A Style Guide is a handbook or manual that describes an accepted format for citing references in academic writing.

There are many different citation styles. Check with your instructors to determine which style is expected for your courses. If you are writing for publication, consult the publisher and/or journal editorial policy.

Frequently-Used Citation Styles

ACS Style Guide   (American Chemical Society)

One of the most commonly used guides in chemistry.

• Print guide: Check QCAT for location and call number

APA Style   (American PSYCHOLOGICAL Association)

Preferred style in psychology and many other social sciences disciplines.

• Print guide:   Check QCAT for location and call number
• Online guide:   APA Format   (prepared by Cal State University Library)

ASA Style   (American SOCIOLOGICAL Association)

Frequently used style in sociology and related disciplines.

• Print guide:   Check QCAT for location and call number
  
• Online guide:   ASA Format   (prepared by Cal State University Library)

ASCE Style   (American Society of Civil Engineers)

Frequently used style in Civil Engineering.

• Online guide:   ASCE Format

CSE Style   (Council of Science Editors) - formerly CBE

Preferred style in biology and other natural sciences disciplines.

• Print guide:   Check QCAT for location and call number
• Online guide:   CSE Citation Guide   (prepared by Ohio State University Libraries) and Using CBE Style to Cite and Document Sources   (prepared by Bedford/St. Martin's)

Chicago Style

Frequently used in history and many other disciplines.

• Print guide:   Check QCAT for location and call number
• Online guide:   Chicago Manual of Style   (prepared by University of Chicago Press)

IEEE Citation Style (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)

Used mainly in Electrical and Computer Engineering and also by first year engineering students in APSC 100.

• Online guide:   IEEE Citation Style Guide   (prepared by Engineering & Science Library, Queen's University)

MLA Style   (Modern Languages Association)

Preferred style in literature, arts, and humanities.

• Print guide:   Check QCAT for location and call number
• Online guide:   MLA Format   (Prepared by the OWL at Purdue)

Social Sciences Style (SSS)

Sometimes used for courses in the humanities and social sciences.

• Print only: Making Sense : a Student's Guide to Research and Writing : Social Sciences / Margot Northey, Lorne Tepperman
• Check QCAT for location and call number

Turabian Style

A simplified guide to the Chicago Manual of Style, used at the undergraduate level regardless of discipline.

• Print guide:   Check QCAT for location and call number
• Online guide:   Turabian Samples for a Bibliography   (prepared by Ithaca College Library)

Vancouver Style

Preferred style in the health sciences disciplines.

• Online guide:   Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals   (prepared by the ICMJE)

Special Formats of Material

• Government
• Legal
• Maps & Other Cartographic
• Music

Government Publications

The following guides provide general citation examples for different types of government publications and are intended to supplement, not replace, standard citation manuals such as Chicago, MLA, etc.

• Brief Guide to Citing Canadian Government Documents   (prepared by Queen's University Library MADGIC)  
• How to Cite Statistics Canada Products   (prepared by Statistics Canada)  
• How to Cite Government Publications - Research Guide   (prepared by McMaster University Libraries)  
• Citing Government Information Sources Using MLA (Modern Language Association) Style   (detailed guide from University of Nevada, Reno Libraries with examples for US, UN, NATO Publications)
• Uncle Sam - Brief Guide to Citing Government Publications   (prepared by the University of Memphis Libraries)

Legal Materials

The Canadian Guide to Uniform Legal Citation (popularly known as "the McGill Guide") is the authoritative source in Canada for citing legal materials.
Print EDITION:   Check QCAT for a copy of the McGill Guide
Online guide:   Not available online.

Unofficial legal citation information available on the web:

• Introduction to Legal Citation   (prepared by Queen's University Lederman Law Library)  
• Introduction to Legal Research and Citation   (prepared by University of Toronto Bora Laskin Law Library)  

Maps and Other Cartographic Materials

• Citation Guide for Maps   (prepared by Queen's University Library MADGIC)

Music

• Citing Music Sources in Your Essay and Bibliography   (prepared by University of Western Ontario Music Library)
• Bibliographic Citations   (prepared by Indiana University Music Library)