CSE Citation Style QuickGuide

University of Alberta Library

This guide is based on The CSE Manual: Scientific Style and Format for Authors, Editors, and Publishers (9th edition, 2024). For more information
and examples please see the CSE Manual, available online.

Components of CSE Style

The CSE Manual provides a choice of three different citation systems. This guide uses the Name-Year system, which includes two components:
in-text references throughout your work and a reference list at the end of your work that provides full details about your cited sources.

In-Text References (CSE Manual, sec. 29.2)

An in-text reference includes the last names of up to two authors and the year of publication. For example, (Hofmann 2024). See the table under
“How to Format Author Names” for more details. In a sentence, it should be placed right after the word or phrase to which it refers. For example:
“Changes in the body during long-duration spaceflight (Lee et al 2020) can lead to …”
To cite multiple works at once, list the works in chronological order, from earliest to most recent:
● Works by different authors: (Langue 2015; Hofmann 2024)
● Works by the same author(s) in different years: (Langue 2015, 2018)
● Works by the same author(s) in the same year: (Langue 2015a, 2015b). Add the same letters after the year in the reference list entries.

Reference List Entries (sec. 29.3)

A reference list should only include works you have seen first-hand. Entries should be organized alphabetically (see the last page of this guide for
an example reference list).
Journal titles are typically abbreviated. To find an abbreviation, search for the journal title in the following databases:
● CAS Source Index Search Tool: http://cassi.cas.org/search.jsp
● Web of Science: https://images.webofknowledge.com/images/help/WOS/A_abrvjt.html
● Journal database at NCBI: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nlmcatalog/journals
If you cannot find the journal title in any of these databases, search for the root of each title word in the List of Title Word Abbreviations. Articles,
conjunctions, and prepositions are omitted from abbreviated titles (sec. 29.4.1.1).
CSE recommends including a URL (link) at the end of the reference for any work accessed online (sec 29.4.1).
● If the work has a digital object identifier (DOI), use that as the URL. You can create a stable URL by starting with https://doi.org/ and then
adding the DOI. Test the URL to make sure it works.
● If the work does not have a DOI, use another stable URL (sometimes labeled as a permalink or permanent link).

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How to Format Author Names (CSE Manual, secs. 29.2 & 29.3)
For works with multiple authors, list their names in the order they appear in the original text.
Author Type Beginning of Reference List Entry In-Text Reference
1 author Hofmann AH. 2024. (Hofmann 2024)
2 authors Bilgrami AL, Khan A. 2022. (Bilgrami and Khan 2022)
3 to 5 authors Hutchen J, Berseth V, Nguyen V. 2024. (Hutchen et al 2024)
6 or more authors* Rodriguez-Rafael ED et al. 2024. (Rodriguez-Rafael et al 2024)
Organization** [WHO] World Health Organization. 2023. (WHO 2023)
No author*** Trees of Canada. [date unknown]. (Trees … [date unknown])
* List the first author’s names, followed by “et al.” (sec. 29.3.3.1)
** CSE recommends using an abbreviated organization name and including it in square brackets at the beginning of the in-text reference (secs. 29.2.1.2.5)
*** For a work with no known author, begin the reference list entry with the title of the work; begin the in-text reference with the first word or first few words of the title (enough words
to distinguish it from other titles in your references), followed by an ellipsis (sec. 29.2.1.2.6). In this example, the publication date is also unknown.

Reference Examples
Source Template Reference List Entry In-Text Reference

Authors. Year of publication. Article title. Abbreviated Hutchen J, Berseth V, Nguyen V. 2024. Whose authority
Journal article Journal Title. Volume(issue):page numbers. drives the narrative?: framing the spread of mountain
Print (Hutchen et al 2024)
NOTE: If a journal does not have issue numbers, omit pine beetle in Canadian news media. Environ Commun.
(sec. 29.4.1)
that part of the reference. 18(4):465–483.

Authors. Year of publication. Article title. Abbreviated Davies J, Davies D. 2010. Origins and evolution of
Journal article Journal Title. Volume(issue):page numbers. DOI antibiotic resistance. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev. (Davies and Davies
Online (sec. 29.4.1) 2010)
or other URL 74(3):417–433. https://doi.org/10.1128/MMBR.00016-10

Journal article
Online, with article Authors. Year of publication. Article title. Abbreviated Rodriguez-Rafael ED et al. 2024. Effects of warm
(Rodriguez-Rafael et al
number instead of Journal Title. Volume(issue):article number. DOI oceanographic anomalies on the foraging variability of
2024)
page numbers or other URL northern elephant seals. Mar Biol. 171(8):162.
(sec. 29.4.1)

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Source Template Reference List Entry In-Text Reference

Authors. Publication date. Article title. Magazine Title.

