Whenever you use the words or ideas of someone else in your paper or presentation, you must cite your source. Failure to do so may be considered to be plagiarism. Different disciplines use different citation styles, so consult your syllabus and confirm with your instructor which style you should use.
Style Manuals
Getting started with APA
The American Psychological Association (APA) citation style is used in many disciplines. UBC librarians have created a guide to assist you with formatting in-text citations, formatting a reference list, and structuring your paper for course work.
Getting started with MLA
The Modern Language Association (MLA) citation style is commonly used in the humanities and social sciences.
Getting started with Chicago
The Chicago Manual of Style (17th ed.) has two versions: Notes and Bibliography and Author-Date. It is used in the social sciences, arts and humanities.
Additional Citation Styles
These styles are used in certain disciplines at UBC Okanagan.
ACS – American Chemical Society Style Guide Online Manual & UBC Library ACS Quick Guide
IEEE – Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Citation Style
Law – UBC Library Legal Citation Guide
SAA – Society for American Archaeology Quick Guide
Explore More Resources
Citation Management: Software Solutions
- Use RefWorks to keep track of your references/citations and format your citations and bibliographies automatically. RefWorks software is free to UBC students, staff, and faculty. UBC Library Guide: RefWorks & Write-N-Cite
- View UBC Library Guide on Citation Management to explore other recommended software solutions
Understanding Citation
One-on-one Support
Get help with citing sources correctly by visiting the Library Service Desk. Visit AskAway for for immediate chat help, email libquestions.ok@ubc.ca with a specific question, or make an appointment with a subject librarian for in-depth citation support.