CSE Style Guide: Citing Online Sources

Need to cite online sources in CSE style? Here's what you need to know:

• CSE has 3 citation systems: citation-sequence, citation-name, and name-year
• For online sources, include:
  • Author (if available)
  • Webpage title
  • Publication date
  • Last update date
  • Access date
  • URL

Key things to remember:

• Use both in-text citations and a reference list
• Abbreviate journal titles
• Skip citation elements you can't find
• Include the URL (required) and DOI (recommended) for online sources
• Add access dates for web pages and online articles

Here's a quick comparison of print vs. online citations in CSE:

Element	Print Sources	Online Sources
URL	Not needed	Required
Access Date	N/A	Required
Update Date	N/A	Include if available
Page Numbers	Often required	Usually omitted

By following these guidelines, you'll nail your CSE citations for online sources. Remember, good citations give credit where it's due and boost your work's credibility.

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Basics of CSE Style for Online Sources

Main CSE Citation Rules

CSE style has three citation systems: citation-sequence, citation-name, and name-year. Environmental Studies classes often use the name-year system. It puts the author's name and publication date in-text, with an alphabetical reference list at the end.

For online sources, CSE needs:

• Author (if there is one)
• Webpage title
• Publication date
• Last update date
• Access date
• URL

Key rules for citing online sources:

1. Use both in-text citations and a reference list
2. Shorten journal titles
3. Skip citation parts you can't find

Online vs. Print Source Citations

Online and print citations in CSE are similar, but with some key differences:

Structure: Online citations add things like URLs and access dates.

Here's an online journal article citation:

Savage E, Ramsay M, White J, Beard S, Lawson H, Hunjan R, Brown D. 2005. Mumps outbreaks across England and Wales in 2004: observational study. BMJ. [accessed 2005 May 31];330(7500):1119-1120. http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/reprint/330/7500/1119. doi: 10.1136/bmj.330.7500.1119.

In-text citations: No author for an online source? Use the first word or two of the title, then "..." and the date.

Example: (Human Biology . . . c2002-2016)

URL: CSE 8th Edition NEEDS the URL for online stuff. DOI is optional but helpful.

Dates: Online citations often have multiple dates - when it was published, updated, and accessed.

Citation Part	Print Sources	Online Sources
Author	Must have	Must have (if there is one)
Title	Must have	Must have
Publication Date	Must have	Must have (use copyright date if no publication date)
URL	Not needed	Must have
Access Date	Not needed	Must have
Update Date	Not needed	Must have (if there is one)

Standard Format for Online Citations

CSE style gives us a clear way to cite online sources. Let's break it down:

CSE Online Citation Structure

Here's what you need for a CSE online citation:

1. Author(s)
2. Publication date
3. Webpage or article title
4. Website name
5. Publisher or organization
6. Last update date (if available)
7. Access date
8. URL

Example of a CSE website citation:

APSnet: plant pathology online [Internet]. St Paul (MN): American Phytopathological Association: c1994-2005 [cited 2005 Jun 20]. Available from: http://www.apsnet.org/

For web pages, it looks like this:

Cleveland Clinic. The Cleveland Clinic Health Information Center [Internet]. Cleveland (OH): The Clinic; c2006. Smoking cessation; 2009 [cited 2010 Feb 8]; [about 3 screens]. Available from: http://www.clevelandclinic.org/services/smoking_cessation/hic_quitting_smoking.aspx

Must-Have Citation Elements

You NEED these for a proper CSE online citation:

1. Author: Last name, initials (no periods)
2. Title: Webpage or article title in sentence case
3. Publication Date: Year published or copyrighted
4. Access Date: When you viewed the source
5. URL: Full web address

Remember:

• No author? Start with the title
• Whole website? Use "Website with No Author" format
• Missing info? Just skip it

Here's how print and online citations differ in CSE style:

Element	Print Sources	Online Sources
URL	Not needed	Must have
Access Date	N/A	Must have
Update Date	N/A	Include if there
Page Numbers	Often needed	Usually skipped (use screen count if possible)

Citing Different Online Sources

CSE style has specific rules for citing online sources. Here's how to do it:

Journal Articles

For articles with a DOI:

Author AA, Author BB. Year. Article title. Journal Abbrev. [accessed yyyy Mmm dd];Volume(Issue):Pages. URL. doi:DOI_number.

