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Style Manuals

Complied by: Gordon W. Miller
Liaison Librarian of History, Philosophy and Religion, Political Science
March 2003

This is an annotated, selected list of style manuals available in Carrier Library. Style manuals are guides containing consistent rule patterns to follow regarding spelling, punctuation, footnoting, etc. in the compilation of a report, research paper, journal article, or other type of publication. The guide is arranged alphabetically within broad subject areas of knowledge. Manuals that contain information for electronic information are noted.

Table of Contents

Subject Headings

The following subject headings may be useful in locating additional style manuals. This is not a comprehensive listing. Consult the Library of Congress Subject Headings volumes to determine additional subjects.

Abstracting
Annotations and citations (Law)
Authority - Handbooks, manuals, etc.
Authorship
Authorship - Handbooks, manuals, etc.
Bibliography - Theory, methods, etc.
Business report writing
Dissertations, Academic
English language - Rhetoric
English language - Usage
History - Research
Journalism - Handbooks, manuals, etc.
Law - Abbreviations
Legal research
Medical writing
Political Science - Authorship
Printing, Practical - Style manuals
Report writing
Report writing - Bibliography
Social Sciences - Bibliography
Technical writing

General

The manuals listed here are generally not subject specific but could be used for a number of disciplines. The Chicago Manual of Style is a standard scholarly manual useful to the dissertation level.

American National Standards Institute. American National Standard for Bibliographic References. New York: The Institute, 1977.
(Ref Z 1001 A2 A45 1977).
This manual, although becoming dated, has value for its reference to a wide range of materials. In addition to standard style types it includes newspaper articles, reports, proceedings, patents, laws, manuscripts, maps, printed music, computer programs, etc.
The Chicago Manual of Style. 14th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago, 1993.
(Ref PN 160 C37 1993).
Comprehensive coverage of writing style is furnished in this manual. The book is divided into three major sections entailing bookmaking, style, and production and printing. Chapters include examples of the discussed subject. Topics include such areas as foreign languages, illustrations and photographs, mathematical symbols, Government Documents, and index preparation. The handling of computerized and electronic data is discussed. A glossary and bibliography complete the manual.
Shields, Nancy E. Where Credit is Due: a Guide to Proper Citing of Sources - Print and Nonprint. Metuchen, N. J.: Scarecrow Press, 1985.
(PN 171 F56 S35 1985).
Detailed examples for footnote and bibliography citing are furnished. The commentary is brief. A wide range of print and nonprint types of sources are included with computer software incorporated in the examples. A section on typing the paper is appended. Glossary.
Skillin, Marjorie E. Words Into Type. 3rd ed. Englewood Cliffs, N. J.: Prentice-Hall, 1974.
(Ref PN 160 S52 1974).
Comprehensive coverage of the writing process from the initial work of a research manuscript to the technical aspects of book printing is contained in this work. Major sections include manuscript, copy and proof, copy-editing, style, etc. Examples are found within each discussed topic. Glossary.
Slade, Carole. Form and Style: Research Papers, Reports, Theses. 9th ed. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin, 1994.
(Ref LB 2369 C3 1994).
A comprehensive (general) manual of style. In addition to discussions on the general aspects of writing a paper this manual focuses on the Chicago Manual of Style, Modern Language Association, and the American Psychological Association. Examples are furnished.
Turabian, Kate L. A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations . 6th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago, 1996.
(Ref LB 2369 T8 1996).
A comprehensive (general) manual of style based on the University of Chicago's Manual of Style. Chapters discuss the several parts of the paper. One chapter has sample bibliography and footnote citations by type of source being used. The final chapters discuss the most effective use of word processors (and typewriters) and sample page layouts. There is an emphasis on word processing usage. There is "very brief" attention to the Internet.
Van Leunen, Mary-Claire. A Handbook for Scholars. rev. ed. New York: Oxford University, 1992.
(Ref PN 146 V36 1992).
This manual puts its emphasis on citations, quotations, footnotes, references, and reference lists. Examples are given at all points in the text. Appendices provide chapters on the vita and United States Government Document citing.
Xerox Publishing Standards: a Manual of Style and Design. New York: Watson-Guptill, 1988.
(Ref Z 286 L68 X47 1988).
Designed originally for inhouse use by the Xerox Corporation this manual offers examples on style. Detailed, with an emphasis on computer usage.

