APSA citation style relies on an author-date system to cite publications in a variety of formats. It concentrates on formats important to political science, with special attention given to documents produced within the United States government. In APSA, parenthetical references within the text direct readers to a reference list, which appears at the end of the text.
*NOTE: Professors may use an older edition of style guide. Always check with your professor for correct copy.
Want a physical copy of the APSA Style Manual?
Check out the Political Science Course Reserves, where we have multiple copies of the 2006 style guide.
Style Manual for Political Science by
Since the last iteration of APSA's Style Manual for Political Science in 2006, the landscape of APSA journals has changed significantly. Many innovations and developments have occurred in the journal submission and review processes. Consequently, APSA decided to undertake a comprehensive revision of the Manual to reflect the standards of today's authors and manuscripts. Importantly, the Revised 2018 Edition of the Style Manual for Political Science expands and updates previous information to incorporate APSA's four member-wide journals: the American Political Science Review, PS: Political Science & Politics, Perspectives on Politics, and the Journal of Political Science Education, as well as the many organized section journals. The Manual itself walks authors through an easy-to-follow, step-by-step process: from manuscript preparation to submission. The sections include: manuscript preparation, manuscript writing (including punctuation and style), parenthetical citations, notes, tables and figures, and additional resources. The Manual acts as an umbrella submission guide; it is an excellent resource for authors writing without a journal in mind. The Manual contrasts with journal-specific style guidelines, which authors must still ultimately follow, but that have specifications not reflected in the larger Manual.
Using Chicago Style?
The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) uses two documentation styles, typically the social sciences us the Author-Date System.
***For more information using Chicago, check out OWL Purdue or the Chicago Style Libguide.
The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition by
Technologies may change, but the need for clear and accurate communication never goes out of style. That is why for more than one hundred years The Chicago Manual of Style has remained the definitive guide for anyone who works with words. In the seven years since the previous edition debuted, we have seen an extraordinary evolution in the way we create and share knowledge. This seventeenth edition of The Chicago Manual of Style has been prepared with an eye toward how we find, create, and cite information that readers are as likely to access from their pockets as from a bookshelf. It offers updated guidelines on electronic workflows and publication formats, tools for PDF annotation and citation management, web accessibility standards, and effective use of metadata, abstracts, and keywords. It recognizes the needs of those who are self-publishing or following open access or Creative Commons publishing models. The citation chapters reflect the ever-expanding universe of electronic sources--including social media posts and comments, private messages, and app content--and also offer updated guidelines on such issues as DOIs, time stamps, and e-book locators. Other improvements are independent of technological change. The chapter on grammar and usage includes an expanded glossary of problematic words and phrases and a new section on syntax as well as updated guidance on gender-neutral pronouns and bias-free language. Key sections on punctuation and basic citation style have been reorganized and clarified. To facilitate navigation, headings and paragraph titles have been revised and clarified throughout. And the bibliography has been updated and expanded to include the latest and best resources available. This edition continues to reflect expert insights gathered from Chicago's own staff and from an advisory board of publishing experts from across the profession. It also includes suggestions inspired by emails, calls, and even tweets from readers. No matter how much the means of communication change, The Chicago Manual of Style remains the ultimate resource for those who care about getting the details right.
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