Mastering the political science citation format is essential for any serious student or researcher in the discipline. Proper attribution safeguards against plagiarism and signals scholarly rigor, while a consistent style ensures that complex arguments remain the focal point of the reader's attention. This guide moves beyond basic rules to explore the practical application of citation standards within the political science community.
Why Citation Style Matters in Political Science
The choice of citation format in political science is rarely arbitrary; it reflects the historical development of the field and its engagement with adjacent disciplines. Political science has traditionally aligned itself with the social sciences, leading to the widespread adoption of specific style manuals that prioritize the clarity of citing books and journal articles. Adhering to a standard format allows scholars to trace the lineage of an argument, verify source material efficiently, and participate in an ongoing academic conversation with precision.
Primary Citation Systems in the Discipline
Two dominant citation styles dictate the landscape of political science writing, and understanding their nuances is critical for producing credible work. While the specific choice often depends on the journal, institution, or professor, the underlying principles of organization and author-date citation remain consistent across the discipline.
The Chicago Author-Date System
Widely favored in political science, the Chicago Manual of Style author-date system provides a straightforward method for in-text citation. This approach uses the author's last name and the year of publication in parentheses, seamlessly integrating source material into the narrative flow of the argument. The corresponding reference list at the end of the document organizes entries alphabetically, offering full bibliographic details for verification.
American Political Science Association (APSA) Format
Developed by the American Political Science Association, the APSA citation style is essentially a specialized adaptation of the Chicago author-date format. The core mechanics—parenthetical in-text citations with the author's surname and year—are identical. The distinction lies in the formatting specifics of the bibliography, which tailors the presentation of sources to the unique conventions of political science scholarship.
Structuring Citations for Common Source Types
Applying the political science citation format correctly requires knowledge of how to handle different types of sources. The basic structure for a journal article or a monograph is intuitive, but variations exist for book chapters, conference papers, and digital media. Consistency in punctuation, italics, and abbreviation is the hallmark of a polished manuscript.
Citing a Journal Article
When citing a journal article, the format emphasizes the author, publication year, article title, journal name, volume, and page range. The article title is typically enclosed in quotation marks, while the journal name is italicized and often abbreviated according to standard academic indexes. This structure allows readers to locate the specific argument within the broader conversation of the journal.
Citing a Book
Citing a book follows a similar logical progression, focusing on the author, year, title, publisher, and location. For edited volumes, it is crucial to distinguish between the author of the specific chapter and the editor of the entire book. Political science frequently relies on seminal theoretical texts, making the accurate citation of these foundational works a non-negotiable aspect of scholarly practice.
