Writing Center Tutorial - Writing a Paper

Electronic Citations

Zimmerman Reference Department, University of New Mexico

Electronic citations are taken from electronic data bases, such as CD-ROMs and online resources, and the Internet. Standard formats that have been used for print materials, such as publisher, publication date and page number, are not entirely relevant for electronic sources. Online documents can be moved from one location to another and their contents can frequently be updated, so the date of the citation may actually be the date the material was accessed.

You can cite many forms of information found online. There is presently a style manual, Electronic Styles by Xia Li and Nancy B. Crane, call number Ref. PN 171 F56 L5 1996, which cites electronic information in both the American Psychological Association (APA) and Modern Language Association (MLA) styles. These samples below are a few of the most common examples from this source. It is located on the "Styles Manuals" table in the Reference Area. If you have any questions about an electronic citation, please ask for help at the Reference Desk.

APA Style

HTTP (World Wide Web) Entire work

• Author/editor (Year). Title (edition), [Type of medium]. Available: URL [Access date].

• American Institute for Conservation. (1994). Code of ethics & guideline for practice (revised draft), [Online]. Available: http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/byorg/aic/aicethics/ethdraft2.html [1995, June 13].

HTTP (World Wide Web) Journal article

• Author. (Year). Title. Journal [Type of medium], volume (issue), paging if given, or other indicator of length. Available: URL [Access date].

• Inada, K. (1995). A Buddhist response to the nature of human rights. Journal of Buddhist Ethics [Online], 2(1), 9 paragraphs. Available: http.//www.cac.psu.edu/jbe/twocont.hmtl [1995, June 21].

CD-ROM and Commercial Online Databases, Entire work

• Author/editor. (Year). Title (edition), [Type of medium]. Producer (optional). Available: Supplier/Database identifier or number [Access date].

• Sternberg, M.L.A. (1994). The American sign language dictionary on CD-ROM (Windows version), [CD-ROM]. Available: HarperCollins [1995, May 27].

CD-ROM and Commercial Online Databases, Journal article

• Author. (Year) Title. Journal [Type of medium], volume (issue), paging if given, or other indicator of length. Available: Supplier/Database name/Identifier or number if available/item or accession number [Access date].

• Clark, J. K. (1993). Complications in academia: Sexual harassment and the law. Siecus Report [CD-ROM], 21(6), 6-10. Available: 1994 SIRS/SIRS 1993 School/ Volume 4/Article 93A [1995, June 13].

Email

• Author. (Year). Title. Journal [Type of medium], volume (issue), paging if given, or other indicator of length. Available E-mail: DISCUSSION GROUP@address [Access date].

• Israel, G.D., & Ilvento, T. W. (1995). Everybody wins: Involving youth in community needs assessment. Journal of Extension [Online], 33(2), 10 paragraphs. Available E-mail: .JOE@joe.uwex.edu [1995, April 15].

Gopher

• Author. (Year). Title. Journal [Type of medium], volume (issue), paging if given, or other indicator of length. Available Gopher: gopher site/search path/file [Access date].

• Wilson, T. C. (1995). Culture clash on the infobahn: Paradise lost? Telecommunications Electronic Review (TER) [Online]. 2(2), 5 paragraphs. Available Gopher: info.lib.Edu/Looking for Articles/Electronic Journals/LITA/Telecommunications Electronic Reviews/Volume 2 [1995, June 21].

Telnet

• Author. (Year). Title. Journal [Type of medium], volume (issue), paging if given, or other indication of length. Available Telnet: Telnet site/login:/password:/search path/file [Access date].

• Reynolds, D. J. (1993). Evaluating dial-up Internet access options. MeckJournal [Online], 3(4), 17 paragraphs. Available Telnet:nicol.jvnc.net/login: nicol/Meck--Journal/Volume III, Issue 4 [1995, June 22].

MLA Style

HTTP (World Wide Web) Entire work

• Author/editor. Title. Edition. Place of publication: publisher, date. Source of electronic information (if available). Medium. Available: URL. Access date.

• Lehman, Bruce A., and Ronald H. Brown. Intellectual Property and the National Information Infrastructure. Washington, D.C.: Information Infrastructure Task Force, 1994. Online. U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Available: http://www.uspto.gov/nii/ipwg.html. 15 May 1995.

HTTP (World Wide Web) Journal article

• Author. "Article Title." Journal Title Volume number. Issue number (Year): Number of pages or paragraphs (if given), or n. pag. (for no pagination). Medium. Available: URL. Access date.

• Wilson, Thomas C. "Culture Clash on the Infobahn: Paradise Lost?" Telecommunications Electronic Reviews (TER) 2.2 (1995): 5 pars. Online. Available: http://chehalis.lib.washingon.edu/ter/ter-2-2.html. 21 June 1995.

CD-ROM Sources

• Author/editor. Title of Print Version of Work (if one exists). Edition statement (if given). Title of Database. Medium. Place of publication: publisher, date.

• Sternberg, Martin L.A. The American Sign Language Dictionary on CD-ROM. Windows vers. CD-ROM. New York: HarperCollins, 1994.

CD-ROM and Commercial Online Databases Journal article

• Author. "Article Title." Journal Title. Volume number.Issue number (Year): Number or pages or paragraphs (if given), or n. pag. (for no pagination). Medium. Supplier. Database name. Database identifier or number if available. Item or accession number. Access date.

• Merlan, Francesca. "Narratives of Survival in the Post=Cultural North." Oceania 65.2 (1994): 24 pp. Online. Information Access. Expanded Academic ASAP. A16998760. 12 June 1995.

Email

• Author. "Article Title." Journal Title Volume number. Issue number (Year): Number of pages or paragraphs (if given), or n. pag. (for no pagination), Medium. Available E-mail: LISTSERV/Get. Access date.

• Brent, Douglas A. "Information Technology and the Breakdown of 'Places' of Knowledge." Ejournal 4.4 (1994): 462 lines. Online. Available E-mail: LISTSERV@uacsc2.albany.edu. 29 June 1995.

Gopher

• Author. "Article Title." Journal Title Volume number.issue number (Year): Number of pages or paragraphs (if given) or n. pag. (for no pagination). Medium. Available Gopher: gopher site/search path/file. Access date.

• Israel, Glenn D., and Thomas W. Ilvento. Everybody Wins: Involving Youth in Community Needs Assessment." Journal of Extension 33.2 (1995): 10 pars. Online. Available Gopher: sageunix.uvm.edu/Electronic Journals/Journal of Extension, April 1995 Volume 33.15 April 1995.

Telnet

• Author. "Article Title." Journal Title Volume number.Issue number (Year): Number of pages or paragraphs (if given), or n. pag. (for no pagination). Medium. Available Telnet: Telnet site/login:/password:/search path/file. Access date.

• Mann, Paul. "Stupid Undergrounds." Postmodern Culture 5.3 (1995): 49 pars. Online. Available: Telnet: dewey.lib.ncsu.edu/Electronic Texts/Scholarly Journals/Postmodern Culture/v5/n3.30 June, 1995.