Citation and Writing Resources

If you find yourself asking any of these questions, visit the citation and writing display in the Science and Engineering Library or check out the online resources in this guide.

• How do I cite sources in a particular style?
• How do I format a paper in a particular style?
• How do I write a paper for a class in a particular discipline?
• What are the conventions of academic writing in English?
• How do I convey my ideas clearly and compellingly for other assignments such as posters, podcasts, etc.?

The official websites for the most common formatting and citation styles are a helpful starting point.

• APA Style
• Chicago Style
• MLA Style

Purdue OWL provides more in-depth support. If you want to know how to format papers or cite many different types of sources, Purdue OWL is a reputable source, which Purdue University updates regularly.

For more in-depth guidance on the most common styles, visit one of our library displays and check out a print copy of:

• The Official Guide to APA Style
• MLA Handbook
• The Chicago Manual of Style

ZoteroBib generates citations for you as a starting point. The generated citations are only as good as the data that goes into it though, so you'll want to review them.

These tools enable you to:

• Create bibliographies and references automatically
• Add annotations, subjects, and descriptions to your citations
• Re-use your research over time
• Embed footnotes, end notes, and in-text citations in a document

Citation Managers at UMass explores citation manager options and explains how to set up a Zotero account.