|
Capitalize everything except:
|
Capitalize only:
|
Note: Always format the information in your citations (titles, author names, etc.) according to the requirements of the citation style you are using, regardless of how it appears in the original source.
When naming government organizations, be consistent: for example, either Department of Defense or U.S. Department of Defense. If citing organizations from multiple countries, ensure that it is clear which organization is associated with which country—for example, Australian Department of Defence, South African Department of Defence, Sri Lanka Ministry of Defence, Singapore Ministry of Defence.
Every equation that is not field-specific common knowledge needs to be cited. You may weave the source into the narrative:
Here is an example of citing properly before the equation. Note the period at the end. Equations must function grammatically as part of the text:
|
Boito et al. (2015) address the widely used metric, the cost per flying hours (CPFH). The formula for CPFH is
|
Adapted from Moreau P P (2022) A cost-effectiveness analysis of C-12 variant airborne ISR capabilities in the Marine Corps. Master's thesis, Naval Postgraduate School, Department of Dragon Husbandry, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA. https://calhoun.nps.edu/handle/10945/69689.
And here is an example of how to cite an equation after it is presented:
|
Cost per Aircraft (PAI) was the next metric we looked at as an alternative. This metric, expressed as
takes the total O&S costs and divides it by the total number of aircraft (Boito et al. 2015). |
Adapted from Moreau P P (2022) A cost-effectiveness analysis of C-12 variant airborne ISR capabilities in the Marine Corps. Master's thesis, Naval Postgraduate School, Department of Dragon Husbandry, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA. https://calhoun.nps.edu/handle/10945/69689.
A citation is required if you did not wholly create the figure—i.e., if you used someone else's image or data. A citation is not needed when all elements of the figure are your own creation.
See Figure 1 for placement of the title and the in-text citation.
Figure 1. A Figure with a Citation in APA, Chicago Author-Date, or INFORMS Style. Source: Author (2017).
or
Figure 1. A Figure with a Citation in APA, Chicago Author-Date, or INFORMS Style. Adapted from Author (2017).
For more details see the Thesis Template.
In the paragraph below, the parenthetical in-text citations are highlighted in yellow, and the signal phrases are in blue. Note that the second sentence is common knowledge, whereas the final sentence is clearly the opinion of the author.
If any information is missing from a source (a journal with no volume number, for example), simply omit that information. For sources consulted in hardcopy, omit the URL and any additional verbiage that introduces it. Anything retrieved online, however, MUST have a link. The only exception is journals retrieved from a subscription database such as ProQuest.
Examples given are for books; follow the appropriate style for the source type you are citing.
| Source | Generic Example | Actual Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Same author, same year, different sources
|
||
| Source 1 |
R: Author AA (year + a) Title of Book 1 in Title Case and Italics (Publisher, Place of Publication). T: (Author year + a) |
R: Hawthorne M (2006a) The Cannibal’s Dilemma: An Unnatural History of Four Siblings (Penguin, New York). T: (Hawthorne 2006a) |
| Source 2 |
R: Author AA (year+b) Title of Book 2 in Title Case and Italics (Publisher, Place of Publication). T: (Author year + b) |
R: Hawthorne M (2006b) Having People for Dinner: A Guide for the Home Cook (Penguin, New York). T: (Hawthorne 2006b) |
| Combined |
T (both sources): Author Last Name year + a, year + b) |
T (both sources): (Hawthorne 2006a, 2006b) |
|
Same author, different year, different sources
|
||
| Source 1 |
R: Author AA (year) Title of Book 1 in Title Case and Italics (Publisher, Place of Publication). T: (Author year) |
R: Hawthorne M (2006) Having People for Dinner: A Guide for the Home Cook (Penguin, New York). T: (Hawthorne 2006) |
| Source 2 |
R: Author AA (year) Title of Book 2 in Title Case and Italics (Publisher, Place of Publication). T: (Author year) |
R: Hawthorne P (2008) Regrets (Penguin, New York). T: (Hawthorne 2008) |
| Combined |
T (both sources): (Author year 1, year 2) |
T (both sources): (Hawthorne 2006, 2008) |
|
Different authors, different years
|
||
| Combined |
T: (Author 1 year; Author 2 year)
|
T: (Hawthorne 2006b; Norton 1998; Stulberg 2014) |
To cite an undated document, put the year you accessed the material in parentheses in both in-text citations and the list of references.
For direct quotes, add page numbers to the in-text citation only.
Example: (Haynes 2009, p. 70)
For book chapters, include page-number range in List of References/Bibliography.
Example: Cordesman AH, Mausner A, Kasten D (2009) Introduction. Python MM, Monty PP, eds. Winning in Afghanistan: Creating Effective Afghan Security Forces (Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington, DC), 15–25.
When citing a source retrieved online, use the "online" format even when you or someone else printed out the material. For example, if you print out a thesis or your advisor provides you with a printed thesis, it is still categorized as an online document.
Only cite as a print source when the material has been produced by a publisher in hard copy. For example, if you obtain a print journal or book from the library stacks, it is categorized as a printed source.
An indirect source is a source that cites some other work that you discuss in your text.
Whenever possible, consult primary sources and your sources’ sources yourself. Upon investigation of the primary source, you may find you disagree with the indirect source author’s analysis or methods.
The following passage incorporates a properly credited indirect source. The indirect source information is highlighted in yellow; the primary source information is highlighted in blue.
Walker (2008) describes Miguel Roig’s 1999 experiment, which correlates inadequate paraphrasing in student writing with poor reading comprehension. Citing Roig’s data, Walker explains that “students do in fact possess skills necessary for paraphrasing but … may be impeded from applying those skills when dealing with rigorous text” (p. 387).
Note: Include only the indirect source (the source you consulted) in your reference list.
See the TPO's "Citing Your Sources’ Sources" handout.
A citation is required if you did not wholly create the table—i.e., if you used someone else's data. A citation is not needed when all elements of the table are your own creation.
See Table 1 for placement of the title and the in-text citation.
Table 1. A Table with a Citation in APA, Chicago Author-Date, or INFORMS Style. Source: Author (2017).
or
Table 1. A Table with a Citation in APA, Chicago Author-Date, or INFORMS Style. Adapted from Author (2017).
For more details see the Thesis Template.
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