Example:

Yencho GC, McCord PH, Haynes KG. 2008. Internal heat necrosis of potato - a review. Am J Potato Res. [accessed 2019 Jan 18];85(1):69-76. http://www.springerlink.com.ezproxy.tru.ca/content/915131u45576313l/fulltext.pdf. doi:10.1007/s12230-008-9008-4.

For articles without a DOI:

Author AA, Author BB. Year. Article title. Journal Abbrev. [accessed yyyy Mmm dd];Volume(Issue):Pages. URL.

Websites and Web Pages

Author AA, Author BB. Title of homepage/website. Place of publication: Publisher; Date of publication [dated updated; date accessed]. URL.

Example:

APSnet: plant pathology online [Internet]. St Paul (MN): American Phytopathological Association: c1994-2005 [cited 2005 Jun 20]. Available from: http://www.apsnet.org/

E-Books

Author AA. Year. Title of e-book [Internet]. Place of publication: Publisher; [cited yyyy Mmm dd]. Available from: URL

Online News Articles

Author AA. Article title. Newspaper Title. Year Mo Date. URL.

Example:

Yoon CK. 2000 Dec 26. DNA clues improve outlook for red wolf. New York Times. Sect. F:10 (col. 1).

Social Media and Blogs

Author AA. Title of post [Social media platform/Blog]. Date of publication [cited yyyy Mmm dd]. Available from: URL

Online Videos

Author/Username. Title of video [Video]. Year of upload [cited yyyy Mmm dd]. Available from: URL

Key points:

• Always include the URL
• Add access dates for web pages and online articles
• Use the copyright date if there's no publication date
• Abbreviate journal titles using official lists

Common Online Citation Problems

Citing online sources in CSE style can be tricky. Here are the main issues and how to fix them:

Missing Information

Online sources often lack key details. Here's what to do:

• No author? Use the title instead.
• No date? Write "n.d."
• No title? Describe the source in brackets.
• No page numbers? Count paragraphs or use section headings.

Outdated Content

Online content changes fast. To stay current:

• Include the access date in your citation.
• Check and update your citations regularly.

Incorrect Formatting

CSE style has specific rules:

• Abbreviate journal titles.
• Use only surnames for authors.
• No spaces after "Date Accessed" through "Pages" in journal citations.

Mistaking Source Types

Different sources need different formats. Don't mix up:

• Webpages and journal articles
• Blog posts and traditional publications
• E-books and print books

Plagiarism and Incomplete Citations

To avoid accidental plagiarism:

• Track all sources while researching.
• Cite as you write.
• Use citation managers like EndNote or Zotero.

URL and DOI Issues

URLs and DOIs are crucial. Remember to:

• Include the URL (it's required).
• Add the DOI if available (it's recommended).
• Check that all links work.

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In-Text Citations for Online Sources

Citing online sources in CSE style? You'll use parenthetical or narrative in-text citations. Here's how:

Parenthetical Citations

Put the author's last name and year in parentheses:

• One author: (Zambryski 1988)
• Two authors: (Jellis and Taylor 1977)
• Three or more: (Pace et al. 2004)

Example: "Crown gall disease research showed how competition can speed up discoveries (Zambryski 1988)."

Narrative Citations

Weave the author's name into your sentence:

"Rubin and Smith (1990) support this conclusion..."

No Author? No Problem

• Use the title: (Open Doors 2010)
• No date? Use access year: (Smith [date unknown])

Same Author, Different Works

• Different years: (Smith 1970, 1975)
• Same year: (Andrews 1960a, 1960b)

Corporate Authors

For organizations as authors:

"The IOM's report on legalized abortion (1975) was groundbreaking..."

Where to Put Citations

Place them:

• Right after the relevant info
• Before punctuation

Example: "Antisera against Sp1, an RNA polymerase II transcription factor (Kadonaga 1986), only stain the nucleus..."

Online Source Citation Tips

1. Double-check URLs and DOIs
2. Include access dates for changeable content
3. Use what you've got - skip what's missing

Remember: Accuracy is key. When in doubt, cite it out!

Making a Reference List

Let's break down how to create a solid reference list for online sources in CSE style.

