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Style Manuals

Style manuals set standards regarding how to format and document sources in papers and other manuscripts. Style manuals vary by discipline and there is no one correct way to format all papers. Before beginning a paper, always check with your instructor to see if there is a preferred style you should use. The most thorough information about a specific style is usually available in a published style manual.

Many online resources--such as, the Wilson OmniFile, the EBSCOHost databases, WorldCat.org, and the UofM's own Catalog Classic--provide citing help in at least the APA and MLA styles, sometimes more. For details see the page, Alternatives to RefWorks. Always double-check any citations provided by a database; sometimes it may be necessary for you to edit the output.

Refworks itself is a program designed to help you manage the standard citation styles as well as the thousands of styles specific to individual journals.

Major Style Manuals

The Chicago Manual of Style

Complete manual available at the Reference Desk
Basic Chicago style is covered in Research and Documentation Online
Questions and answers about Chicago style and tools to help you with Chicago style
Also, see A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations by Kate Turabian for Chicago style for students. Available at the Reference Desk [LB 2369 .78 1996]

MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers

Complete handbook available at the Reference Desk
Basic MLA style is covered in Research and Documentation Online
Frequently Asked Questions about MLA Style
Citing Full Text Articles from Library Databases

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association

Complete manual available at the Reference Desk
Basic APA style is covered in Research and Documentation Online
Frequently asked questions and information about electronic references is available at APA Style.org

Selected Style Manuals by Discipline

Business, Economics, and Management

American Management Association Style Guide for Business Writing(1996)

Available at the Reference Desk [HF5726 A49 1996]

Chemistry

The ACS Style Guide: A Manual for Authors and Editors(1997)

Available in Reference [QD8.5 .A25 1997]
Sample references in ACS style are available on the ACS website

Geology

Geowriting: A Guide to Writing, Editing, and Printing in Earth Science(1995)

Available in the Earth Sciences Library

Suggestions to Authors of the Reports of the United States Geological Survey(1991)

Available in the Earth Sciences Library [QE48.85.S84]

History

Historian's Handbook: A Key to the Study and Writing of History(1991)

Available in Reference [D13 G78 1991]

Humanities

MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers(Primarily for undergraduates)

Complete handbook available at the Reference Desk [LB 2369 .M53 2003]
Basic MLA style is covered in Research and Documentation Online
Frequently Asked Questions about MLA Style

MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing(for graduate students and professional writers)

Available at the Reference Desk [PN 147 .G444 1998 .M53 2003]

Law

The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation (2000)

Available at the Reference Desk [KF245 B58 2000]

Mathematics

The AMS Author Handbook: General Instructions for Preparing Manuscripts(1996)

Available in Reference [QA41 M34x 1996]
Free pdf copy available from the American Mathematical Society

Medicine, Nursing & Health

American Medical Association Manual of Style: A Guide for Authors and Editors(1998)

Available at the Reference Desk [R 119. A533 1998]

Music

Writing about Music: A Style Sheet from the Editors of 19th-Century Music

Available on Reserve at the Music Library

Physics

American Institute of Physics Style Manual(1990)

Available at the Reference Desk [QC5.45.A45]
Free pdf copy available from the AIP website

Science

Science and Technical Writing: A Manual of Style

Available in Reference [T11 .S378 2001]

Scientific Style and Format: The CBE Manual for Authors, Editors, and Publishers(1994)

Available at the Reference Desk [T11 S386 1994]
Basic CBE style is covered in Research and Documentation Online

Social Sciences

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association

Complete manual available at the Reference Desk
Basic APA style is covered in Research and Documentation Online
Frequently asked questions and information about electronic references is available at APA Style.org

Writing for the NASW Press