How to Cite Literature in a Lab Report or Scientific Paper

How to Cite Literature
in a
Lab Report or Scientific Paper
You must cite any information presented in your lab or paper that is not your own idea.
Not giving credit to the source of your information is plagiarism. There are a couple of
ways you can give credit to literature sources from which you gained information used
in your own lab report or scientific paper.
For one author, use this format:
• Incorporate the author into your sentence.
i.e. Gibbons (1998) states that genetic studies of human and chimpanzee
genomes have shown that at least 98.5% of the DNA sequences are the
same.
or...
• Cite the author at the end of the sentence or paragraph.
i.e. Genetic studies of human and chimpanzee genomes have shown that at
least 98.5% of the DNA sequences are the same (Gibbons 1998).
For two authors, use this format:
• Incorporate the authors into your sentence.
i.e. Carlson and Copeland (1978) speculate that as fireflies radiated into
different species, their flash codes may have become more complex.
or...
• Cite the authors at the end of the sentence or paragraph.
i.e. As fireflies radiated into different species, their flash codes may have
become more complex (Carlson & Copeland 1978).
For three or more authors, use this format:
• Incorporate the first author listed and et al into your sentence.
i.e. Varki et al. (1998) found that human cells are missing a particular form of
sialic acid that is found in all other mammals studied thus far, including the
great apes.
or...
• Cite the first author listed and et al at the end of the sentence or paragraph.
i.e. Human cells lack a particular form of sialic acid that is found in all other
mammals studied thus far, including the great apes (Varki et al. 1998).
(over)
BioLEARN, http://www.wisc.edu/cbe/biolearn/index.html August, 2003
Radish Seed Germination as a Constructivist Approach
For citing online information within the text:
• Cite the author at the end of the sentence or paragraph.
i.e. Human cells lack a particular form of sialic acid that is found in all other
mammals studied thus far, including the great apes. (Online Varki
accessed 29 September, 1995)
For citing an interview within the text:
• Cite the author at the end of the sentence or paragraph.
i.e. The incidence of Tay Sach’s disease has been on the decrease since
1923 in the United States. (John Jones, interview, 29 September, 1995)
Bibliography
At the end of your lab report or scientific paper, you must give full bibliographical
information of any literature you cited in the text of your paper. Authors should be
listed in alphabetical order. Second and third lines of each reference should be
indented.
When citing a magazine or journal article use this format:
Author’s last name, first initial. second initial. year of publication. title of article. title of
magazine or journal. vol.(no.): pg/s.(pg/s).
i.e. Watt, P. M., and S.J. Young. 1999. Effect of predator cues on Daphnia
behavior in both horizontal and vertical planes. Animal Behavior vol 48:
pgs 861-869.
When citing a book use this format:
Author’s last name, first initial. second initial. year of publication. title of book.
publishing company. city and state of publication. pg/s.(pg/s).
i.e. Cole, G.A. 1994. Textbook of Limnology. Waveland Press. Prospect
Heights, Ill., pgs.83-102.
When citing an author or author unknown from online use this format:
Author’s last name, first initial. second initial , title of article, (http://www.cas.usf.
edu/apes/mla.htm), date of access.
i.e. Allen, R.A., Fresh-Water Invertebrate Behavior, (http://www.sandiegozoo.
org), 15 March, 1999.
or
i.e. Author unknown, Alternative Energy Sources, (http://www.flinnsci.com), 11
May,1999.
When citing someone you interviewed use this format:
Person Interviewed last name, first initial. second initial., Date of interview.
i.e. Valaskey, V.E., 12 December, 2000.
BioLEARN, http://www.wisc.edu/cbe/biolearn/index.html August, 2003
**IMPORTANT INFORMATION**
If you have any other questions about citing references, see the
West High School LMC home page at
http://www.madison.k12.wi.us/west/lmc/ .
Follow the Bibliographic Citations link to the
Bibliography/Footnote Examples from the UW link for the
American Psychological Association (APA) style which we use in
science to cite all research.
BioLEARN, http://www.wisc.edu/cbe/biolearn/index.html August, 2003