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Conducting Archival Research: Citation

This guide will assist you in performing research in archival repositories. The guide will include general site guidelines, best practices of archives, types of sources, research strategies, navigation of finding aids, and more.

Importance of Citation

Citing your archival sources is important because it will verify facts, give credit to original creators, prevent plagiarism, increase credibility, and adhere to the ethical standards of research. When citing sources, referring to the official manual or style guide is the best practice. Often, generated citations or other tools can contain errors or inaccuracies. Therefore, if researchers choose to use different citation tools, it is highly encouraged that they verify the citation format according to the official style guide. 

Below, you will find some popular citation resources. These tools can be helpful during the research process to ensure that you keep track of and cite all sources.

Citing Archival Sources

Purdue University Archives and Special Collections has created a useful guide for citing primary sources from archives. This guide includes information for citing traditional paper and electronic sources. Visit the link HERE for access to this Library Guide.

American Psychological Association (APA) Style Guide

Chicago Style Guide

Modern Language Association Handbook