Reference Style information including APA

Handouts are available in alternative formats upon request. Please contact contact the Biological Sciences Librarian via the information on the home page. 

Picking out a reference style...

Not sure which reference style to pick out, here are some common reference styles that are used in various disciplines.

Canadian Journal of Zoology reference style

Here is information about the Canadian Journal of Zoology reference style.  If you need additional assistance, you can contact the Biological Sciences Librarian via the links on the homepage. 

Biology courses this term (Winter 2019) that are using this style include:

• BIOL 2210 - The Chordates

Help with other journal reference styles

How to Find Information about a Specific Journal's Citation/Reference Style

1. Search for the journal title in either the University of Manitoba Libraries' One Stop Search or through Google.

2. On the journal's website look for a section called either 'Instructions to Authors', 'Manuscript', or 'Authors Information'.  In this section should be information about how citations/references are formatted.

3. On the journal's website look at a recent journal article published in the journal.  Look at this recent journal article's references section and in-text citations. 

Ask yourself the following questions when looking at a sample journal article to figure out the journal's citation/reference style:

1. How do in-text citations appear in a journal article from the journal?  Do the in-text citations appear as numbers or names?  You will look through the body of the journal article to answer these questions.
2. How does the reference section look like for a journal article from the journal?  Is it called a references or literature cited or bibliography or something else?  You will look at the end of the journal article to answer these questions.
3. How does a journal article reference look like? Are journal titles abbreviated?  Is there any special formatting, such as bolding or italics?  You will look at the references section of the journal article to answer these questions.  Remember that journal articles often provide a journal volume, issue, and page range in the reference.

Here are some journal reference styles being used in biology courses at the University of Manitoba.

How to look up a journal abbreviation

Here are some websites you can use to look up a journal's abbreviation

What if I don't find the journal title I need to abbreviate?

Often journal titles that are one word do not get abbreviated so typically you will not see one word journal titles in journal title abbreviation lists.  Check the journal's website to see if they provide an abbreviation there.  If you still cannot find an abbreviation, contact any University of Manitoba library for assistance either through the Ask Us chat service, email, phone, or in-person.

An easy way to cite my sources

Citation/Reference management software are computer programs that can assist you in quickly storing, organizing, and creating citations/references. Below is a list of a few recommended citation/reference management software; the links will take you to more information about each of them.

For biology students, we recommends using Mendeley (download to your computer) or ZoteroBib (online citation generator).

You may not want to signup for an account, download a program, or use a web version then citation generators are for you.  Citation generators are basically built-in citations from various websites and databases. 

Someone to help me with citing/referencing

Need assistance with citing and referencing? Here are the best places to get assistance

For in-person help...

1. If it's one of the reference styles on this guide, you can contact the Biological Sciences Librarian via the links on the home page of this guide.

2. Academic Learning Centre's Writing Tutors. This is a free service to all University of Manitoba students. You get a 30 minute, one-on-one appointment. More details at the Academic Learning Centre's website or book your appointment now.

3. Any University of Manitoba Library's service desk. Library staff can assist you with finding the appropriate information for referencing sources.

4. Make an appointment with a subject librarian. Subject librarians can help you with a reference/citation style in your subject area. You can make an appointment or email or call them with your questions. Find your subject librarian now.

For online help...

1. OWL Purdue Online Writing Lab: This online source is a great go to place to find information about referencing, citing, and the various styles.

2. Academic Learning Centre's Online Writing Tutor: Free service to all University of Manitoba students. You can book an online writing tutor for assistance with referencing, citing, and more. Note that you need to allow 3 days for this service. More information is on Academic Learning Centre's Online Writing Tutor webpage.

3. University of Manitoba Libraries' chat service - Ask Us: You can chat with a real library staff member for assistance with finding sources and referencing. Go to the University of Manitoba Libraries' website and then click on the Ask Us link.

Citation style for BIOL 2520 (Cell Biology) - Cell journal

Here is information about the journal Cell reference style.  If you need additional assistance, you may contact the Biological Sciences Librarian

Citation style for BIOL 3600 (Biological Diversity and Sustainability) - Conservation Biology journal

Here is information about the Conservation Biology journal reference style.  If you need additional assistance, you can contact the Biological Sciences Librarian via the links on the home page.