Citation Styles: A Guide for Self-Publishers

Why is it so important to cite our sources?

Citing your sources is a highly respected form of professional courtesy and also your duty as an editor. You must give credit where credit is due. Therefore, when using someone else’s words or ideas, it is essential to cite that person’s work. If your sources are not cited correctly, you could be accused of plagiarism. And plagiarism is a serious offense that can result in a loss of credibility from your peers that ends your career. A loss of credibility would also affect your current and future book sales.

MLA Vs. APA: After all, it is not such a difficult decision

These are two professional organizations that have developed reference and citation guidelines for use within their respective audiences. There are other organizations that do this, but these two are the best known. For example, MLA guidelines are often used by professionals in the humanities. And the APA guidelines are often used by science professionals. Whatever profession you are in, you will already know which format to use. But for our discussion here, if you’re writing nonfiction for a general audience, the default citation format you should apply will be the MLA formatting rules. Below I give you the definitions of the most common terms used for the citation. But don’t forget that there are subtle differences between them when it comes to MLA or APA guidelines.

Works Cited and Works Consulted (MLA) Vs. References and Bibliography (APA)

Here are the differences of MLA and APA in their simplest terms. Works Cited (MLA) and References (APA) is a bibliographic list of all the works cited in your book. This means that every sentence or idea you quote or use in your book should be in this section. Works consulted (MLA) and Bibliography (APA) is a bibliographic list of all the works that you used, but did not cite in your text. This means that all the books, articles, and websites you read in preparation for writing your book should be cited in this section.

Further Reading/Additional Sources

This is simply a section that would list sources that you think your readers might find interesting. Possibly a list of other publications or websites your readers might want to check out for further research.

Annotated Works Cited / Annotated Bibliography

Annotated means that it is not just a list of sources, as in a typical works cited or bibliography, but also a summary, evaluation, and discussion of the content of each source and the purpose of its use in your book. This is a very popular format among readers.

Selected Bibliography / Complete Bibliography

Some books distinguish between “selected” bibliographies and “complete” bibliographies. The selected bibliographies only list some of the most important works cited. Full bibliographies list all works cited, including all other relevant sources, whether cited or not.

Footnotes/endnotes

You can provide footnotes and endnotes as additional information to enhance your argument. Or, to briefly present an alternative idea that you have found in one of your sources. You can also list additional articles or books on topics your reader might find of interest. Such notes demonstrate the depth of your research and allow you to include relevant, but not always essential, information and concepts without interrupting the flow of your own text. If you use footnotes within your book, they will usually also appear at the end of your book in an ‘Endnotes’ section.

Internal citation / in-text / in parentheses

An internal, in-text, or parenthetical citation refers to the practice of giving credit to another author by citing their words and ideas within their book. This internal citation is then referenced at the end of your book in your works cited list or bibliography. Inner citations are sometimes called parenthetical citations because they are enclosed in parentheses. (Kunz, p. 3)

Conclution

There you go. A quick summary of the different types and ways of citing sources that she referred to in his book. Don’t forget, the general rule of thumb is that if you’re not sure if something you’re referring to should be quoted or not, then quote it. This thoroughness will only help your credibility with your peers and your readers. The citation shows that you have done your research and were very careful and thoughtful about it. Citations will also help your readers to do more research on their own if they have questions. Doing this makes you an important resource for your readers. Citing your sources is a win-win situation for you and your readers. All of this will add up to more book sales.