Library:Research Skills For Engineering Students/Module 07/Page 08
There are numerous citation styles, which ensure your in-text citations and references are written consistently. Your employer or instructor will usually specify which citation style they would like you to use.
Citation styles specify:
- Which publication details to include (author name(s), publication year, publication title, etc.)
- Order of appearance for publication details
- Formatting conventions (when to italicize, punctuation, etc.)
- Order of appearance of entries in your bibliography or reference list
Some common citation styles for engineering are APA (American Psychological Association) and IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers).
For example, let’s look at how the same work can be cited in each citation style:
| APA | IEEE | |
|---|---|---|
| In-text citation (paraphrased) | The operation of electric power networks are essential in post-disaster mitigation, but are composed of fragile and vulnerable equipment not designed for horizontal movements (Vanzi, 2000). | The operation of electric power networks are essential in post-disaster mitigation, but are composed of fragile and vulnerable equipment not designed for horizontal movements [1]. |
| Full reference | Vanzi, I. (2000). Structural upgrading strategy for electric power networks under seismic action. Earthquake Engineering and Structural Dynamics, 29(7), 1053-1073. | [1] I. Vanzi, “Structural upgrading strategy for electric power networks under seismic action,” Earthquake Eng. Struct. Dyn., vol. 29, no. 7, pp. 1053-1073, June 2000. |
This is a paraphrased passage from an article, cited in APA style. This is the same paraphrased passage, cited in IEEE style. In both citation styles, there is an in-text citation at the end of the paraphrased sentence, and a corresponding complete entry in the references list. The full references contain similar publication details. Format of in-text citations and references are designated by the citation style. Here, we have correctly and clearly given credit to the original author.
You may also want to use another’s image or diagram in your report. Some styles have specific instructions for image citation, but generally you cite as you would any other type of work. Here’s an example in APA style:
- Caption:
- Figure 1. Three directions of earthquake action: horizontal axial, horizontal transverse, and longitudinal (Wu, Lu, Huang, Wu, & Qiao, 2015, p. 2)
- Full reference:
- Wu, X., Lu, H., Huang, K., Wu, S., & Qiao, W. (2015). Frequency spectrum method-based stress analysis for oil pipelines in earthquake disaster areas. PLoS ONE, 10(2), 1-24. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0115299
You should have an in-text citation within the figure caption, and a full reference in the references section.
You don’t have to memorize the details of each citation style - there are numerous guides and manuals to consult as needed. There are also other styles you may be instructed to use.
You can find more information about citing and citation styles at How to Cite, from UBC Library.