Written by Janice R. Walker and Todd Taylor, The Columbia Guide to Online Style (1998) offers models for documenting online sources in the humanities and the sciences. The humanities models reflect MLA style, and the science models reflect APA style, but there are differences in both cases. Columbia online style can be adapted for the Chicago and CSE styles. Columbia University Press provides an overview and updates of COS at http://www.columbia.edu/cu/cup/cgos.
This area of the Web site provides samples of works-cited entries in the humanities and references style in the sciences, and a sample student paper documented in Columbia Online Style for the humanities.
Columbia online style in the humanities
Columbia online style in the sciences
Sample student paper—COS humanities style
Columbia online style in the humanities
Columbia online style adapts most elements of MLA documentation to provide a thorough system for documenting online sources in the humanities.
- As in MLA style, a citation in the text provides the author's last name and the page or other number where the borrowed material appears—for instance, "One research disagrees (Johnson 143)" or "Johnson disagrees (143)." Because many online sources do not use page, paragraph, section, or other numbers, in-text citations of electronic sources may consist only of the author's name.
- Also in MLA style, a list titled "Works Cited" at the end of your paper arranges your sources alphabetically by the author's last name, or by the first main word of the title if there is no author.
Columbia online style in the sciences
Columbia style adapts most elements of APA style to provide a thorough system for documenting online sources in the social, natural, and applied sciences.
- As in APA style, a citation in the text provides the author's last name, the date of publication, and the page or other number where specific borrowings appear—for instance, "One researcher called the study 'deeply flawed' (Johnson, 1998, p. 143)" or "Johnson (1998) called the study 'deeply flawed' (p. 143)." Because many online sources do not use page, paragraph, or other numbers, citations of specific borrowings from electronic sources often consist only of the author's name and the date.
- Also as in APA style, a list titled "References" at the end of your paper arranges your sources alphabetically by the author's last name, or by the first main word of the title if there is no author.
Sample student paper—COS humanities style
Scott, Thad. "Jammin' in the Apple: NYC Jazz—Bebop to Free."
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