How to Cite Digital Encyclopedias

Online research is more and more prevalent in academic research papers.

Although print sources remain the most widely used, digital sources are becoming more and more prominent in journalism and academic works, thanks to the ever-increasing availability of online information. As a result, the need to cite such sources in articles, papers, and other research works is also growing. People who once used encyclopedias as a key reference tool may now refer to the online version. The three main citation styles used in the United States today are APA, MLA and Chicago/Turabian. While similar in some instances, each has its own way to address digital encyclopedia citations.

Instructions

MLA

1. Type the name of the entry in quotation marks, followed by a period. If the entry is a proper name, type the last name first, and the first name last. For example: "Smith, John."

2. Type the full name of the online encyclopedia in italics, followed by a period.

3. Type the name of the printed encyclopedia, followed by a comma, then the year of publication. For example, type: ABC Encyclopedia, 2002.

4. Type the format of your source, followed by a period. In this case type: Web.

5. Type the date you referenced the source, date first, followed by a comma, then the abbreviated month, followed by a period. Type the year, followed by a period.

APA

1. Type the name of the entry, followed by a period.

2. Type the date of the creation of the encyclopedic entry in parentheses, and followed by a period. For example: (2005).

3. Type the word "In", followed by the name of the encyclopedia, all in italics. Follow the name with a period.

4. Type the word "Retrieved", followed by the month, day of the month and year that you viewed the source. Follow this with a comma. For example: Retrieved August 24, 2004.

5. Type the word "from", followed by the URL of the encyclopedia entry.

Chicago/Turabian

1. Type the name of the online encyclopedia in italics, and follow it with a comma.

2. Type the letters "s.v.". These letters stand for the Latin term "sub verbo", which translates to "under the word".

3. Type the name of the entry you are referencing, followed by a comma, in parentheses. For example: "Genius,".

4. Type the URL for the page your are referencing.

5. Type the word "accessed", followed by the month, day of the month and year of your page view, all in parentheses, and followed by a period. For example: (accessed August 24, 2004).

Tips & Warnings

• MLA style is most often used in the arts, humanities and literary fields. APA style is used mostly in the fields of psychology for which it is named (American Psychological Association), and in the social sciences. The Chicago/Turabian styles are used mostly for history, humanities and the sciences.

• The Internet is filled with both reliable and unreliable sources. Encyclopedias whose facts are unchecked are not valid sources for most research projects.

References

• Cornell University;
• Cornell University;
• San Francisco University;
• College of Staten Island Library: Writing and Citation Guide
• Reference and User Services Association: Using Primary Sources on the Web