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CSE Quick Citation Guide

The CSE citation style is frequently used in the Natural Sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics, Physics).

Journals

  • Author(s). Date. Article title. Journal title. Volume(issue):page numbers.
breakdown of a journal citation in CSE format

Example:
Simpson A, Burns M. 1989. The Flying Hellfish: WWII liberators of art from Nazi Germany. Cypr J. 9(1):49-58.

Electronic Journal Article

  • Reference list information for articles found online adds a medium designator—[Internet], including the brackets—at the end of the title of the journal, as well as a citation date and a URL.

  • Author. Year. Date. Article title. Journal title. Volume(issue):page numbers. In: Name of database [database on the internet]. Edition or Release. Place of Publication: Publisher of database; date of publication. [Cited date]. Number of pages. Available from: article URL; document number if available.

Example:
Skinner S. 2005. Evolution or intelligent design: the menu model of elementary science instruction. Science Educator. [Internet]. 32(2) 1975-2008. Release 3. NY: Science Direct Publishing; 2005. [Cited 2008 May 4]. 33p. Available from: http://www.sciencedirect/scienceeducator/32/2/skinner ; doi:123456789

Journals with two to ten authors

  • List them all.

Example:
Simpson A, Burns M, Gumble B, Powers R, Simpson L. 1989. The Flying Hellfish: WWII liberators of art from Nazi Germany. Cypr. J 9(1):49-58.

Journals with more than ten authors

  • List the first 10 followed by "et al." or "and others".

Example:
Simpson A, Burns M, Lovejoy J, Gumble B, Christian S, Powers R, Simpson L, Flanders T, Simpson B, Burns L, et al. 1989. The Flying Hellfish: WWII liberators of art from Nazi Germany. Cypr J. 9(1):49-58.

Journals' title

  • Abbreviate the significant words in a title
  • Omit articles, conjunctions, and prepositions
  • Do not use a period after each abbreviation. Put at the end of entire title

Example:
Simpson A, Burns M, Lovejoy J, Gumble B, Christian S, Powers R, Simpson L. 1989. The Flying Hellfish: WWII liberators of art from Nazi Germany. Cypr J. 9(1):49-58.

Journals' date

  • The month and day need to be included if there is no volume or issue numbers, and dates of update
  • For multiple years, put the first year and the last year, and put hyphen between years

Example:
Simpson A, Burns M, Lovejoy J, Gumble B, Christian S, Powers R, Simpson L, Flanders T. 1989-1992. The Flying Hellfish: WWII liberators of art from Nazi Germany. Cypr J. 9(1):49-58.

Simpson A, Burns M, Gumble B, Christian S, Powers R, Simpson L, Flanders T. 1989 Feb 10. The Flying Hellfish: WWII liberators of art from Nazi Germany. Cypr J. 9(1):49-58.

Journals' volumes and issues

  • Write both volumes and issues numbers in Arabic numerals
  • Separate multiple volume and issue numbers by a hyphen
  • Put issue numbers in parentheses

Example:
Simpson A, Burns M, Lovejoy J, Gumble B, Christian S, Powers R, Simpson L, Flanders T. 1989-1992. The Flying Hellfish: WWII liberators of art from Nazi Germany. Cypr J. 13-15(1A-2C):69-78.

Books

  • Author(s). Date. Title. Edition. Place of Publication: Publisher. Extent. Notes.

breakdown of a book citation in CSE format

Example:
Lumpkin, L. 1989. Country singin aint for me. 3rd ed. Washington, DC: Country Press.

Books with two to ten authors

  • List all the names of authors in the order in which they appear in the text.

Example:
Lumpkin L, Simpson C. 1989. Country singin aint for me. 3rd ed. Washington, DC: Country Press.

Books with more than authors

  • List the first names of authors in the order in which they appear in the text followed by "et al" or "and others"

Example:
Lumpkin L, Simpson C, Simpson A, Burns M, Lovejoy J, Gumble B, Christian S, Powers R, Simpson L, Flanders T, et al. 1989. Country singin aint for me. 3rd ed. Washington, DC: Country Press.

