CSE-style Documentation

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This handout covers basic principles of documentation for CSE-style (formerly CBE-style), a writing format commonly used in the natural sciences. It is based on the Council of Science Editors' Scientific Style and Format: The CBE Manual for Authors, Editors, and Publishers, 6th edition. For more help, refer to Manual (corresponding reference sections are provided in parentheses throughout this handout).

Note: Manual is available at Harold B. Lee Library: Science/Maps circulation desk (2nd floor), call number T 11 .S386. Checkout is restricted to 2 hour in-library use.

 

Citation

Each use of information from another source (whether quoted, paraphrased, summarized, or referred to) must be accompanied with appropriate documentation. A CSE-style paper may be documented with one of two systems: citation-sequence (C-S) or name-year (N-Y). C-S indicates documentation with superscripts; this system is easier to implement, takes less space, and requires less interruption of text (30.2). Conversely, N-Y system indicates authorship information within the text so that readers do not have to repeatedly refer to a reference list (30.3). Therefore, N-Y is generally preferred for papers with minimal sources; C-S, for papers with dense and extensive documentation.

C-S system (30.5)

Indicate documentation by inserting a superscript at the end of the borrowed information, before punctuation.

Example: According to a recent study, prenatal stress can influence a child’s behavioral reactivity for up to 3 years¹.

Number citations according to the order in which the corresponding source is first presented.

For subsequent citation of a particular source, use the same number as the original superscript for that source (30.14).

When citing more than one source to support a single claim, insert a superscript containing numerals representing each source. Indicate continuous sources with a dash, and non-continuous sources with a comma, as shown:

Example: . . . lingual nerve^{2 – 3, 4, 7 – 9}.

When citing an original source cited within a secondary source, include numerals for both the primary and secondary source.

Example: . . . traumatic neuroma axons ^{12(cited in 13)}.

Note: This indicates that you did not consult the original source, (12); rather, you consulted a source that consulted the original source—namely, a secondary source, (13). Secondary research is generally discouraged (30.5), but it may be occasionally tolerated for undergraduate research; check with your instructor.

N-Y system (30.6)

Indicate documentation by using an in-text citation containing the author’s name and the year of publication. This is accomplished in one of two ways.

When mentioning the author directly within the text, insert the publication year within parentheses immediately after the author's name.

Example: According to Wadhwa (2005), prenatal stress can influence a child's behavioral reactivity for up to 3 years.

Note: If a source is not yet published and the anticipated publication date is unknown, use the word forthcoming instead of the year. If the anticipated date is known, cite as usual (30.68).

When not mentioning the author directly, include the author’s surname in a parenthetical citation at the end of the borrowed information, before punctuation.

Example: According to a recent study, prenatal stress can influence a child's behavioral reactivity for up to 3 years (Wadhwa 2005).

Note: Formats for parenthetical information vary, depending on the number and/or type of author:

For sources with 2 authors, place surnames in the order they are listed in the original source, separating with "and" (30.8).

Example: (Jardine and Baker 1996)

When authors have the same last name, include initials (30.8).

Example: (Haderlie SJ and Haderlie M 2002)

For 3 or more authors, provide the first surname only, followed by "and others" (30.8).

Example: (Holm and others 1965)

Abbreviate group authors, if possible (30.6).

Example: (FBI 1998)

For a source without a byline, list as anonymous (30.6).

Example: (Anonymous 2001)

For an original source cited within a secondary source, cite as shown (30.8):

Example: (Oscanyan 1854, cited in Allred 2002)

Note: This indicates that you did not consult the original source (Oscanyan); rather, you consulted a source that consulted the original source—namely, a secondary source (Allred). Secondary research is generally discouraged (30.5), but it may be occasionally tolerated for undergraduate research—check with your instructor.

Other important rules for N-Y documentation are as follows:

When documenting multiple sources for a single claim, list the sources in chronological order, separating each with a semicolon (30.8).

Example: (Holm and others 1996; Jardine and Baker 1996; FBI 1998)

Note: If 2 or more of the sources have the same year, list those sources alphabetically (see above example).

When multiple sources are by the same author, list as shown (30.7).

Example: (Gunter 1942, 1968, 1975)

If your paper cites 2 or more sources with the same author and year, attach a letter (a, b, c, …) to the year for each citation, according to the chronological order of the publication, earliest first (30.7).

Example: 1994a, 1994b.

Include the letter every time the source is cited, as well as in the reference list (see below).

 

Reference List

Provide cited sources in a reference list at the end of the document. Begin a new heading, centered, entitled "References" (30.13). C-S entries are listed and numbered according to the order they are first presented in the paper, matched with corresponding in-text citations (30.14). N-Y entries are listed in alphabetical order (30.6, 30.15). CSE does not specify requirements for indentation or spacing.

Two important notes:

First, do not include personal communications in the reference list; instead, insert parenthetical statements within the main text, providing relevant details and an indication of being "unreferenced" (30.10).

Example: (a 1942 letter from Stodtmeister to me; unreferenced).