Government Documents/Legal Style Manuals

Garner, Diane L. The Complete Guide to Citing Government Information Resources: a Manual for Writers & Librarians. rev ed. Bethesda, Md.: Congressional Information Service, 1993.
(Ref J 9.5 G37 1993).
The standard style manual for government document citing. Local, state, and international documents are included in addition to the major emphasis on federal documents. Has specific titles and types of documents along with examples. The final chapter has style for electronic government document formats. Bibliography and glossary. Association of Legal Writing Directors. ALWD Citation Manual: A Professional System of Citation. Net York: Aspen Law and Business, 2000.
(Ref KF 245 A45 2000). A comprehensive manual with citations for all levels of legal research. One section contains electronic citing examples.
Goehlert, Robert U. Congress and Law - Making: Researching the Legislative Process . 2nd ed. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-Clio, 1988.
(Ref KF 240 G63 1988).
A final chapter contains a style manual for citing federal documents used in researching legislative histories.
Hajnal, Peter I., ed. International Information: Documents, Publications, and Information Systems of International Governmental Organizations. Englewood, Colo.: Libraries Unlimited, 1988.
(Ref Z 688 I57 I56 1988).
One chapter discusses citation forms used in citing international document publications. A section of examples is furnished. Scholarly.
Price, Miles O. Effective Legal Research. 3rd ed. Boston: Little, Brown, 1969.
(Law KF 240 P7).
This manual provides comprehensive coverage for legal research. The final chapter contains information on the forms to follow in legal citing. Material is included on such research aspects as constitutions, congressional sources, state legislative sources, and English and Canadian statutory materials. Sample citations are given.
A Uniform System of Citation. 15th ed. Cambridge, Mass.: The Harvard Law Review Association, 1991.
(Ref KF 246 U5 1991).
The standard manual for legal citation. An introductory section covers general rules for citation and style. Specific areas covered include cases, statutes, constitutions, legislation, etc. International and state legal style citing is furnished.
United States. Congressional Budget Office. A Style Guide for CBO: About Writing and Word Usage. rev. ed. Washington, D. C.: The Office, 1984.
(Gov Doc Y 10.8:C76).
The emphasis is on simplicity and clarity.
United States. Department of Justice. Tax Division. Citation and Style Manual. [Washington, D. C.: the Department]: 1988.
(Gov Doc J 1.8/2:C49/3).
Developed for use by the Tax Division this manual follows closely the 14th edition of A Uniform System of Citation. Arranged topically in a loose-leaf format for ease of updating. Examples throughout the manual.
United States. Department of the Interior. Bureau of Reclamation. Style Guide for Technical Publications. Washington, D. C.: Government Printing Office, 1983.
(Gov Doc I 27.19/2:ST9).
Detailed examples of style are featured in this manual. In addition to style considerations there are discussions on general format and printing.
United States. Geological Survey. Suggestions to Authors of the Reports of the United States Geological Survey. 7th ed. Washington, D. C.: Government Printing Office, 1991.
(Gov Doc I 19.2:Su3/5/991).
Although published for writers of Geological Survey reports this manual has value for all geological and earth science writing. The manual contains style literature applicable to general writing, e.g. footnotes, bibliographies, and grammar. It contains information on geologic symbols, maps, stratigraphic descriptions, geographic names, and use of the computer in geologic reports.
United States. Government Printing Office. Style Manual. rev. ed. Washington, D. C.: The Office, 1984.
(Ref Z 253 U58 1984).
This manual was designed for use by the GPO in its printing operations. Comprehensive coverage of printing style is furnished on such topics as patents, legal citations, countries, foreign languages, etc. Examples are provided for each discussed topic.
United States. Government Printing Office. Style Manual.
The 2000 edition on the Internet. A search engine is provided.
 
