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Citing Sources
- APA Style GuideStyle guide for APA, 7th edition. APA is used across many scientific disciplines and publications.
- ASMFrom an American Society for Microbiology journal's Instructions to Authors. Note the most effective way to familiarize yourself with this style will be to look at the reference lists of recent articles published in this journal.
- CSEA comprehensive guide to CSE style from The Writing Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Be aware of whether you should be using citation-sequence, citation-name, or name-year format.
- NLM CatalogSearch by journal name to find (among other things) the correct abbreviation for a journal.
Writing Handbooks
Publication Manual (OFFICIAL) 7th Edition of the American Psychological Association by Call Number: BF76.7 .P83 2020ISBN: 1433832151Publication Date: 2019-10-01Practical guide for writing papers in APA style.
Scientific Style and Format by Call Number: T11 .S386 2014ISBN: 9780226116495Publication Date: 2014-05-07Developed by the Council of Science Editors (CSE), the leading professional association in science publishing, this indispensable guide encompasses all areas of the sciences. Now in its eighth edition, it has been fully revised to reflect today's best practices in scientific publishing.
A Short Guide to Writing about Biology
Consulting books about the writing process is a good way to develop your skills as a writer and researcher. The books below offer insights into strengthening scientific writing skills.
A Short Guide to Writing about Biology by Call Number: QH304 .P43 2016Located in Rose Library - Reserves (ask at the circulation desk). The library also has two earlier editions (call numbers QH304 .P43 2007 and QH304 .P43 2013) shelved with the general books in Rose.
The Scientist's Guide to Writing by
A concise and accessible primer on the scientific writer's craft The ability to write clearly is critical to any scientific career. The Scientist's Guide to Writing provides practical advice to help scientists become more effective writers so that their ideas have the greatest possible impact. Drawing on his own experience as a scientist, graduate adviser, and editor, Stephen Heard emphasizes that the goal of all scientific writing should be absolute clarity; that good writing takes deliberate practice; and that what many scientists need are not long lists of prescriptive rules but rather direct engagement with their behaviors and attitudes when they write. He combines advice on such topics as how to generate and maintain writing momentum with practical tips on structuring a scientific paper, revising a first draft, handling citations, responding to peer reviews, managing coauthorships, and more. In an accessible, informal tone, The Scientist's Guide to Writing explains essential techniques that students, postdoctoral researchers, and early-career scientists need to write more clearly, efficiently, and easily. Emphasizes writing as a process, not just a product Encourages habits that improve motivation and productivity Explains the structure of the scientific paper and the function of each part Provides detailed guidance on submission, review, revision, and publication Addresses issues related to coauthorship, English as a second language, and more
Call Number: Rose Stacks, T11 .H425 2016ISBN: 0691170215Publication Date: 2016-04-12
Citation Tools
Citation management tools are incredibly helpful. They can help you:
- Store and organize your sources
- Save and share articles found and your notes with collaborators
- Build citations to use in your writing and final bibliography
JMU provides additional storage space and help with questions about Zotero. Zotero is a free, open-source citation manager that you can use in a web browser or in a downloaded desktop app. It has browser connector plug-ins to make saving sources as you're researching easy. And it has plug-ins for writing with Microsoft Word and Google docs. Check out the following links for more on Zotero:
- Getting started with Zotero at JMUThis is the Libraries' page on how to get started with Zotero at JMU.
- ZoteroZotero is a free, easy-to-use tool to help you collect, organize, cite, and share your research sources
- ZoteroBibZoteroBib is a free service that helps you quickly create a bibliography in any citation style.
- Zotero Help Guide (U. of Arkansas)The University of Arkansas Library has created this help guide for Zotero users.