How to Cite Internet Sources

by Melvin E. Page, (pagem@etsuarts.east-tenn-st.edu) forH-AFRICA (h-africa@msu.edu)

Humanities-on-Line and History Department, East TennesseeState University

The following suggestions for citations of Internet sources in history andthe historically based humanities are derived from the essential principlesof academic citation in Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of TermPapers, Theses, and Dissertations, 5th ed. (Chicago, University ofChicago Press, 1987). I have also draw upon suggestions from some of theworks listed below. The guide has been improved by the students of myHistorical Methods classes at East Tennessee State University and my fellowH-AFRICA editors whom I thank for their assistance.

Since the Internet is an evolving institution, this guide is notintended to be definitive. Corrections, additions, comments, suggestions,and criticisms are therefore welcome. Please address them to the author at:pagem@etsuarts.east-tenn-st.edu

When the need for revisions and updates become apparent, new versions ofthe guide will be issued.

Bibliographic Citations

Basic citation components and punctuation.

Author's Last Name, First Name. [author's Internet address, ifavailable]. "Title of Work" or "title line of message."In "Title of Complete Work" or title of list/site as appropriate.[Internet address]. Date, if available.

The samples below indicate how citations of particular electronicsources might be made.

Listserv Messages.

Walsh, Gretchen. [gwalsh@acs.bu.edu]. "REPLY: Using Africannewspapers in teaching." In H-AFRICA. [h-africa@msu.edu]. 18 October1995.

World Wide Web

Limb, Peter. "Relationships between Labour & AfricanNationalist/Liberation Movements in Southern Africa." [http://neal.ctstateu.edu/history/world_history/archives/limb-l.html]. May 1992.

FTP Site

Heinrich, Gregor. [100303.100@compuserve.com]. "Where There IsBeauty, There is Hope: Sau Tome e Principe." [ftp.cs.ubc.ca/pub/local/FAQ/african/gen/saoep.txt]. July 1994.

Gopher Site

"Democratic Party Platform, 1860." [wiretap.spies.com WiretapOnline Library/civic & Historical/Political Platforms of the U.S.] 18June 1860.

Kirshenblatt-Gimblett, Barbara. "Making Difference." [gopher.uic.eduThe Researcher/History/H-Net/H-Amstdy (American Studies)/Essays &Discussions About American Studies]. 20 July 1995.

Usenet Group Messages

Dell, Thomas. [dell@wiretap.spies.com]. "[EDTECH] EMG: Sacred Texts(Networked Electronic Versions)." In [alt.etext]. 4 February 1993.

Legg, Sonya. [legg@harquebus.cgd.ucar.edu]. "African history booklist." In [soc.culture.african]. 5 September 1994.

E-mail Messages

Page, Mel. [pagem@etsuarts.east-tenn-st.edu]. "African dance...andMalawi." Private e-mail message to Masankho Banda, [mbanda@igc.apc.org].28 November 1994.

Footnote and Endnote Citations

Basic citation components and punctuation.

(note number) Author's First name and Last name, (author's Internetaddress, if available), "Title of Work" or "title line ofmessage," in "Title of Complete Work" or title of list/siteas appropriate, (Internet address), date if available.

The examples below indicate how citations of particular electronicsources might be made.

Listserv Messages

(1) Gretchen Walsh, [gwalsh@acs.bu.edu], "REPLY: Using Africannewspapers in teaching," in H-AFRICA, [h-africa@msu.edu], 18 October1995.

World Wide Web

(2) Peter Limb, "Relationships between Labour & AfricanNationalist/Liberation Movements in Southern Africa," [http://neal.ctstateu.edu/history/world_history/archives/limb-l.html],May 1992.

FTP Site

(3)Gregor Heinrich, [100303.100@compuserve.com], "Where There IsBeauty, There is Hope: Sao Tome e Principe," [ftp.cs.ubc.ca/pub/local/FAQ/african/gen/saoep.txt],July 1994.

(4) Sonya Legg, [legg@harquebus.cgd.ucar.edu], "African historybook list," in [soc.culture.african], 5 September 1994.

Gopher Site

(5) "Democratic Party Platform, 1860," [wiretap.spies.comWiretap Online Library/civic & Historical/Political Platforms of theU.S.], 18 June 1860.

(6) Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett, "Making Difference," [gopher.uic.eduThe Researcher/History/H-Net/H-Amstdy (American Studies)/Essays &Discussions About American Studies], 20 July 1995.

Usenet Group Messages

(7) Thomas Dell, [dell@wiretap.spies.com] "[EDTECH] EMG: SacredTexts (Networked Electronic Versions)," in [alt.etext], 4 February1993.

E-Mail Messages

(8) Mel Page, [pagem@etsuarts.east-tenn-st.edu], "Africandance...and Malawi," private e-mail message to Masankho Banda, [mbanda@igc.apc.org],28 November 1994.

Additional Source Material on Internet Citations

Dodd, Sue A. "Bibliographic References for Computer Files in theSocial Sciences: A Discussion Paper."[gopher://info.monash.edu.au:70/00/handy/cites]. Revised May 1990.(Published in IASSIST Quarterly, 14, 2(1990): 14-17.)

Li, Xia and Nancy Crane. Electronic Style: A Guide to Citing ElectronicInformation. Westport: Meckler, 1993.

University of Chicago Press Chicago Guide to Preparing ElectronicManuscripts: for Authors and Publishers. Chicago: University of ChicagoPress, 1987.

Walker, Janice R. "MLA-Style Citations of Internet Sources." [http://www.cas.usf.edu/english/walker/janice.html]April 1995.