Traditional Methods: Footnotes and End notes
Step 1: When you make a reference to a research source in your text, place a superscript numeral (a number placed a bit above the line you're typing on) at the end of the sentence the reference is made in.
Step 2: Write a corresponding footnote or end note with the same number for each superscript numeral that you make.
Step 3: Place footnotes at the bottom of the page the reference is made on. Single-space the lines of the footnote. Double-space between footnotes if more than one occurs on a page.
Step 4: Place end notes on a separate page at the end of your paper. Double-space between end notes.
Step 5: Write a full citation the first time you refer to a source, listing all its bibliographic information in your footnote/end note: author, title, publisher, place of publication, date of publication and the page numbers cited.
Step 6: Abbreviate the footnote/end note for subsequent references by writing only the author's name and citing the page number.
MLA (Modern Language Association) or Parenthetical Citation Method
Step 1: When you make a reference to a research source, write the name of the author and the page number the reference is taken from in parentheses, making a "parenthetical citation."
Step 2: Include the citation at the end of the sentence before the period, if the reference occurs within a sentence.
Step 3: Place the citation at the end of the quoted text after the last period, if you wish to cite more than four lines of text.
Step 4: Write only the relevant page number in the parentheses, if the name of the author of the source you're citing appears in the text.
Step 5: Write full citations for your sources on a separate page at the end of your paper. This page should be titled "Works Cited" or "Reference List." A full citation should include the author's name, the date of publication, the title of the work, the place of publication and the name of the publisher.
TIPS and WARNINGS
- To save space on each page, put footnotes in a smaller font than the primary text.
- Make sure the numbers you enter in the superscript are in numeric order.
- Periodicals and books have different types of bibliographical information.
FINALLY:
It's also worth buying an abridged style manual for under $15 so that you have proper information on hand while you write.Learn how your word-processing program works. Many include automated systems for numbering, organizing, and formatting footnotes and other elements.
Finally, rules of thumb: MLA for most liberal arts (a few, like history, prefer Chicago); APA for most scientific disciplines (including psychology and linguistics).
