Citing Primary Sources

What is the proper form for the citation of primary source material? Students preparing papers for classwork should consult with their instructors to see which stylesheet to use.

Examples are:

• Modern Language Association of America. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations
• Turabian, Kate L. Student's Guide for Writing College Papers
• University of Chicago Press Staff. The Chicago Manual of Style

The purpose of a citation is to allow readers to return to the original source material, so that they may judge for themselves the accuracy of quotations and the full context in which cited material appeared. Researchers should record as much information about the original source as possible.

Important Elements:

• Author's name
• Recipient's name
• Date written
• Name of collection
• Name of depository
• Depository's location

Examples: