DOCUMENTATION

An Introduction and Guide

THE IMPORTANCE OF DOCUMENTATION You build on the work of previous writers and

researchers. And whenever you draw on another’s work, you must also document your source by indicating what you borrowed—whether facts, opinions, or quotations—and where you borrowed it from.

Documentation provides your readers with a description of the key features of each source (such as its authorship and its medium of publication).

Documentation also assists readers in locating the sources you used. Cite only the sources you have consulted directly.

THE NEED FOR SEVERAL STYLES Documentation styles differ according to

discipline because they are shaped by the kind of research and scholarship undertaken. For example, in the sciences, where timeliness of research is crucial, the date of publication is usually given prominence. For example, in the style recommended by the American Psychological Association (APA), a typical citation includes the date of publication (as well as the abbreviation p. before the page number or pp. for pages).

STYLE MANUALSSpecialized Style Manuals

Every scholarly field has its preferred style, or set of guidelines for writing. MLA style, as presented in this handbook, is widely accepted in humanities disciplines. The following manuals describe the styles of other disciplines.

Biblical Literature Alexander, Patrick H., et al., eds. The SBL Handbook of Style: For

Ancient Near Eastern, Biblical, and Early Christian Studies. Peabody: Hendrickson, 1999. Print.

Chemistry Coghill, Anne M., and Lorrin R. Garson, eds. The ACS Style Guide:

Effective Communication of Scientific Information. 3rd ed. Washington: Amer. Chemical Soc., 2006. Print.

Geology United States. Geological Survey. Suggestions to Authors of the

Reports of the United States Geological Survey. 7th ed. Washington: GPO, 1991. Print, Web.

Law Association of Legal Writing Directors and Darby Dickerson. ALWD

Citation Manual: A Professional System of Citation. 3rd ed. New York: Aspen, 2006. Print.

Harvard Law Review Association. The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation. 18th ed. Cambridge: Harvard Law Rev. Assn., 2005. Print.

OTHER STYLES Linguistics “Language Style Sheet.” Linguistic Society of America. Linguistic Soc. of

Amer., n.d. Web. 20 May 2008. Medicine Iverson, Cheryl, et al. AMA Manual of Style: A Guide for Authors and Editors.

10th ed. New York: Oxford UP, 2007. Print. Physics American Institute of Physics. AIP Style Manual. 4th ed. New York: Amer. Inst.

of Physics, 1990. Print, Web. Political Science American Political Science Association. Committee on Publications. Style

Manual for Political Science. 2nd rev. ed. Washington: Amer. Political Science Assn., 2006. Print.

Psychology American Psychological Association. Publication Manual of the American

Psychological Association. 6th ed. Washington: Amer. Psychological Assn., 2010. Print.

Science Council of Science Editors. Style Manual Committee. Scientific Style and

Format: The CSE Manual for Authors, Editors, and Publishers. 7th ed. Reston: Council of Science Eds., 2006. Print.

Sociology American Sociological Association. ASA Style Guide. 3rd ed. Washington:

Amer. Sociological Assn., 2007. Print.

MLA STYLE The MLA Style Manual, published by the MLA, addresses graduate

students, scholars, and professional writers. While the information on documentation style it contains is essentially the same as that presented in the MLA Handbook, the MLA Style Manual gives more detail on working with sources in languages other than English. It includes extensive advice on preparing manuscripts for publication.

MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing. 3rd ed. New York: MLA, 2008. Print.

There are also style manuals that address primarily editors and concern procedures for preparing a manuscript for publication.

The Chicago Manual of Style. 15th ed. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 2003. Print, Web.

Skillin, Marjorie E., et al. Words into Type. 3rd ed. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice, 1974. Print.

United States. Government Printing Office. Style Manual. 29th ed. Washington: GPO, 2000. CD-ROM, print, Web.

APA STYLE AFFECTS THREE IMPORTANT AREAS OF ACADEMIC WRITING

MECHANICS IN TEXT CITATIONS

&

THE REFERENCE LIST

CITATION EXAMPLES APA(Stevens, 2004, p. 25) MLA(Stevens 41) In the humanities, where most important

scholarship remains relevant for a substantial period, publication dates receive less attention: though normally stated in the works-cited list, they are omitted in parenthetical references. An important reason for this omission is that many humanities scholars like to keep their texts as readable and as free of disruptions as possible.

PARENTHETICAL EXAMPLEThe parenthetical citation at the end of the following sentence is typical of MLA style. The philosopher Jean –Jacques Rousseau was a key figure in the

forming of Romantic attitudes to childhood and innocence (Stevens 41).

OR In APA The philosopher Jean –Jacques Rousseau was a key figure in the

forming of Romantic attitudes to childhood and innocence (Stevens, 2004, p. 41)

The citation “(Stevens 41)” tells readers that the information in the sentence was derived from page 41 of a work by an author named Stevens. If readers want more information about this source, they can turn to the REFERENCE list, where, under the name Stevens, they would find the following information.

