Yet…there may be something better than this…  With today’s increased connection to the internet and technology, it is not suprising that there are now web-based citation generators offering to do the job for you.  I feel a bit behind the times, as my students now, instead of consulting a book, go straight to one of these citation generators and type in the information they are asked for; their citations appear at the click of a button.  When I ask them to use the good old paperback, groans ensue. 

My question is whether these citation generators should be used, replacing the traditional handbooks and manuals of old.  For one well-acquainted with memorization and flipping through pages, this seems too easy, too cookie-cutter, so I decided to test the accuracy of several citation generators.  An old-school girl like me needs proof that this method really works.  My observations are as follows:   

NoodleBib Express :  This tool allows one to generate a few citations, but one needs to subscribe ($4-8 for an individual subscription) for greater access to the NoodleBib resources.  With this fee, one gains access to expert support for tricky citations in addition to the citation generator and notetaking/note card resources.  This is a positive combination, and (if one has the money) it is a useful resource.  However, with college students always short on pocket change, I’ll offer the following free source links and tell you which one converted me from a strict handbook devotee.

EasyBib :  This tool is user-friendly and free for MLA citations only.  Beware the AutoCite option, which fills in the data for you by “searching” the web.  You’ll need to make sure your i’s are dotted and t’s crossed with this application, it seems.  Although MLA format is free, APA and Chicago/Turabian formats require a subscription and some cash. 

Son of Citation :  Despite its lack of visual appeal, this is a good citation generator in terms of access (all free).  In-text citation format is suggested as an added bonus.

BibMe : This one is very user friendly and offers a citation guide and the option of a free personal account for saving bibliographies.  One chooses the type of source from a variety of colored tabs, and chooses to enter the information manually or to search in “Autofill” mode.  After testing several of my own sources in this tool, I am more than pleased.  You can even download the citations into Microsoft Word, with the formatting taken care of.

So, in the end, I am a surprised convert, and plan to use BibMe for my own graduate school papers. I still will hang on to the Handbook and Manual for additional reference, but it is nice to know I can now save time and be accurate with an online tool.

How to order references in a reference list:

Alphabetical letter by letter:

• Nothing precedes something.  This is why “Smith, T.K.” would precede “Smithson, A.R.”            
• Alphabetize entries with numerals as if the numerals were spelled out
  • Works by same author or same list of authors
    • Arranged by year of publication, the earliest first
  • One author entries precede multiple-author entries containing the same surname
    • References by the same first author, with multiple authors listed, are alphabetized by the last name of the second author.
    • If a piece of information is missing, move the next appropriate piece of information to the beginning of the reference.
    • For example, if there is no author, begin with the next piece of information: the title.

Example References: 

Periodical (published on a regular basis: journals, magazines, scholarly newsletters, etc):
Author, A.A., Author, B.B., & Author, C.C. (1994). Title of article. Title of Periodical, xx, xxx-xxx.

Online Periodical:
Author, A.A., Author, B.B., & Author, C.C. (1994). Title of article. Title of Periodical, xx, xxx-xxx. Retrieved month day, year, from source.

Online Document:
Author, A.A. (1994). Title of work. Retrieved month day, year, from source.

Nonperiodical (published separately: books, reports, brochures, manuals, audiovisual media)
Author, A.A. (1994). Title of work. Location: Publisher.

For more information on APA format, consult my reference:  Publication Manual

• American Psychological Association

What are the Basic Formatting Guidelines?

• APA format requires a title page
• An abstract should come after the title page.  Center the word “Abstract” one inch from the top of the page; double-space the abstract as would do for the body of the paper.
• An abstract is a 100-200 word paragraph that provides readers with a quick overview of your essay.  It should express your main idea and your key points; it also may briefly suggest any implications or applications of the research you will discuss in your paper.  In short, an abstract is a preface of sorts, a summary and brief analysis of your conclusions.
• 1″ margins, double-spaced text, single-spaced footnotes
• The page heading appears on all pages, even the title page
• In APA format, for references listed on the references page, the author’s last name comes first, followed by his/her initials.  The year follows the name, instead of showing up at the end of the entry.  The reason for this difference:  When asked to use APA format, it is usually in those disciplines most concerned with the question of when your reference was published.  Currency matters because information may become outdated and useless as new studies are conducted and new information is discovered. By contrast, MLA format usually appears in English class, a discipline that is more concerned with ideas than how important they are. 
• APA in-text citations require the author or authors’ names and the year published (separated by a comma), instead of the author’s last name and page number (without a comma).
  • Example APA in-text citation:  (Marick, 1990) or (Marick & Nield, 1978)
  • Example MLA in-text citation:  (Marick 90)
• For subsequent in-text citations for the same source written by more than one author, replace the additional authors with “et al.”
  • Example repeat APA multiple-author, in-text citation:  (Marick et al., 1978)
• It is common for APA-style papers to be subdivided, with different sections of the paper under different headings.  Major headings are centered, with all words capitalized except short articles, prepositions, and coordinating conjunctions.
• Quotes longer than 40 words are indented ½ inch from the left margin;  quotation marks are not needed if the quote has been indented as a whole. 
• Footnotes are common (for content notes and copyright permission notes), indicated by using a superscript number in consecutive order.  At the end of the paper, create a footnote page for content and copyright permission footnotes, numbered according to the order in which they appear in the paper. Because APA is a format often requiring original research or statistical tables, pages for each of the tables should appear after the footnotes page(s) at the end of the paper.  Only one table should be on a page. 
• After the footnotes and tables page(s), create a Figure Captions page and a Figures page.  Captions should not be on the same page as the figures themselves.  The figures should have vertical titles appended to their sides which correlate with the captions. 
• All references cited in text must appear on the reference list at the end of the document, and the author must ensure that both the in-text citation and reference list entry are formatted in the same way (same spelling, same year, same information).