Departmental Style Guides

Required Departmental Style Manual or Journal Citation Method

The CSULB Format Manual ALWAYS takes precedence over a departmental style manual or journal citation method, if conflicts arise concerning format. Please be sure to use the most recent version of your citation style.

Department and Style Guide
Department Name Style Manual or Journal Citation Method
Advanced Studies in Education and Counseling American Psychological Association (APA)
Anthropology Chicago Manual of Style; Turabian Manual for Writers
Art
  • Art Education: American Psychological Association (APA)
  • Art History: Chicago Manual of Style; Turabian Manual for Writers
Asian/Asian-American Studies Modern Language Association (MLA); Turabian Manual for Writers
Biological Sciences American Psychological Association (APA)
Bob Cole Conservatory of Music Notes Style Sheet; Turabian Manual for Writers; Chicago Manual of Style
Chemical Engineering Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Chemistry and Biochemistry
  • Chemistry: American Chemical Society (ACS); Turabian Manual for Writers
  • Biochemistry: Journal of Biological Chemistry; Turabian Manual for Writers
Civil Engineering and Construction Engineering Management American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE); Turabian Manual for Writers
Communication Studies American Psychological Association (APA); Chicago Manual of Style; Turabian Manual for Writers; Modern Language Association (MLA)
Computer Engineering and Computer Science Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE); Turabian Manual for Writers
Criminology, Criminal Justice, and Emergency Management, School of
  • Criminology and Criminal Justice: American Psychological Association (APA)
  • Emergency Management: American Psychological Association (APA)
Education, Teacher American Psychological Association (APA)
Educational Leadership  American Psychological Association (APA)
Electrical Engineering Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE); Turabian Manual for Writers
Engineering, General Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE); Turabian Manual for Writers
English and Creative Writing Modern Language Association (MLA)
Family and Consumer Sciences American Psychological Association (APA)
Geography Annals of the Association of American Geographers (AAAG); Chicago Manual of Style; Turabian Manual for Writers
Geological Sciences Geological Society of America (GSA) Bulletin; Turabian Manual for Writers
Health Care Administration American Psychological Association (APA)
Health Science American Psychological Association (APA)
History Chicago Manual of Style; Turabian Manual for Writers
Kinesiology American Psychological Association (APA)
Linguistics American Psychological Association (APA); Chicago Manual of Style; Modern Language Association (MLA)
Mathematics and Statistics Turabian Manual for Writers
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
Nursing, School of American Psychological Association (APA)
Philosophy Philosophy Dept. format guide; American Psychological Association (APA); Chicago Manual of Style; Modern Language Association (MLA)
Physics and Astronomy Physical Review Style and Notation Guidelines; Turabian Manual for Writers
Political Science Turabian Manual for Writers
Psychology American Psychological Association (APA)
Recreation and Leisure Studies American Psychological Association (APA)
Religious Studies Chicago Manual of Style; Modern Language Association (MLA) (with department approval)
Romance, German, and Russian Languages and Literatures Modern Language Association (MLA); Turabian Manual for Writers
Science Education American Psychological Association (APA)
Social Work, School of American Psychological Association (APA)
Sociology American Psychological Association (APA); American Sociological Association (ASA)
Speech-Language Pathology American Psychological Association (APA)
Theatre Arts
  • M.F.A.: Modern Language Association (MLA)
  • M.B.A./M.F.A.: Turabian Manual for Writers

 

The style manuals displayed to the right are available in print form. The Thesis Office always uses the latest print edition. Please verify the most recent edition if you are unsure.

Information about other citation styles is available online. Generally, a keyword search through a major search engine will pick up a link to the style guides used by professional organizations or journal citation methods.

Be careful when choosing a style source; citation builders, citation managers and some online secondary sources have been found to be inaccurate. It is the student's responsibility to review citations created by a citation generator (or any other digital application for creating citations) for accuracy and consistency with official style guide citation rules.

The University Library has a Research Guide web page about Style Manuals and Citation Format with information about different citation styles.

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Seventh Edition by American Psychological Association Staff
Call Number: Reference Desk BF76.7 .P83 2020
ISBN: 9781433832154
Publication Date: 2019-10-01

*Note: The Thesis Office will begin requiring 7th edition format beginning Fall 2020.

A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, Ninth Edition by Kate L. Turabian; Wayne C. Booth (Revised by); Gregory G. Colomb (Revised by); University of Chicago Press Staff (Revised by); Joseph M. Williams (Revised by)
Call Number: Reference Desk LB2369. T8 2018
ISBN: 9780226494425
Publication Date: 2018-04-16

The ACS Style Guide by Lorrin R. Garson (Editor); Anne M. Coghill (Editor)
Call Number: Reference Desk QD8.5 .A25 2006
ISBN: 0841239991
Publication Date: 2006-07-20

MLA Handbook, Eighth Edition by The Modern Language Association of America
Call Number: Reference Desk LB2369 .G53 2016
ISBN: 9781603292658
Publication Date: 2016-03-14

The Chicago Manual of Style, Seventeenth Edition by University of Chicago Staff (Editor)
Call Number: Reference Desk Z253 .U69 2017
ISBN: 9780226287058
Publication Date: 2017-09-05

The table above lists the style manuals or journal citation methods currently on file at the Thesis Office as the required style for  departments at CSULB. Some departments may not have informed the Thesis Office of a particular style or a change in the style required by that department. If you are not sure which style to use, contact your department's graduate advisor or your thesis committee chair for information on which style guide you should follow.

If you use a style other than the ones listed above, you may be required to supply the Thesis Office with a URL or copy of that style guide.