Magazine Koren M. 2024 Jul 17. The search for alien life starts on
URL
article earth. The Atlantic.
NOTE: The CSE Manual does not mention magazine (Koren 2024)
(sec. 29.4.1 & https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2024/07/ali
29.4.10) articles, but they may be cited similarly to journal or en-life-earth-climate-change/679039/
news articles.

Newspaper Weiss R. 2003 Apr 11. Study shows problems in cloning

article Author. Publication date. Title of article. Newspaper people: researchers find replicating primates will be
(Weiss 2003)
Print Name (edition). Section:page number. harder than other mammals. Washington Post (Home
(sec. 29.4.10) Ed.). Sect. A:12.

Newspaper Alam H. 2024 Jan 31. Fossils from Permian era exposed
article Author. Publication date. Title of article. Newspaper in PEI after Fiona storm. The Globe and Mail.
(Alam 2024)
Online name (edition). URL https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-fossils
(sec. 29.4.10) -from-permian-era-exposed-in-pei-after-fiona-storm/

Book Authors. Year of publication. Title. Edition. Publisher. Hofmann AH. 2024. Writing in the biological sciences: a
Print NOTE: If no edition is specified, exclude that part of comprehensive resource for scientific communication. (Hofmann 2024)
(sec. 29.4.2) the reference. 5th ed. Oxford University Press.

Ebook Bilgrami AL, Khan A. 2022. Plant nematode biopesticides.

Authors. Year of publication. Title. Edition. Publisher. (Bilgrami and Khan
(secs. 29.4.2 & Academic Press.
DOI or other URL 2022)
29.4.2.3) https://doi.org/10.1016/C2019-0-05471-4

Van Kooten GC, Bulte E, Sinclair ARE, editors. 2017.

Edited book Editor Name(s), editors. Year of publication. Title. Conserving nature’s diversity: insights from biology,
(Van Kooten et al 2017)
(sec. 29.4.2.1) Edition. Publisher. DOI or other URL ethics and economics. Routledge.
https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315191263

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Source Template Reference List Entry In-Text Reference

Stoffle RW, Arnold R, Van Vlack K. 2024. Native American

Authors of chapter. Year of publication. Chapter title. science in a living universe: a Paiute perspective. In:
Chapter in an In: Editor Names, editors. Book title. Edition. Johnson EA, Arlidge SM, editors. Natural science and
edited book (Stoffle et al 2024)
Publisher. Page numbers of chapter. DOI or other Indigenous knowledge: the Americas experience.
(sec. 29.4.2.10)
URL Cambridge University Press. p 107–136.
https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009416665.005

Hernandez J. 2022. Fresh banana leaves: healing

Chapter in an Authors. Year of publication. Book title. Edition.
Indigenous landscapes through Indigenous science.
authored book Publisher. Chapter title; page numbers of chapter. (Hernandez 2022)
North Atlantic Books. Ecowars: seeking environmental
(sec. 29.4.2.10) DOI or other URL
justice; p 125–154.

Reference book Authors of entry. Year of publication. Entry title. In: Lata S, Raghava G. 2013. Antimicrobial peptides. In:
(Lata and Raghava
entry Editor Names, editors. Book title. Edition. Dubitzky W, Wolkenhauer O, Cho K, Yokota H, editors.
2013)
(secs. 29.4.2.10 & Publisher. Page numbers of entry. DOI or other Encyclopedia of systems biology. Springer. p 31–33.
29.4.2.3) URL https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-9863-7_87

Part of a Lab Authors. Year of publication. Lab manual/coursepack

title. Edition. Publisher. Chapter/section title; page Smart IM. 2023. AUBIO 251 laboratory manual. University
Manual or of Alberta, Augustana Faculty. Ecological sampling
Coursepack numbers of chapter/section. (Smart 2023)
techniques: species-area relationships and species
With author(s) NOTE: If no edition or page numbers are provided, diversity. p 27–29.
(sec. 29.4.2.10) leave out those components.

Authors of chapter/section. Year of publication.

Part of a Lab Chapter/section title. In: Editor Names, editors.
Manual or Lab manual/coursepack title. Edition. Publisher. Langue T. 2015. Whale evolution. In: Strong B, editor.
Coursepack Page numbers of chapter/section. AUBIO 101 laboratory manual: animal evolution. (Langue 2015)
With editor(s) NOTE: If the author of the part you are citing is not University of Alberta, Augustana Faculty. p 15–19.
(sec. 29.4.2.10) known, move the section title to the beginning of the
reference.

