Citing sources in the American Sociological Association (ASA) style is an important part of writing academic papers. Proper citation helps to give credit to the original authors of the work you are using, and it also helps to support the credibility of your own research. In this essay, we will discuss the basics of how to cite sources in ASA style, including in-text citations and reference list entries.
In-Text Citations
In ASA style, in-text citations consist of the author's last name and the year of publication, separated by a comma. For example:
(Smith, 2020)
If you are quoting directly from a source, you should also include the page number in your in-text citation. For example:
(Smith, 2020, p. 23)
If you are citing multiple works by the same author, you should include the title of the work in your in-text citation. For example:
(Smith, 2020, p. 23)
(Smith, 2021, "The Impact of Social Media")
If you are citing multiple works by different authors, you should list the authors in alphabetical order, separated by semicolons. For example:
(Smith, 2020; Jones, 2021)
Reference List
The reference list is a list of all the sources you have cited in your paper, listed in alphabetical order by the author's last name. The reference list should include all the information needed to locate the source, including the author's name, the title of the work, the publication date, and the publisher.
For example, a book citation might look like this:
Smith, John. (2020). The Impact of Social Media. New York: ABC Publishers.
A journal article citation might look like this:
Jones, Mary. (2021). "The Role of Education in Social Mobility." American Sociological Review, 36(2), 121-145.
An electronic source citation might look like this:
Brown, Jane. (2019). "The Effects of Climate Change on Coastal Communities." Nature, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1723-5.
It is important to be consistent with your citation style throughout your paper and to include all the necessary information in your reference list. Proper citation not only gives credit to the original authors of the work you are using, but it also helps to support the credibility of your own research and to avoid plagiarism. By following these basic guidelines, you can easily cite sources in ASA style and ensure that your academic papers are well-written and properly documented.