A Tale of Two Formats
Many items are available as digital or paper copies. Each style has its own treatment of these hybrid items. Use these guideline below to get started with citing these items in APA, Chicago, or MLA, however, refer to the appropriate manual for specific questions about citations.
Digital Sources (APA)
- Cite the version that you used (print or digital).
- If the item has a DOI include it at the end of the citation.
- If the item does not have a DOI include the URL for the hompage of the journal, newspaper, or magazine.
eBooks
- Inlcude a description of the version in brackets after the title, for example: [Adobe Digital Editions version].
- Include the DOI or URL
Online Journals
- Include the DOI or URL
- For preprint articles include the exact URL.
Digital Sources (Chicago)
- Cite the version you consult (digital or paper).
- If a DOI is available, include it as the final element in your citation.
- If a DOI is not available, include a URL.
eBooks
- Add a media marker at the end of the citation. Kindle edition. PDF e-book. Microsoft Reader e-Book. CD-ROM. etc.
- Add the DOI or URL
Online Journals
- Add the DOI or URL to the citaiton.
Digital Sources (MLA)
- Cite the version you used.
- Note the medium of publication Web or Print.
- Do not include a URL unless it is required to find the item.
eBooks
- Include print citation followed by Title of database/website. Web. Day month and year of access.
Online Journals
- Include print citation followed by Web. Day month and year of access.
- If no page numbers are used, write n. pag. instead of page numbers.