United States. National Archives and Records Administration. Citing Records in the National Archives of the United States. Washington, D. C.: The Archives, 1993.
(Gov Doc AE1.113:17/993).
This manual has chapters on textual, microform, nontextual, and electronic records. Examples are included throughout the text.
United States. National Defense University. National Security Management Style Manual: a Research and Writing Guide for Preparation of Research Reports for the National Security Management Programs. Washington, D. C.: The University, 1985.
(Gov Doc D 5.408:ST9/985).
The brief manual contains a section on style, with examples. An appendix contains a sample title page, disclaimer page, table of contents, report page, notes page, and bibliography.
United States. National Labor Relations Board. NLRB Style Manual. Washington, D. C.: Government Printing Office, 1983.
(Gov Doc LR 1.6/2:ST9).
This manual was developed for use by NLRB personnel. Chapters discuss such topics as rules of citation, footnotes, plurals, spelling, etc. The final chapter emphasizes good sentence structure. Appendices contain lists of unions, a word list, and supplements for judges and staff counsel.
United States. Office of Education. How to Prepare and Clear Manuscripts for OE Publications, Speeches, and Articles. Washington, D. C.: Government Printing Office, 1975.
(Gov Doc HE 19.108:M31).
This manual discusses manuscript preparation and the process of having it cleared for speeches and articles.

Humanities

Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 4th ed. New York: Modern Language Association of America, 1995.
(Ref LB 2369 G53 1995).
A comprehensive guide for the undergraduate student writing a research paper in the humanities. The first chapter is an overview of the research process and how to use a library. Sample pages are furnished for the first pages of a research paper and the "works cited" section.
Gibaldi, Joseph The MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing. 2nd ed. New York: The Modern Language Association of America, 1998.
(Ref PN 147 G444 1998).
Developed for the scholar and graduate student as a comprehensive guide to style for the humanities. Preparing manuscripts in machine-readable form is presented along with rules for citing their use. Examples are included throughout the text.
Helm, E. Eugene. Words and Music: Form and Procedure in Theses, Dissertations, Research Papers, Book Reports, Programs, Theses in Composition. rev. ed. Totowa, N. J.: European American Music Corporation, 1982.
(Ref ML 3797 H49 1982).
This manual is designed as a guide for "every kind of serious writing on music." The discussion begins with gathering information, proceeds into developing the report, and ends with coverage of topics as book reports, theses, etc. Examples are furnished.
Hudson, Bob. A Christian Writer's Manual of Style. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 1988.
(BR 44 C48 1988).
A comprehensive manual for citing the Holy Bible and other religious sources. Topical arrangement with examples throughout the text. A final chapter discusses the use of a computer in the research process.

Journalism

The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual. Fully Updated and Revised. Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley, 1998.
(Ref PN 4783 A8 1998).
Written for the newspaper reporter this handbook emphasizes style in newspaper work. Additional sections include information on libel, copyright, how to file a story, etc.
Ayer Public Relations and Publicity Style Book. Bala Cynwyd, Pa.: Ayer, 1981.
(Ref PN 4783 A9 1981).
Designed for the writer of material for newspapers, magazines, and broadcasting. Sections are included on forms, the headline, sentence structure, etc. Appendices include form examples, proofreading marks, and a listing of major newspaper feature editors.
MacDonald, Ron. A Broadcast News Manual of Style. 2nd ed.New York: Longman, 1994.
(Ref PN 4784 B75 M24 1994).
A style manual for the radio and television broadcaster. Major sections include legal aspects, a "usage guide" of words usage, and an appendix. The appendix contains aids such as broadcasting ethics, police codes, nations and their capitals, etc.
The New York Times. Manual of Style and Usage: a Desk Book of Guidelines for Writers and Editors. New York: Quadrangle/New York Times, 1976.
(Ref PN 4783 J6 1976).
This manual was compiled for use in editing the New York Times. The arrangement is a dictionary format and includes brief definitions for some entries. The primary use of the manual is in determining correct spelling, hyphenating, and word usage.
The UPI Broadcast Stylebook: a Handbook for Writing and Preparing Broadcast News. New York: United Press International, 1979.
(Ref PN 4784 B75 U5 1979).
A guide to broadcast writing. A glossary and list of tricky words is furnished.
VOA Guide for Writers, Editors, Broadcasters. Washington, D. C.: Government Printing Office, 1983.
(Gov Doc IA 1.6/2:V87).
In addition to being a guide to writing for radio broadcasting this manual contains a section on usage and style.

