Cite Right, Second Edition: A Quick Guide to Citation Styles--MLA, APA, Chicago, the Sciences, Professions, and More

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University of Chicago Press, May 15, 2011 - Language Arts & Disciplines - 213 pages
Thousands of students have turned to veteran teacher Charles Lipson for no-nonsense advice on how to cite sources properly—and avoid plagiarism—when writing their research papers. This new edition of Cite Right, the popular overview of all major systems of citation, has been updated to reflect the most current versions of Chicago, MLA, APA, and other styles, and to discuss citation methods in the rapidly changing context of the Internet, digital publishing, and e-books. Best of all, it’s very easy to use.


Lipson first explains why it is so important to use citations—and to present them accurately—in research writing. He then outlines the main citation styles students and researchers are likely to encounter in their academic work: Chicago; MLA; APA; AAA (anthropology and ethnography); CSE (biological sciences); AMA (medical sciences); ACS (chemistry); physics, astrophysics, and astronomy;and mathematics, computer science, and engineering. New sections have been added on IEEE and ASCE styles, often used in engineering. Each style is presented simply and clearly with examples drawn from a wide range of source types crossing all disciplines, from the arts and humanities to the sciences and medicine. The second edition has also been updated to include a discussion of the merits and pitfalls of citation software, as well as new examples showing proper citation style for video blogs, instant messages, social networking sites, and other forms of digital media.

Based on deep experience in the academic trenches,this thoroughly revised edition is intended to appeal to anyone—student, professional, or academic—who needs an efficient, authoritative guide for citing sources across a wide range of disciplines.

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Common terms and phrases

About the author (2011)

Charles Lipson is professor and director of undergraduate studies in political science at the University of Chicago. He is the author of Doing Honest Work in College: How to Prepare Citations, Avoid Plagiarism, and Achieve Real Academic Success, as well as How to Write a BA Thesis and Cite Right, all published by the University of Chicago Press.

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