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Source Template Reference List Entry In-Text Reference

Davis MM. 2008. Temporal and spatial regulation of gene

Dissertation or Author. Year of publication. Title [description of expression in drosophila melanogaster development
Thesis (Davis 2008)
content]. Publisher. URL and immunity [dissertation]. University of Alberta.
(sec. 29.4.5)
https://archive.org/details/davis2008

Canadian
statute
(sec. 29.4.15; Title, statute volume jurisdiction year, chapter, Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act, RSA
Canadian Guide to (Environmental … 2000)
section or other location element if applicable. 2000, c E-12, s 2.
Uniform Legal
Citation, 10th ed.,
sec. 2.1)

Report [WHO] World Health Organization. 2023. World health

Organization as Authors. Year of publication. Title of report. Publisher. statistics 2023: monitoring health for the SDGs. World
author (WHO 2023)
URL Health Organization.
(secs. 29.4.4 &
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240074323
29.4.11)

Web page Thurton D. 2024 Jul 16. Ottawa unveils plan to phase out
With personal Author. Year, Month, day of publication or update. oil-fired furnaces and support heat pumps. CBC.
(Thurton 2024)
author Title of page. Publisher. URL https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/oil-furnace-green-strat
(sec. 29.4.11) egy-canada-wilkinson-heat-pump-1.7264385

Web page
No author & no Trees of Canada. [date unknown]. Tree Canada;
Title of page. [date unknown]. Publisher; [date (Trees … [date
date [accessed 2024 May 11].
accessed]. URL unknown])
(secs. 29.2.1.2.8, https://treecanada.ca/resources/trees-of-canada/
29.4.11, & 29.4.9)

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Source Template Reference List Entry In-Text Reference

Smith C. 2022 Apr 12. Contagious cancers [podcast]. The

Presenter(s). Date posted. Title of episode
Podcast Naked Scientists. University of Cambridge.
[description of content]. Title of Podcast Program. (Smith 2022)
(sec. 29.4.14.1) https://www.thenakedscientists.com/podcasts/naked-sci
Producer. URL
entists-podcast/contagious-cancers

Photosynthesis and respiration [YouTube video]. 2011 Jul

Online video Title of video [description of content]. Date posted. (Photosynthesis …
7. Bozeman Science. YouTube.
(sec. 29.4.14.2) Title of Program/Channel. Publisher. URL 2011)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IJMRsTcwcg

Social media Username or page name. Date of posting. Title or

@blogTO. 2024 Jul 17. People were out kayaking and
post catching fish on flooded Toronto streets. X. (@blogTO 2024)
text of post. Platform. URL
(sec. 29.4.13) https://x.com/blogTO/status/1813561635224633590

NOTE: CSE recommends placing references to

Personal (2021 conversation
personal communications such as letters and
communication conversations within the running text, not as formal between J Mickelson
(sec. 29.4.16.2) references. and me; unreferenced)

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Example Reference List

Note: Reference lists should have the heading “Cited References,” “References,” “Reference List,” or “Literature Cited.” (CSE Manual, sec. 29.3)

References

Alam H. 2024 Jan 31. Fossils from Permian era exposed in PEI after Fiona storm. The Globe and Mail.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-fossils-from-permian-era-exposed-in-pei-after-fiona-storm/

Davies J, Davies D. 2010. Origins and evolution of antibiotic resistance. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev. 74(3):417–433.
https://doi.org/10.1128/MMBR.00016-10

Davis MM. 2008. Temporal and spatial regulation of gene expression in drosophila melanogaster development and immunity [dissertation].
University of Alberta. https://archive.org/details/davis2008

Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act, RSA 2000, c E-12, s 2.

Hernandez J. 2022. Fresh banana leaves: healing Indigenous landscapes through Indigenous science. North Atlantic Books. Ecowars: seeking
environmental justice; p 125–154.

Hutchen J, Berseth V, Nguyen V. 2024. Whose authority drives the narrative?: framing the spread of mountain pine beetle in Canadian news media.
Environ Commun. 18(4):465–483.

Koren M. 2024 Jul 17. The search for alien life starts on earth. The Atlantic.
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2024/07/alien-life-earth-climate-change/679039/

Rodriguez-Rafael ED et al. 2024. Effects of warm oceanographic anomalies on the foraging variability of northern elephant seals. Mar Biol.
171(8):162.

Trees of Canada. [date unknown]. Tree Canada; [accessed 2024 May 11]. https://treecanada.ca/resources/trees-of-canada/

Van Kooten GC, Bulte E, Sinclair ARE, editors. 2017. Conserving nature’s diversity: insights from biology, ethics and economics. Routledge.
https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315191263

Weiss R. 2003 Apr 11. Study shows problems in cloning people: researchers find replicating primates will be harder than other mammals.
Washington Post (Home Ed.). Sect. A:12.

[WHO] World Health Organization. 2023. World health statistics 2023: monitoring health for the SDGs. World Health Organization.
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240074323
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