Scientific Style and Format by CSE (or, Council of Science Editors) citation style is used in the sciences, such as biology, physics, chemistry, and engineering, but it can also be used for other subjects. CSE is in its 8th edition.
This one-page guide focuses on citing sources in a References list, or bibliography. CSE style also dictates how sources are cited in-text (in the body of a paper). The examples in this handout are from the Diana Hacker online guide, and cover the most commonly cited types of sources – books, articles, and websites. For help with in-text citation and citing other types of sources, visit the Diane Hacker website, or ask a librarian.
Melchias G. Biodiversity and conservation. Enfield (NH): Science; 2001.
Begin with the name of the author and the title of the article or chapter. Then write “In:” and name the editor or editors, followed by a comma and the word “editor” or “editors.” Place the title of the book and publication information next. End with the page numbers on which the article or chapter appears.
Underwood AJ, Chapman MG. Intertidal ecosystems. In: Levin SA, editor. Encyclopedia of biodiversity. Vol. 3. San Diego: Academic Press; 2000. p. 485-499.
CSE does not provide guidelines for an article accessed through a subscription service, such as InfoTrac or EBSCOhost. The guidelines are based on CSE’s models for an article in an online periodical, and for a complete database.
Begin with information about the online article, follow with the name of the database, the place of publication, the publisher, and the date of publication or the copyright date. End with the phrase “Available from:” followed by the URL for the database. Include an article or document number, if the database assigns one, after the URL.
Cantor RM, Kono N, Duvall JA, Alvarez-Retuerto A, Stone JL. Replication of autism linkage: fine-mapping peak at 17q21. Am J Hum Genet. 2005 [cited 2009 Jun 17];76(6):1050-1056. Expanded Academic ASAP. Farmington Hills (MI): Thomson Gale; c2005. Available from: http://web4.infotrac.galegroup.com/. Document No.: A133015879.
Gulbins E, Lang F. Pathogens, host-cell invasion and disease. Am Sci. 2001;89(5):406-413.
O’Neil J. A closer look at medical marijuana. New York Times (National Ed.). 2001 Jul 17;Sect. D:6 (col. 4).
Websites often do not have the same information as other sources – some have authors for specific articles or pages, others may not. Some have dates on pages or entries, others may only have a copyright date for the whole site. If you’re not sure how to cite a website, ask a librarian for help.
American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy [Internet]. Milwaukee (WI): The Society; c2000-2010 [modified 2010 Jan 8; cited 2010 Jan 16]. Available from: http://www.asgt.org/.
Cleveland Clinic. The Cleveland Clinic Health Information Center [Internet]. Cleveland (OH): The Clinic; c2006. Smoking cessation; 2009 [cited 2010 Feb 8]; [about 3 screens]. Available from: http://www.clevelandclinic.org/services/smoking_cessation/hic_quitting_smoking.aspx