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Cite an electronic source
In general, you should cite an electronic source within your paper in the same way as you would a print source, by placing the author's last name (or short title of the source, if there is no author) and year of publication in parentheses.
The following table gives some examples of how to cite
electronic sources in more unusual cases.
if... |
you should... |
here are examples... |
if a publication includes a digital object identifier (DOI), a permanent identifier for an electronic publication, use that instead of a URL |
use the DOI instead of a URL |
Gaudio, J. L., & Snowdon, C. T. (2008). Spatial cues more salient than color cues in cotton-top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus) reversal learning. Journal of Comparative Psychology, 122, 441-444. doi: 10.1037/0735-7036.122.4.441 |
if you retrieved a journal or newspaper article online but it does not have a DOI |
use "Retrieved from http:// . . . ," using the URL for the journal or newspaper's home page |
Barringer, F. (2009, Sept. 14). Hawaii tries green tools in remaking power grid. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com Park, A. (2009, Sept. 14). A shot at cancer. Time 174(10), 32-39. Retrieved from www.time.com/ |
if you're referencing an electronic version of a journal article that appears in print and has page numbers (in a PDF, for example) |
use page numbers; no URL |
Alibali, M. W., Phillips, K. M. O., & Fischer, A. D. (2009). Learning new problem-solving strategies leads to changes in problem representation. Cognitive Development, 24, 89-101. doi:10.1016 |
if you found a source through an online database |
do not list the database (such as PsycARTICLES, ScienceDirect, EBSCO, LexisNexis, ProQuest) you used to find an article; use "Retrieved from http:// . . ." using the URL for the magazine, journal, or newspaper's home page |
Alibali, M. W., Phillips, K. M. O., & Fischer, A. D. (2009). Learning new problem-solving strategies leads to changes in problem representation. Cognitive Development, 24, 89-101. doi:10.1016/j.cogdev.2008.12.005 Park, A. (2009, Sept. 14). A shot at cancer. Time 174(10), 32-39. Retrieved from www.time.com/ |
you're wondering whether to include a retrieval date |
do not list a retrieval date unless the source is likely to change over time (a home page, a wiki, or a discussion board, for example) |
Research Initiatives. (n.d.). Retrieved January 11, 2007, from MIT, Comparative Media Studies website, http://cms.mit.edu/research/index.php |
