VCSU Library Citation Guide

Basic Format

AuthorLastName, A. A. Year of Publication. Title of book. Edition (if applicable) Publisher, Place of Publication.

Hilborn, R. 2019. Ocean recovery: a sustainable future for global fisheries? Oxford University Press, New York, New York, USA.

Jennings, B., T. T. Cable, and R. Burrows. 2005. Birds of the Great Plains. Lone Pine, Auburn, Washington, USA. 

Edited Book Without Author                                                              

EditorLastName, E. E., editor. Year of Publication. Title of book. Publisher, Place of Publication.

Dregni, M., editor. 1999. This old farm: a treasury of family farm memories. Voyageur Press, Stillwater, Minnesota, USA. 

Chapter in an Edited Book                              

AuthorLastName, A. A. Year of Publication. Title of chapter. Pages ##-## in E. E. EditorLastName, editor. Title of book. 

Publisher, Place of Publication.

Matthew, R. A. 2014. Climate change and human security. Pages 257-294 in J. F. C. DiMento and P. Doughman, editors.

Climate change: what it means for us, our children, and our grandchildren. Second Edition. MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.

Multivolume Work

AuthorLastName, A. A.  Year of Publication. Title of book. Volume #. Publisher, Place of Publication.

Briggs, W. R., R. L. Jones, and V. Walbot. 1985. Annual review of plant physiology. Volume 36. Annual Reviews, Palo Alto, California, USA.

Notes about Citing Journal Articles

• Only include the issue number of a journal if each issue in a volume has unique page numbers.
• Some journals have e-locators instead of page numbers, when this is the case, replace the page number with the e-locator.

Scholarly Article Format             

AuthorLastName, A. A., and B. B. AuthorLastName. Year of Publication. Title of article. Title of Journal Volume #(Issue #): Full

page range.

Zelenak, J. R., and J. J. Rotella. 1997. Nest success and productivity of ferruginous hawks in northern Montana. Canadian

Journal of Zoology 75:233-237. 

Newspaper, Newsletters, and Magazine Articles

AuthorLastName, A. A. Year of Publication. Title of article. Name of Newspaper/Magazine/Newsletter. Volume(Issue # if applicable): page range. 

Wilson, R. 2023. Working with partners. North Dakota Outdoors. 86(3):6-9. 

Website 

Author/Organization Name. Date of Publication. Web page name. <URL>.  Accessed Day Month Year.

National Wildlife Foundation [NWF]. 2023. Moose. <https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife

Guide/Mammals/Moose>. Accessed 9 Nov. 2023.

Note About Government Reports

• If the government agency or office that created the report has a state name in it, leave out the state name from the place of publication.

Report by Government Agency or Other Organization

Government Agency/Organization. Date of Publication. Title of publication. Edition Number and/or Series & Number (if applicable). Place of Publication. 

North Dakota Game and Fish Department. 2022. Status of mountain lion management in North Dakota, 2022. Bismarck, USA.

Report by Individual Authors at an Agency or Organization

AuthorLastName, A.A.. Date of Publication. Title of publication. Name of Government Agency/Office Series & number (if applicable), Place of Publication. 

Breeggmann, J. J., B. Graeb, S. Gangl, and R. Hiltner. 2013. Growth potential of walleye in Devil's Lake, North Dakota. North Dakota Game and Fish Department Fisheries Division Report 88, Bismark, USA.

Basic Format

AuthorLastName, A. A.  Date of Publication. Title of thesis/dissertation. Source Type, Institution Name, Place of publication.

Note: For source type, use Thesis for an M.A. or M.S. paper and Dissertation for a Ph.D. paper.

Elsheim, M. 2022. Designing sustainable fish boxes for distribution of fish. Thesis, Norwegian University of Science and

Technology, Trondheim, Norway.

Court Case

Cite complete title and year of case in text only.

In the 1983 case North Dakota v. United States, 460 U.S. 300, the court ruled in favor of the Secretary of the Interior. 

Symposia and Proceedings

There are a few ways that symposia might be cited.

Symposia and Proceedings Complete Volume

Last Name, First Initial. Middle Initial., position of creator if applicable. Publication Year. Proceedings of Name of symposium or convention. Publisher of Proceedings, Location.

Symposia and Proceedings Individual Article

Last Name, First Initial. Middle Initial. Publication Year. Title of article. Page numbers in Proceedings of Name of Conference/Symposium. Last Name, First Initial. Middle Initial., position of creator if applicable. Publisher of Proceedings, Location.

Symposia and Proceedings when Part of a Numbered Series

Last Name, First Initial. Middle Initial. Publication Year. Title of source. Proceedings of Name of Conference/Symposium. Volume #:Page Numbers.

Symposia and Proceedings Complete Volume when Not Part of a Numbered Series

Last Name, First Initial. Middle Initial. Publication Year. Symposium title if applicable. Proceedings of the Name of Conference/Symposium. Publisher, Dates of Symposium, Location. 

Symposia and Proceedings Individual Article Not Part of a Numbered Series

Last Name, First Initial. Middle Initial. Publication Year. Title of article. Page numbers in Proceedings of Name of Conference/Symposium. Publisher, Dates of Symposium, Location.