Citations are crucial as they enhance credibility, demonstrate academic integrity, and fulfill IB requirements. Proper citations also prevent plagiarism, ensuring credit is given to original authors, which the IB takes seriously.
Additionally, a clear citation page promotes transparency, enabling readers to verify information or explore sources further. Adhering to a consistent citation style, such as MLA or APA, is essential for meeting the IB’s presentation criteria. By balancing personal insights with external evidence, students validate their arguments and demonstrate thoughtful engagement with diverse perspectives, aligning with the TOK essay’s core objectives.
MLA
The MLA (Modern Language Association) format is commonly used in the humanities (e.g., literature, philosophy) and emphasizes simplicity, with in-text citations including only the author’s last name and page number (if applicable).
3 Step Guide to Structuring a “Works Cited” Page:
1.
Title Your Page "Works Cited"
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The title "Works Cited" should be centered at the top of a new page.
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Do not bold, italicize, or underline it.
2.
Format the Page
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Use 1-inch margins on all sides.
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Double-space all entries (no extra spaces between entries).
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Use a legible 12-point font (like Times New Roman).
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Alphabetize your sources by the first letter of each entry (ignore "A," "An," and "The" at the start of a title).
3.
Basic Format for Each Entry
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Book:
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Format: Author’s Last Name, First Name. Title of the Book. Publisher, Year.
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Example: Orwell, George. Animal Farm. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1996.
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Website:
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Format: Author’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Webpage.” Website Name, Date of Publication, URL.
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Example: "Climate Change." National Geographic, 2024, www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/climate-change
•
Journal Article:
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Format: Author's Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Article.” Title of the Journal, vol. #, no. #, Year, pp. xx-xx. https://doi.org/xxxxx
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Example: Green, Emily. “Understanding Climate Change.” Science Weekly, vol. 34, no. 2, 2021, pp. 45-60. https://doi.org/10.1234/abcd1234
Sample Works Cited Page
Works
Cited Green, Emily, and John Lee. “Understanding Climate Change.” Science Weekly, vol. 34, no.
2, 2021, pp. 45-60. https://doi.org/10.1234/abcd1234.
Jones, Sarah. “How to Create Infographics.” Design Today, 5 Mar. 2020,
www.designtoday.com/create-infographics.
Rowling, J. K., and Jack Thompson. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.
Bloomsbury, 1997.
Smith, John, et al. The Art of Writing. Penguin Press, 2019.
Taylor, Mark, and Susan White. “The Future of Renewable Energy.” Green Living
Magazine, vol. 12, no. 4, 2022, pp. 75-80.
https://www.greenlivingmag.com/future-renewable-energy. |
APA
The APA (American Psychological Association) format is used primarily in the social sciences (e.g., psychology, education), with in-text citations that include the author’s last name, publication year, and page number (if applicable).
3 Step Guide on Structuring a “References” Page:
1.
Title Your Page "References"
•
The title "References" should be centered at the top of a new page.
•
Do not bold, italicize, or underline it.
2.
Format the Page
•
Use 1-inch margins on all sides.
•
Double-space all entries (no extra spaces between entries).
•
Use a legible 12-point font (like Times New Roman).
•
Alphabetize your sources by the first letter of each entry (ignore "A," "An," and "The" at the start of a title).
3.
Basic Format for Each Entry
•
Book:
◦
Format: Author’s Last Name, First Initial(s). (Year). Title of the book. Publisher.
◦
Example: Rowling, J. K. (1997). Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Bloomsbury.
•
Website:
◦
Format: Author’s Last Name, First Initial(s). (Year, Month Day). Title of the webpage. Website Name. URL.
◦
Example: Smith, J. (n.d.). How to bake a cake. Baking Academy. https://www.bakingacademy.com/how-to-bake
•
Journal Article:
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Format: Author’s Last Name, First Initial(s). (Year). Title of the article. Journal Title, Volume(Issue), Page Range. https://doi.org/xxxxx
◦
Example: Brown, T. (2021). The effects of social media on teenagers. Journal of Youth Studies, 45(3), 345-367. https://doi.org/10.1234/abcd1234
Sample References Page
References
Green, E., & Lee, J. (2021). Understanding climate change. Science Weekly, 34(2), 45-60.
https://doi.org/10.1234/abcd1234
Jones, S. (2020, March 5). How to create infographics. Design Today.
https://www.designtoday.com/create-infographics
Rowling, J. K., & Thompson, J. (1997). Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.
Bloomsbury.
Smith, J., Johnson, R., & Williams, M. (2019). The art of writing. Penguin Press.
Taylor, M., & White, S. (2022). The future of renewable energy. Green Living Magazine,
12(4), 75-80. https://www.greenlivingmag.com/future-renewable-energy |
Hanging Indent
A hanging indent is a formatting style where the first line of a paragraph is aligned to the left margin, and all subsequent lines are indented. It is commonly used in citation styles like APA and MLA for reference pages or works cited lists.
The second (and any additional) lines of each citation should be indented 0.5 inches. Here’s how to format the citation page on Google Docs:
1.
Highlight the text you want to format.
2.
Click "Format" in the top menu bar.
3.
Select "Align & indent", then click "Indentation options...".
4.
In the pop-up box, look for "Special indent" and choose "Hanging" from the dropdown menu.
5.
Set the indentation to 0.5 inches (this is standard for MLA).
6.
Click "Apply", and your text will be formatted with a hanging indent.