Books with no authors

  • If there are editors, put the names of editors followed by the word "editor" or "editors"
  • If there are no authors and editors, begin with the title

Example:
Simpson B, Callahan N, editors. 1989. Country singin aint for me. 3rd ed. Washington, DC: Country Press.

Country singin aint for me. 3rd Ed. 1989. Washington, DC: Country Press.

Books with both authors and editors

  • Put the authors first then put the editors after the title.

Example:
Lumpkin, L. 1989. Country singin aint for me. 3rd ed. Powers R, Simpson L, editors. Washington, DC: Country Press.

Books' place of publication

  • Universally known place such as New York or London can stand alone
  • If there is no place of publication, put place unknown within square brackets

Example:
Lumpkin, L. 1989. Country singin aint for me. 3rd ed. [place unknown]: Country Press.

Books' dates

  • If the year of publication is unknown but the year of copyright is known, use the year of copyright, preceded by "c"
  • For multiple years, put the first year and the last year, and put hyphen between years
  • If both years are unknown, put date unknown within square brackets

Example:

Lumpkin L, Simpson C. c1989. Country singin aint for me. 3rd ed. Washington, DC: Country Press.

Lumpkin L, Simpson C. 1989-1992. Country singin aint for me. 3rd ed. Washington, DC: Country Press.

Lumpkin L, Simpson C. [date unknown]. Country singin aint for me. 3rd ed. Washington, DC: Country Press.

Conference Proceedings

  • Editor(s). Date. Title of Book. Number and name of conference; date of conference; place of conference. Place of publication: publisher. Extent. Notes
breakdown of a conference proceedings citation in CSE format

Example:
Van Houten N, Flanders R, Editors. 1975. Nachos Flanders style. Proceedings of the Fourth International Symposium on Stadium Food; Vancouver, British Columbia: Fallout Press.

Conference Papers

  • Author(s). Date. Title of paper. In: Editor(s). Title of book. Number and name of conference; date of conference; place of conference. Place publication: publisher. Page numbers. Notes.

breakdown of a conference paper citation in CSE format

Example:
Van Houten N, Flanders R. 1975. Nachos Flanders style. In: Simpson C, Lumpkin L, editors. The Book of Nacho. Proceedings of the Fourth International Symposium on Stadium Food; 1976 Feb. 10-15; Vancouver, British Columbia. Pullman (WA): Fallout Press. p. 175-200.

Dissertations and Thesis

  • Author(s). Date. Title of dissertation or thesis [content designator]. Place of publication: publisher. Extent. Notes.

breakdown of a dissertation or thesis citation in CSE format

Example:
Simpson, L. 2008. Level 5 Veganism: consumption of nothing that casts a shadow [master's thesis]. Springfield (OR): Springfield University. 248 p.

Bibliographies

  • Author(s). Compliers. Date. Title of bibliography[content designator]. Place of publication: publisher. Extent. Notes.
breakdown of a bibliography citation in CSE format

Example:
Flanders R, Flanders T, compliers. 2008. Biblical Allusions Flanders Style [bibliography]. Springfield (VT): University of Springfield. 1110 p.

Patents

  • Author(s), inventors; patent holder, assignees. Date. Title of patent. Country issuing the patent country code patent number. Extent.

breakdown of a patent citation in CSE format

Example:
Leonard L, Carlson C, inventors; Springfield Nuclear Power Plant, assignee. 2008 Jun 10. Doughnut Shaped Nuclear Reactor. US patent 4,777,123. 352 p.

Newspapers

  • Author(s). Date. Title of article. Title of newspaper(edition). Section:beginning page of article (column no).

breakdown of a newspaper citation in CSE format

Example:
Simpson H. 2008. Jul 17. Glazed with Sprinkles. Springfield Shopper(Special Ed.). Sect. A:17(col. 2).

Websites and Other Online Formats

Websites and Homepages

Title of Homepage. Date of publication. Edition. Place of Publication: publisher; [date updated; date accessed]. Notes.

Example:

APSnet:plant pathology online. c1994-2005. St Paul (MN): American Phytopathological Association; [accessed 2005 Jun 20]. http://www.apsnet.org/

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