Stevens, D. (2004). Romanticism in art and culture. Cambridge: University of Cambridge press.

This entry states that the work’s author is David Stevens and its title is Romanticism in Art and Culture. The remaining information relates, in shortened form, that the work was produced in Cambridge by the University of Cambridge Press in 2004 as a print publication.

REFERENCE COMPONENTS

Author Name/s ,alternatively editor or publisher

Date of Publication Title of work (Italicized and in lower case, after

the first letter of the first word, except for proper nouns)

Publication Data ( may include: Name and place of publication, edition statement,volume and issue number where appropriate, URL)

SOME EXAMPLES Book in Print Structure: Last, F. M. (Year Published). Title. City, State:

Publisher. Journal in Print A periodical published by a special group, a

scholarly group, or profession. Typically published routinely throughout the year and often includes volumes and or issues

Structure: Last, F. M., & Last, F. M. (Year Published).

Article title. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), pp. Page(s).

EXAMPLES (CONT’D) Online Journal Structure: Last, F. M. (Year Published). Article title.

Journal Name, Volume(Issue), pp. Page(s). Retrieved from URL

CAPITALIZATION & INDENTATION In an entry for a book in an APA-style REFERENCE list, the date (in

parentheses) immediately follows the name of the author (whose first name is written only as an initial), just the first word of the title is capitalized, and the publisher’s full name is generally provided.

APA

Stevens, D. (2004). Romanticism in art and culture. Cambridge: University of Cambridge Press.

By contrast, in an MLA-style entry, the author’s name appears as given in the work (normally in full), every important word of the title is capitalized, some words in the publisher’s name are abbreviated, the publication date follows the publisher’s name, and the medium of publication is recorded. The book in this example is part of a series, and the title of the series is included in the entry.

Indentation In both styles, the first line of the entry is flush with the left margin, and the second and subsequent lines are indented.

MLA

Stevens, David. Romanticism in Art and Culture. Cambridge: U of Cambridge P, 2004. Print. Contexts in Lit.

WORKS CITED Although the list of works cited appears at the end

of your paper, you need to draft the section in advance, so that you will know what information to give in parenthetical references as you write.

As the heading Works Cited indicates, this list contains all the works that you will cite in your text.

Other names for such a listing are Bibliography (literally, “description of books”) and Literature Cited. Usually, however, the broader title Works Cited is most appropriate, since research papers often draw not only on printed books and articles but also on nonprint sources such as films, recordings, Web publications, and others.

WORKS CONSULTED Titles used for other kinds of source lists

include Annotated Bibliography, Works Consulted, and Selected Bibliography. An annotated bibliography, also called Annotated List of Works Cited, contains descriptive or evaluative comments on the sources.

The title Works Consulted indicates that the list is not confined to works cited in the paper (similar to Reference List –APA style). The headings Selected Bibliography, Selected List of Works Consulted, and Suggestions for Further Reading are appropriate for lists that suggest readings.

REFERENCE LIST - APA The REFERENCE LIST at the end of a

scholarly work/article provides the information necessary to identify and retrieve your source. The APA style generally requires a REFERENCE LIST and not a bibliography, which cites works for background or for further reading and may include descriptive notes.

PROVENANCE/ SOURCE The provenance, or origin, of the

sources you use. What are the available editions of a work? If a work is available in several media, which version did you consult and why? What are the differences between a live performance and a recording? Attention to such questions will assist you in creating a persuasive and authoritative research paper.

MORE ON SOURCES Students writing their first research papers often

find it difficult to evaluate sources. Not all sources are equally reliable or of equal quality.

In reading and evaluating potential SOURCES, you should not assume that something is truthful or trustworthy just because it appears in print or is on the Internet. Some material may be based on incorrect or outdated information or on poor logic, and the author’s knowledge or view of the subject may be biased or too limited. Weigh what you read against your own knowledge and intelligence as well as against other treatments of the subject. Focus particularly on the authority, accuracy, and currency of the sources you use.

EXERCISESUse the MLA and APA Styles to

prepare a list of Works Cited for the following sources:

1. Early Childhood Education: A Constructivist Perspective by N. Amanda Branscombe, Kathryn Castle, Anne G. Dorsey, Elaine Surbeck and Janet B. Taylor. Houghton Mifflin Company. Boston Copyright 2000.

2. Teen Health: Course 2; Mary Bronson Merki, Ph.D. Glencoe; New York, 1999.

SOURCEMLA Handbook for Writers of Research

Papers. 7th ed. New York: MLA, 2009. Print.

SOURCE APA STYLEAPAAmerican Psychological Association

(2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.).Washington, DC: Author.

See also the following websites for additional support:

http://www.easybib.com/

http://www.noodletools.com