Citing Science Articles & Electronic Resources
Collier Science Library
3rd floor, Park Science Building
Librarian: Terri Freedman
The Council of Biology Editors (CBE) Manual outlines two citation styles for writers in the sciences. The first is a name-year based style and the second is a citation-sequence style. The other commonly used scientific style is outlined in the ACS (American Chemical Society) Style Guide. Examples of each of these styles are given below.
If you are writing a class paper, check with your instructor to see which style they prefer. If you are submitting an article to a journal, the journal's instructions to authors will indicate which style to use.
Citation Styles and Examples
CBE Citation-Sequence Style:
Authors(s). Article title. Abbreviated journal title year month;volume number (issue number):inclusive pages.
Example:
Steiner U, Klein J, Eiser E, Budkowski A, Fetters LJ. Complete wetting from polymer mixtures. Science 1992 Nov 13;258 (5085):1122-9.
CBE Name-Year Style:
Authors(s). Year. Article title. Journal title volume number (issue number):inclusivepages.
Example:
Steiner U, Klein J, Eiser E, Budkowski A, Fetters LJ. 1992. Complete wetting from polymer mixtures. Science 258 (5085):1122-9.
ACS Style:
Author 1; Author 2; Author 3; etc. Title of article. Journal abbreviation Year , Volume , inclusive pagination.
Example:
Steiner, U.; Klein, J.; Eiser, E.; Budkowski, A.; Fetters, L. J. Complete wetting from polymer mixtures. Science 1992 , 258 :1122-1129.
CBE Citation-Sequence Style:
Authors(s). Article title. Abbreviated journal title [type of medium]date of publication;volume number (issue number):inclusivepages. Availability statement. Date of accession as needed.
Example:
Winzor DJ, Jones S, Harding SE. Determination of protein charge by capillary zone electrophoresis. Anal Biochem [serial online] 2004; 333(2):225-9. Available from: Science Direct. Accessed 2004 Oct 15
CBE Name-Year Style:
Authors(s). Date of publiction. Article title. Abbreviated journal title [type of medium];volume number (issue number):inclusivepages. Availability statement. Date of accession as needed.
Example:
Winzor DJ, Jones S, Harding SE. 2004. Determination of protein charge by capillary zone electrophoresis. Anal Biochem [serial online]; 333(2):225-9. Available from: Science Direct. Accessed 2004 Oct 15
ACS Style:
Author 1; Author 2; Author 3; etc. Title of article. Journal abbreviation [Online] Year , Volume , inclusive pagination or other identifying information.
Example:
Craw, J. S.; Hinchcliffe, A. Electron. J. Theor. Chem. [Online] 1995 , 1 , 8-10.
ACS Style:
Author (if any). Title of Site. URL (accessed date), other identifying information.
Example:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Home Page. http://www.epa.gov (accessed July 2002).
For more information see:
Scientific Style and Format: The CBE Manual for Authors, Editors, and Publishers, 7th ed.
In Collier Library’s Reference section -- Z250.6.B5 C64 2006
The ACS Style Guide: A Manual for Authors and Editors, 3rd ed.
In Collier Library’s Reference section -- QD8.5 .A25 2006
The AIP (American Institue of Physics) Style Manual , 4th ed.
In Collier Library’s Reference section -- QC5.45.A45 1990
A Short Guide to Writing About Biology, 5th ed.
In Collier Library’s Reference section -- QH 304.P42 2004
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