Arranging Online Sources

Here's the deal:

• Use "References" or "Cited References" as your heading
• For citation-sequence format: List sources in order of appearance
• For citation-name and name-year formats: Alphabetize by author's last name

No author? Use the title. Got extra sources? Put them under "Additional References".

Alphabetizing and Formatting

Follow these rules:

• Author names: "Last Name Initials" (Smith J, Jones AB)
• 2-10 authors: List all
• 10+ authors: First 10, then "and others"
• Titles: Capitalize first word only (except proper nouns and abbreviations)
• Journal titles: Use standard abbreviations

Here's a quick reference for common online sources:

Source	Format
Journal Article	Author AA, Author BB. Article title. Journal Abbrev. Year;volume(issue):pages. URL. doi
Website	Author AA. Title of webpage. Place: Publisher; Date [updated date; accessed date]. URL
E-book	Author AA. Title of book. Edition. Place: Publisher; Year [accessed date]. URL

Don't forget these key elements:

• Author (if available)
• Title
• [Internet] tag
• Publication date
• Update date (if applicable)
• Access date
• URL or DOI

"The reference list helps readers quickly identify each numbered source." - CSE Manual

Tips for Correct Online Citations

Citing online sources in CSE style can be tricky. Here's how to nail it:

Double-check your citations

Go through your paper and make sure every in-text citation has a matching reference in your bibliography. It's an easy mistake to miss, so take the time to cross-reference.

Evaluate source reliability

Use the CRAAP test to assess your sources:

Criteria	Questions
Current	Publication date? Up-to-date?
Relevant	On topic?
Authoritative	Author credentials?
Accurate	Evidence-backed?
Purpose	Why published?

Include key elements

For online sources, don't forget:

• [Internet] tag after the title
• Update date (if available)
• Access date
• URL or DOI

Use proper formatting

CSE style has specific rules:

• Author names: "Last Name Initials" (Smith J, Jones AB)
• Titles: Capitalize first word and proper nouns only
• Journal titles: Use standard abbreviations

Cite specific web pages

Provide the exact URL where you found the information. It helps readers find your source.

"The reference list helps readers quickly identify each numbered source." - CSE Manual

Avoid common mistakes

• Missing citations
• Incorrect formatting
• Incomplete information

Conclusion

Nailing CSE citations for online sources is key for science students and researchers. Good citations give credit and boost your work's credibility.

Remember:

• CSE has three formats: citation-sequence, citation-name, and name-year. Ask your professor which to use.
• Online citations need special bits like [Internet], update date, access date, and URL or DOI.
• Details matter. Use journal abbreviations, format author names right, and follow CSE rules for titles.

Why citations are a big deal:

1. They keep you honest

Citations show where your ideas came from. It's how you avoid accidentally stealing someone else's work.

2. They back up your claims

Readers can check your sources. It's like showing your math in a test.

3. They make your work stronger

Good sources = better research. It's that simple.

As Neeraja Sankaran, a science historian, puts it:

"The better documented your research and arguments, the more credible you are to your scientific colleagues."

In short: Cite right, and your work will shine.

FAQs

How to cite websites in CSE format?

Here's the basic structure for citing a website in CSE:

Title of webpage. Edition. Place: publisher; date [updated date; accessed date]. URL.

For example:

Human parainfluenza viruses [Internet]. Atlanta (GA): National Center for Immunication and Respiratory Diseases; 2006 [updated 2006 Jun 6; cited 2011 Mar 23]. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/respiratory/hpivfeat.htm

How to cite a website in CSE style?

CSE offers three citation systems: Citation-Name, Citation-Sequence, and Name-Year. The basic format for websites is:

Author AA, Author BB. Title of homepage/website. Place: Publisher; Date [updated date; accessed date]. URL.

No author? Start with the title:

Title of homepage/website. Place: Publisher; Date [updated date; accessed date]. URL.

How to cite a webpage in CSE?

To cite a webpage in CSE:

1. Author (if available)
2. Webpage title
3. Website name [Internet]
4. Publication details
5. Update and access dates
6. URL

Example:

Trafton A. In vivo systems biology: using computer models, systems biologists can predict complicated behavior of cells in living animals. MIT News [Internet]. 2011 Mar 23 [cited 2011 Mar 23]. Available from: http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2011/vivo-systems-biology-0323.html

Can't find an element? Skip it. Always include the access date for online sources. Use the URL if there's no DOI.