The goals of an accurate citation are:

1. To credit the author, and
2. To enable the reader to find the material.

First, check your assignment! Your professor may have listed which style they require or prefer. If your professor hasn't specified which style to use,  these guidelines will help

APA (American Psychological Association) Style:

Used in the Social Sciences, such as Psychology, Sociology, and the Health Sciences. It is also used in Education, Business, and Engineering.

MLA (Modern Language Association) Style:

 Use for all WRT 150 or 120/130 classes. MLA is most used in the Humanities in fields like English, Art, Philosophy, Religion, and Modern Languages.

Chicago Style:

There are two versions of Chicago Style. The 'Notes & Bibliography' form is used in History, while the 'Author-Date' form is used in most Sciences.

These are not the only citation styles which exist, but they are the three most common. If your professor has not specified which style to use, any of these will be acceptable. Just be sure to pick one style and use it consistently throughout your paper!

If you have further questions, or are still having trouble deciding which citation style to use, you can reach out to the Library Research Center, the Writing Center, or your Liaison Librarian.