19/5/2020 Citing Scientific Research Sources - The Environmental Literacy Council

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Citing Scientific Research Sources

By Anne Maben, AP Science Coach, Los Angeles County Office of Education

Citations are similar to footnotes in English or history papers but are MUCH easier to include. Citations are
included only in the Introduction and/or Discussion sections of a report. Scientific citations are placed within
the paper itself, not at the bottom of the page. Citations are placed at the end of a sentence or paragraph
that contains the information you gathered from another source.

RULE 1 Cite all sources that refer to information on your species, experiment, or study site.
RULE 2 Cite all sources that back up your conclusions.
RULE 3 Cite anything that brings in a fact not directly taken from your own personal observations or
experiment.
RULE 4 WHEN IN DOUBT, CITE!

EXAMPLES OF PROPER CITING

White sharks are known to be man eaters (Halstead, 1954)(author, date). They are the only
shark that regularly preys on marine mammals for food. Some scientists believe that great whites attack
humans by mistake: the silhouette of a surfer paddling on a surfboard may be mistaken for a seal sunning
on the surface (Ellis, ed., 1987)(editor, date).

VARIATIONS IN SCIENTIFIC CITATIONS

(last name only, date)

One Author:
Example: (Bronowski, 1999)
(both last names only, date)
Two Authors:
Example: (Walker and Maben, 1980)
Three or More (all last names only, date)
Authors: Example: (Cochran, Wiles, and Kephart, 2000)
(abbreviated title, date)
No Authors:
Example: (Insects of Guam, 1942)
(last name only, abbreviation for editor, date)
Only an Editor:
Example: (Ellis, ed., 1987)
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19/5/2020 Citing Scientific Research Sources - The Environmental Literacy Council

Citing an Expert You

(last name, “personal communications”)
Have Spoken to or
Example: (Collins, pers. commun.)
Corresponded with:
° 2001 Anne F. Maben, AP Science Coach, Los Angeles County Office of Education

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