CSE Documentation and Style Guidelines 79d
The CSE style, recommended by the Council of Science Editors and used in the biological
and other sciences, has two parts: documentation in the text and a reference list. (Kirszner
and Mandell)
Citing Sources in Your Text
There are two ways to cite sources within a text: Citation-sequence format and name-year
format.
Citation-Sequence Format


This style uses either raised numbers (preferred) or numbers parenthetically placed
in the text.
Citing only one source in a sentence:
One study1 has demonstrated the effect of low dissolved oxygen.

Citing multiple sources in a sentence:
A variety of types of surface-active organic compounds may adhere to

These numbers correspond to a list of references at the end of the paper. If
referencing more that one source at a time, the author uses a dash between numbers
if they are in sequence and a comma if they are not.
….and the nutritional potential of macrophyte detritus for consumers.(79,84,85)
Name-Year Format

This style requires the author’s name and the year of publication to be
parenthetically inserted in the text. If the author’s name is mentioned when
1
(92-94)
(79,84,85)
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introducing the source material, then only the date of publication is needed.
As McGinnes states in her research, a great deal of heat is of

Single author:
A great deal of heat is often generated during this process (M

Two or three authors:
In the APW method, for instance, this test provides only a su

More than three authors:
Coral reefs are important sources of revenue for the fishing a
Preparing your References page
Citation-Sequence Format

Sources are listed by number in the order in which they appeared in the text. Type
the numbers on the lines, not as a superscript.
Name-Year Format

Sources are listed in alphabetical order.
Basic Guidelines

Begin the reference list on a new page after the last page of the paper, numbered as
the next page of the paper.

Center the title References, Literature Cited, or References Cited about one inch
from the top of the page.

Type the first line of each entry flush with the left-hand margin; align subsequent
lines directly beneath the first letter or the author’s last name.

Double-space within and between entries.

Break URLs before a period or after a colon, slash, double slash, or the @ symbol.
Basic Forms for Print Sources
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1. Books
Citation-Sequence
Author’s name (Last name First and Middle Initials). Title (n
Margulis L, Schwartz KV. Five kingdoms: an illustrated gui
Name-Year Sequence
Author’s name. year. Title. Place of publication. Publisher. N
Margulis L, Schwartz KV. 1998. Five kingdoms: an illustrat

One author:
Minelli A. 1993. Biological systematics: the state of the art. London:
Chapman and Hall. 387 p.

Two authors:
Margulis L, Schwartz KV. 1998. Five kingdoms: an illustrated guide to
the phyla of life on earth. New York: Freeman, 520 p.

Three authors:
Margulis L, Schwartz KV, Dolan M. 1999. Diversity of life: the

Edited book:
Kasahara M, editor. 2000. Major histocompatiblity complex: evolution,
structure, function. Toykyo: Springer-Verlag. 561 p.
2. Articles
Citation-Sequence
Author’s name. Title. Abbreviated Journal Name (unless it is a one-word
name) year (and month and day if given);volume number:inclusive page
numbers.
Paul DR, Wang AR, Richards L. The human genome project. Sci Am
1995 Sept;285(2): 43-52.
Name-Year
Author’s name. Year(followed by abbreviated month and day if given).
Title. Abbreviated journal name Volume number:inclusive page numbers.
Paul DR, Wang AR, Richards L. 1995 Sept. The human genome project.
Sci Am 2:43-52
3. Electronic Sources
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Information database
Source [form]. Location: Article title, database. Date. Available from:
exact URL
The ECU Libraries Net [Internet]. Greenville NC: Science’s Next Wave,
Research Databases. 2003 Mar. Available from:
http://www.lib.ecu:2244/cgi/content/full/2002/08/13/3?
Source: Kirszner L, Mandell SR. 2004. The pocket handbook for biology.
Boston:Thomson Wadsworth. 294 p.
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