All research papers will require either a References page (if you're using APA) or a Works Cited page (if you're using MLA), which is an alphabetized list of all of the sources you've used. Each source is formatted according to the type of material it is (book, website, journal article, etc.) to make an individual citation.
A reference or works cited citation includes all of the publication information about a resource so that an outside reader could find the source themselves.
If you're unsure how to do citations, we have some examples of basic citations for articles from journals, magazines, newspapers, and encyclopedias, as well as from books. There are numerous other ways to format citations if there is an unknown author, organizational author, special issue, etc., so check some of our recommended style guides for additional information.
MLA
Author(s). "Title of Article." Title of Journal, Volume, Issue, Year, pages.
Example: Fletcher, Kate, and Rawan Maki. “Transnational Fashion Sustainability: Between and Across the Gulf and the UK.” Fashion Theory: The Journal of Dress, Body & Culture, vol. 26, no. 4, May 2022, pp. 509–24. EBSCOhost, https://doi.org/10.1080/1362704X.2022.2046864.
APA
Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (Year). Title of article. Title of Periodical, volume number(issue number), pages. https://doi.org/xx.xxx/yyyy
Example: Fletcher, K., & Maki, R. (2022). Transnational fashion sustainability: Between and across the Gulf and the UK. Fashion Theory: The Journal of Dress, Body & Culture, 26(4), 509–524. https://doi.org/10.1080/1362704X.2022.2046864
MLA
Author(s). "Title of Article." Title of Periodical, Number (vol. and/or no.), Day Month Year, pages.
Example: Monroe, Rachel. “Ultra-Fast Fashion Is Eating the World.” Atlantic Monthly, vol. 327, no. 2, Mar. 2021, pp. 76–84.
APA
Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (Year). Title of article. Title of Periodical, volume number(issue number), pages. https://doi.org/xx.xxx/yyyy
Example: Monroe, R. (2021). Ultra-fast fashion is eating the world. Atlantic Monthly, 327(2), 76–84.
NOTE: Author may not always be included. Skip that portion if no author listed.
MLA
Author(s). "Title of Article." Title of Newspaper, Day Month Year, pages.
Example: "Sources: Shein aims for $90B valuation in IPO." News Tribune, The (Tacoma, WA), 8 Nov. 2023, p. 11B.
APA
Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Title of Newspaper, pages.
Example: Sources: Shein aims for $90B valuation in IPO. (2023, November 8). News Tribune, The (Tacoma, WA), p. 11B.
MLA
"Entry Title." Encyclopedia Name. Edition. Year of publication.
Example: “Fast Fashion.” 100 Ideas That Changed Street Style. 1st ed. 2014.
APA
Institution or organization name or Lastname, F.M. (Year). Title of entry. In Title of reference work (edition, page numbers). Publisher name.
Example: Sims, J. (2014). Fast fashion. 100 Ideas that Changed Street Style (1st ed.). Laurence King.
MLA
Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Publisher, Publication Date.
Chace, Reeve. The Complete Book of Oscar Fashion. Reed Press, 2003.
APA
Author, A. A. (Year of publication). Title of work: Capital letter also for subtitle. Publisher Name.
Chace, R. (2003). The complete book of Oscar fashion. Reed Press.