Complete Discipline Listing
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Summary:
This handout provides an exhaustive list of style guide information for documenting sources in different disciplines. The handout is organized by discipline and includes both a link to the main organizational website and also a link for an online guide to using that style.
Anthropology
The American Anthropological Association uses the Chicago Manual of Style and Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary.
Biology
Council of Science Editors. Scientific Style and Format: The CSE Manual for Authors, Editors, and Publishers. 8th ed. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 2014.
- Official Website
- Explanatory Website from the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Writing Center
- Scientific Style and Format Online (digital guide)
Chicago Style (used in many disciplines)
The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2017.
- Official Chicago Style Website
- Explanatory Website from the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Writing Center
- Purdue OWL CMS Resources
Chemistry
Coghill, Anne and Garson, Lorrin, eds. The ACS Style Guide: Effective Communication of Scientific Information. 3rd ed. Washington, DC American Chemical Society, 2006.
- Official ACS Website
- ACS Style Quick Guide
- Explanatory Website from ACS books.
English (and some disciplines in the humanities)
Modern Language Association. MLA Handbook. 8th ed. New York: The Modern Language Association, 2016.
Engineering
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. IEEE Editorial Style Manual. Piscataway, New Jersey: IEEE Periodicals, 2017.
For usage issues not addressed in IEEE manual: The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2017.
Geology
Bates, Robert L., Rex Buchanan, and Marla Adkins-Heljeson, eds. Geowriting: A Guide to Writing, Editing, and Printing in Earth Science. 5th ed. Alexandria: Amer. Geological Inst., 1995.
United States Geological Survey. Suggestions to Authors of the Reports of the United States Geological Survey. 7th ed. Washington: GPO, 1991.
Government
Gapner, Diane L., and Diane H. Smith. The Complete Guide to Citing Government Information Resources: A Manual for Writers and Librarians. Rev. ed. Bethesda: Congressional Information Service, 1993.
- Explanatory Website from West Texas A&M University
- Explanatory Website from University of North Texas
History
Gray, Wood. Historian's Handbook: A Key to the Study and Writing of History. 2nd ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1991.
Most historians use either Chicago style or Turabian style.
Information Sciences and Computer Science
American National Standard for Information Sciences. Scientific and Technical Reports: Organization, Preparation, and Production. New York: ANSI, 1987.
The IEEE Computer society prefers the Chicago Manual of Style.
Journalism
The Associated Press Stylebook. New York. NY: Basic Books, 2018.
Law and Legal Studies
The Bluebook: A uniform System of Citation. 20thed. Cambridge: Harvard Law Review Association, 2015.
- Official Bluebook Website
- Explanatory Website from Cornell University
Linguistics
Linguistic Society of America. LSA Bulletin, December issue (annually).
Linguistics publications generally follow the APA (American Psychological Association) format.
Mathematics
American Mathematical Society. A Manual for Authors of Mathematical Papers. 8th ed. Providence: American Mathematical Society, 1990.
Management
The AMA Handbook of Business Writing. New York: AMACOM, 2010.
Medicine
American Medical Association. AMA Manual of Style: A Guide for Authors and Editors. 10th ed. Oxford: Oxford U P, 2007.
Physics
American Institute of Physics. Style Manual for Guidelines in the Preparation of Papers. 4th ed. New York: American Institute of Physics, 1990.
- Official AIP Website (download the manual free of charge!)
Psychology (and other social sciences)
American Psychological Association. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. 6th ed. Washington: American Psychological Association, 2009.
Political Science
American Political Science Association Committee on Publications. APSA Style Manual for Political Science. 6th ed. Washington, DC: American Political Science Association, 2006.
This guide asks writers to use certain elements of the Chicago Manual of Style, 17th ed. (see above).
- Official APSA Website
- APSA Style Manual (pdf)
- Explanatory Website from the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Writing Center
Sociology
American Sociological Association. ASA Style Guide. 5thed. Washington, DC: American Sociological Association, 2014.