Understanding Citation Styles in Academic and Publishing Contexts
When it comes to citations in academic and publishing contexts, there are specific rules and formats that authors, editors, and scholars must follow. This guide aims to provide clarity on how to correctly cite an author and relevant details, including the publisher, in your academic work.
The Role of Citations in Academic Works
Citations are integral to academic writing as they acknowledge the sources of information and ideas, enhance credibility, and avoid plagiarism. In a citation, you traditionally include the author's surname and the year of publication, as in “Author (Year)”. For instance, Smith 1976 p. 12.
The Correct Format for Citations
Unlike some online citation generators that may include the publisher in the citation, authors typically do not name the publisher. Instead, the citation format should include the author's surname and the year of publication. Examples include:
Smith 1976 p. 12. Jane Doe 2020 p. 25.These formats are based on the MLA citation style, but similar rules apply to APA and other styles.
Publication Data on the Imprint Page
While the citation itself doesn't include the publisher, the imprint page of a book contains detailed publication information. Here, the publisher's name appears first, followed by the book title in italics. For example:
First published in the United Kingdom in 2024 by Bernard Bolingbroke Limited 123 Somewhere Street London United Kingdom SW1A 2TD
On the imprint page, you also find important details such as the copyright holder, ISBN numbers, and conditions of sale. An imprint page might look like this:
Text copyright:** Alan Adamson 2024
Illustrations copyright:** Brenda Brown 2024
Boling** is a registered trademark of Bernard Bolingbroke Limited.
Grateful acknowledgments p.** iv **are given for permission to reproduce materials and use of trademarks.
ISBN hardback:** 0 123 12345 1
ISBN paperback:** 0 321 54321 1
All Rights Reserved including the right of reproduction and redistribution in whole or in part in any form.
Handling Copyright and Publishers
The copyright mark (?) is used with the name of the copyright holder. In most cases, the copyright holder is the author or the creator. Publishers are not always marked with copyright symbols and are not included in the citation. However, if the publisher is also the copyright holder, the publisher will be marked with the copyright symbol. Examples include:
Citation example with no publisher: Smith 1976 p. 12.
Citation example with a publisher that is the copyright holder: The Masterful Title? 2024 by Doing It Publishers.
If you are citing a paper or article, the format should be simpler, focusing on the author and year:
Joe Blow “The Masterful title” 2024.
Joe Blow “The Masterful title” Doing It Publishers 2024.
These formats ensure clarity and correctness in your academic writing.