Second, when a secondary source is used, a full entry is required for it as well as the original source; after the original source's entry, include a note indicating the corresponding secondary source (30.5, 30.8).

For C-S reference list entries, include the following items in order: author's name, source title, publication information, publication date, and page number(s). For N-Y, list the same items in a slightly different order: the publication date is inserted between the author's name and the source title (30.16).

Author name(s) (30.22)

List the surname followed by the first and middle initials, if given.

Example: Smith TW.

For 2 – 10 authors, list all authors, separating names with a comma.

Example: Jardine TJ, Baker DG.

For 11 or more authors, list the first 10 authors followed by "and others."

If no author is listed, place "Anonymous" in brackets (30.33).

Example: [Anonymous].

Indicate editors as shown (30.33).

Example: Stodtmeister and Gunter, editors.

Note: Group authorship formatting differs between the 2 systems (30.33): For C-S, abbreviate group authors, if possible.

Example: FDA.

For N-Y, precede the full name with an abbreviation in brackets, if possible.

Example: [FDA] Food and Drug Administration

Source title (30.23, 30.34)

Do not italicize or underline titles nor place them in quotes. For article and book titles, capitalize only the first word and proper nouns. For journal/magazine titles, capitalize the first word and all other words except conjunctions, articles, and prepositions (A1.2).

Publication information

For articles, provide the journal/magazine name and volume number. For books, provide the publication place and publisher name. For the place, include the state/province/country postal abbreviation in parentheses if needed to identify.

Example: Urbana (IL).

Journal names exceeding one word should be abbreviated according to the National Library of Medicine [NLM] Recommended Formats for Bibliographic Citation (30.24, 30.36). The rules for this system are well beyond the scope of this handout; they are found in Manual's appendices (A1 – A2) or at NLM's website, appendix B: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/pubs/formats/recommendedformats.pdf

Publication date (30.25)

In most cases, provide only the publication year. There is an exception for journal/magazine articles paginated by issue (see below).

For sources not yet published, use the anticipated date, if known, and include "forthcoming" at the end of the entry (30.68).

Page number(s) (30.27, 30.39)

For articles, chapters, or selections of books, provide page numbers for the selection only (see examples below). For an entire book, indicate its total number of pages (30.37).

Example: 476 p

Three comments about page numbers:

First, page numbers are always indicated by a single "p" without punctuation (30.18).

Second, do not include redundant numerals for continuous pages (30.27); eg., for pages 137 through 139, "137 – 9" is correct, not "137 – 39."

Third, page numbers are generally reserved for the reference list, not cited within the main text. However, N-Y system allows for specific page references to be added to parenthetical citations (30.9).

Example: (Bird 1994, p 8)

Basic examples and guidelines for common types of entries are provided below, one for each system.

Note: For more extensive help, refer to Manual. The specific numerals at the front of each C-S entry example are for convenience only. The actual numerals depend on the order in which the sources are first presented.

Journal or magazine article, paginated by volume (30.19 – 30.29, 30.53)

C-S: 1. Ervasti JM, Campbell KP. Membrane organization of the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex. Cell 1991;66:1121 – 31.

N-Y: Ervasti JM, Campbell KP. 1991. Membrane organization of the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex. Cell 66:1121 – 31.

Note: If a journal is paginated by issue (30.19 – 30.20; 30.25), rather than volume, insert the issue number immediately after the volume number, in parentheses.

Example: 12(5):42 – 74.

In addition, include the month/season with date information.

Example: 1997 May (abbreviate months as their first 3 letters).

Include the day, if given, for weekly/daily periodicals.

Example: 1997 May 16

Book, brochure, or pamphlet (30.30 – 30.38)

C-S: 2. Goldstein D. Once upon a virus: AIDS legends and vernacular risk perception. Logan: Utah State University Press; 2004. 210 p.

N-Y: Goldstein D. 2004. Once upon a virus: AIDS legends and vernacular risk perception. Logan: Utah State University Press. 210 p.

Article or chapter in an edited book (30.39 – 30.40)

C-S: 3. Weil JV, Kryger MH, Scoggin CH. Sleep and breathing at high altitude. In: Guilleminault C, Dement W, editors. Sleep apnea syndromes. New York: Alan R Liss Inc; 1978. p 119 – 36.

N-Y: Weil JV, Kryger MH, Scoggin CH. 1978. Sleep and breathing at high altitude. In: Guilleminault C, Dement W, editors. Sleep apnea syndromes. New York: Alan R Liss Inc. p 119 – 36.

Internet article (30.62 – 30.64).

Format varies depending on the type of source. In general, include the URL and the date accessed according to the format shown below.

C-S: 4. Jones JR. Geological explorations. 1997. Available from: http://www.madeupsite.org. Accessed: 1998 May 15.

N-Y: Jones JR. 1997. Geological explorations. Available from: http://www.madeupsite.org. Accessed: 1998 May 15.

Note: For more information on citing Internet articles, refer to the National Library of Medicine [NLM] Recommended Formats for Bibliographic Citation: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/pubs/formats/internet.pdf

Dennis Wendt, Jr., Aug. 2005