The standard citation style guide book for the fields of business, education, health science, public service, and social science is the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th edition, 2010. The American Psychological Association (APA) publishes the manual. We commonly refer to it as "the APA Manual".

The business, education, health science, public service, and social science departments at IRSC recommend APA format for papers written in these fields.

Two types of citations are included in most research papers: citations within the text of the document and a list of reference citations at the end of the paper.

In-Text Citations:

The APA Manual uses the author-date citation system for in-text citations.

Reference Citations:

The sources you use in your work are included as a separate list at the end of the paper. The APA Manual suggests using the title, References, for the list.

Here you’ll find extensive support for APA, MLA, and Chicago documentation styles. This section features instructional videos that show you how to set up your papers in APA, MLA, and Chicago formats, interactive checklists, and visual support for both in-text documenting and referencing at the end of your paper. If you’re new to documentation or just need a refresher, the Citations & Documentation area can help.

This assignment asks students to take bibliographic data and generate a properly formatted APA citation. After completing questions #1-8, they are then asked to create 3 properly formatted in-text citations in APA style. Finally, they are asked to take the first 8 citations and turn them into a properly formatted reference sheet, attached to the end of the worksheet. Depending on skill level, the instructor may choose to allow them to use an aid (like Purdue Owl) to construct the citations or do them from memory. This assignment is best used to assess students’ understanding of APA and provide them with low-stakes practice of these formatting skills. 

This assignment asks students to take bibliographic data and generate a properly formatted MLA citation. After completing questions #1-8, they are then asked to create 3 properly formatted in-text citations in MLA style. Finally, they are asked to take the first 8 citations and turn them into a properly formatted reference sheet, attached to the end of the worksheet. Depending on skill level, the instructor may choose to allow them to use an aid (like Purdue Owl) to construct the citations or do them from memory. This assignment is best used to assess students’ understanding of MLA and provide them with low-stakes practice of these formatting skills.

This OER textbook has been designed for students to learn the foundational concepts for English 100 (first-year college composition). The content aligns to learning outcomes across all campuses in the University of Hawai'i system. It was designed, written, and edited during a three day book sprint in May, 2019.

This assignment asks students to answer various formatting questions related to MLA style. Depending on skill level, the instructor may choose to allow them to use an aid (like Purdue Owl) to construct the citations or do them from memory. This assignment is best used to assess students’ understanding of MLA and provide them with low-stakes practice of these formatting skills. All highlighted areas are the correct answers of the multiple choice questions; highlights should be removed from the worksheet before giving to students.

This freshman course explores the scientific publication cycle, primary vs. secondary sources, and online and in-print bibliographic databases; how to search, find, evaluate, and cite information; indexing and abstracting; using special resources (e.g. patents) and "grey literature" (e.g. technical reports and conference proceedings); conducting Web searches; and constructing literature reviews.

This is not a comprehensive citation reference work. Its limited aim is to serve as a tutorial on how to cite the most widely referenced types of U.S. legal material, taking account of local norms and the changes in citation practice forced by the shift from print to electronic sources. It begins with an introductory unit. That is followed immediately by one on "how to cite" the categories of authority that comprise a majority of the citations in briefs and legal memoranda. Using the full table of contents one can proceed through this material in sequence. The third unit, organized around illustrative examples, is intended to be used either for review and reinforcement of the prior "how to" sections or as an alternative approach to them. One can start with it since the illustrative examples for each document type are linked back to the relevant "how to" principles.

A freshman composition textbook used by the English Department of Virginia Western Community College (VWCC) in Roanoke, Virginia. It aligns with ENG 111, the standard first-year composition course in the Virginia Community College System (VCCS). The ten chapter headings are:

1. Chapter 1 - Critical Reading
2. Chapter 2 - Rhetorical Analysis
3. Chapter 3 - Argument
4. Chapter 4 - The Writing Process
5. Chapter 5 - Rhetorical Modes
6. Chapter 6 - Finding and Using Outside Sources
7. Chapter 7 - How and Why to Cite
8. Chapter 8 - Writing Basics: What Makes a Good Sentence?
9. Chapter 9 - Punctuation
10. Chapter 10 - Working With Words: Which Word is Right?

This book was created by the English faculty and librarians of VWCC using Creative Commons -licensed materials and original contributions.

The layout of our book implies there is a beginning, middle, and end to a writing course, but because writing is both an art and a skill, people will find their own processes for learning, improving, and using these skills. Writing processes differ because we are each looking for a workable schemata that fits our way of thinking. Try out a variety of writing processes and strategies, and find what works for you. If you are not uncomfortable on this journey, you simply are not stretching yet.

A quick glance through the book will show you that it deftly covers the basics, which are always important to review as you get ready to build onto your scaffolding. Reminders of terminology that form the foundation of a discipline—as well as explanations, descriptions, and examples of their use in a basic education—are in chapters such as “Critical Reading,” “Writing Basics: What Makes a Good Sentence,” “The Writing Process,” “Punctuation,” and “Working with Words.” These are, of course, fundamentals that you have worked with throughout your education, learning in each course skills and habits that elevate your reading, writing, and thinking abilities. This college writing course will ensure that you take another step up to college and professional writing.

This text is different in its emphasis on research skills and research writing. The form you will learn, the building blocks of that form, the formality, and the sacrosanct crediting of sources is explained here from English professors and our instructional librarian at the college. Leaning on questions that lead to searches for answers that lead to arguments that present your understanding, the chapters “Critical Reading,” “Rhetorical Modes,” and “Argument” will fill out your growing appreciation of and comfort with the research form in everyday life. From the discussion of source types to guidance through the research process to the models of essay deconstruction, you will find that the expectations and language of this text begin with the college-level student in mind.

Working through this text will elevate you into the next stage of writing for a 21st century student and professional.

Related lesson plans are also available for download and adaptation in the Guttman Community College OER collection in the CUNY Academic Works institutional repository.