LibGuides: Digital Social Media Production / Kano-Galvan: How to cite

Understanding Citations

The purpose of a citation is to provide the reader with information to find the source of the author's facts or ideas. A citation includes, at the very least, the title, author, source of publication, and date of publication.

Citation styles, such as MLA, APA, and Chicago/Turabian, are sets of rules that determine how citations are formatted. Different disciplines favor certain styles, so check with your professor if you are unsure which format to use for your coursework.

About Zotero

Free web-browser add-on
Collects citation data from articles, webpages, PDF files, ebooks
Formats in numerous citation styles including MLA, APA, and Chicago/Turabian
Organizes and stores citation data in a personal library with options for note-taking and sharing
Creates works cited pages and in-text citations in MS Word

Get Started

Download Zotero for free and register for an account.

Get Help

Zotero Citations and Library Lookup

After you create or import a citation in Zotero, you can use the Library Lookup feature to find the full text item on the UT library website. Click on the green arrow Locate button in the Zotero window, and you will see an option for Library Lookup. This uses your authentication as a UT student, staff, or faculty member to search our databases for the citation.

For this to work, you need to add the Open URL Resolver Information for UT Libraries. To check this information, follow the path: edit > preferences > advanced > Open URL Resolver. Copy and paste this link in the URL space: https://search.lib.utexas.edu/openurl/01UTAU_INST/01UTAU_INST:SEARCH

Why am I suggesting Zotero?

Zotero is a free tool that allows you to save citations as well as pdfs for articles. Your access to UT Libraries is temporary. Saving pdfs to articles while you have access is a great way to get the most out of the semester.

Citation Handbooks

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association by American Psychological Association Staff
Call Number: PCL Stacks BF 76.7 P83 2020
Publication Date: 2020
This manual provides guidance on grammar, the mechanics of writing, and APA style, as well as an authoritative reference and citation system. It also covers the treatment of numbers, statistical and mathematical data, tables and figures.
MLA Handbook by The Modern Language Association of America
Call Number: PCL Check Out Desk LB 2369 G53 2016
Publication Date: 2016-04-01
The Modern Language Association, the authority on research and writing, takes a fresh look at documenting sources in the eighth edition of the MLA Handbook. The Handbook guides writers through the principles behind evaluating sources for their research. It shows how to cite sources and create useful entries for the works-cited list.
The Chicago Manual of Style by University of Chicago Press Editorial Staff
Call Number: PCL Stacks Z 253 U69 2017
Publication Date: 2017-09-05
This seventeenth edition of The Chicago Manual of Style offers updated guidelines on electronic workflows and publication formats, tools for PDF annotation and citation management, web accessibility standards, and effective use of metadata, abstracts, and keywords. It recognizes the needs of self-published authors and open access or Creative Commons publishing models. The citation chapters include social media posts and comments, private messages, and app content--and also offer updated guidelines on DOIs, time stamps, and e-book locators. The chapter on grammar and usage includes an expanded glossary of problematic words and phrases and a new section on syntax as well as guidance on gender-neutral pronouns and bias-free language.
AMA Manual of Style by Cheryl Iverson (Editor); Stacy Christiansen (Editor); Annette Flanagin (Editor); JAMA and Archives Journals Staff (Editor)
Call Number: E-Book
Publication Date: 2007-03-15
The 10th edition of the AMA Manual of Style has expanded its electronic guidelines, with the understanding that authors now routinely submit articles through online systems and often cite Web-only content. Ethical and legal issues receive increased attention, with detailed guidelines on authorship, conflicts of interest, scientific misconduct, intellectual property, and the protection of individuals' rights in scientific research and publication. The new edition examines research ethics and editorial independence and features new material on indexing and searching as well as medical nomenclature.