Sciences

American Institute of Physics. AIP Style Manual. 4th ed. New York: The Institute, 1990.
(Ref QC 5.45 A45 1990).
Comprehensive coverage of style for the physics researcher. Eleven appendices provide such information as standard abbreviations, units of measure, AIP statements of editorial policy, copyright, etc. A bibliography is included.
American Mathematical Society. A Manual for Authors of Mathematical Papers. 8th ed. Providence, R. I.: The Society, 1984.
(Ref QA 42 M36 1984).
An overview of writing the mathematical manuscript. The importance of the title and ways to write the manuscript that expedite the printing process are noted.
American Society for Microbiology. ASM Style Manual for Journals and Books. [rev. ed.]. Washington, D. C.: The Society, 1991.
(QR 11 A44 1991).
The manual is arranged in twelve topical chapters. Style examples are provided throughout the text.
Atlas, Michel C. Author's Handbook of Styles for Life Science Journals. Boca Raton, Fla.: CRC Press, 1996.
(Ref R119 A85 1995).
440 English language journals are listed along with detailed information on how to publish in each title. An appendix has"Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals."
Dodd, Janet S., ed. The ACS Style Guide: a Manual for Authors and Editors. Washington, D. C.: American Chemical Society, 1986.
(Ref QD 8.5 A25 1986).
Comprehensive coverage of chemical research style and writing are included in this manual. Examples are given throughout the book.
Iverson, Cheryl. American Medical Association Manual of Style. 8th ed. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins, 1989.
(Ref R 119 A533 1989).
A guide to writing medical terminology. Detailed and authoritative.
Knepflar, Kenneth J. Report Writing in the Field of Communication Disorders: a Handbook for Students and Clinicians. 2nd ed. Rockville, Md.: National Student Speech Language Hearing Association, 1992.
(Ref R 119 K57 1992).
In eleven chapters topics such as ethics of report writing, writing style, computer applications, writing journal articles, etc. are discussed. A series of appendices include topics as consultant reports, computerized diagnostic summary, progress notes, etc.
Patrias, Karen. National Library of Medicine Recommended Formats for Bibliographic Citation. Bethesda, Md.: National Library of Medicine, 1991.
(Ref R 119 P38 1991).
Comprehensive manual arranged topically. Sections on subjects as patents, maps, audiovisuals, and unpublished materials are furnished. Electronic text information is included in the examples.
Rubens, Philip, ed. Science and Technical Writing: a Manual of Style. New York: H. Holt, 1992.
(Ref T 11 S378 1992).
A comprehensive manual for the science researcher. Examples are given throughout the topically arranged book.
Style Manual Committee, Council of Biology Editors. Scientific Style and Format: The CBE Manual for Editors and Publishers. 6th ed. New York: Cambridge University, 1994.
(Ref T 11 S386 1994).
The standard manual for biological writing. Chapters on special scientific conventions are furnished.
 

Social Sciences

American Management Association. The AMA Style Guide for Business Writing. New York: The Association, 1996.
(Ref HF 5726 A49 1996).
A detailed guide, with examples, for business writing. Arranged alphabetically by topic. Contains sample business forms at the end.
American Political Science Association. Committee on Publications. Style Manual for Political Science . rev. ed. Washington, D. C.: The Association, 1993.
(Ref JA 86 A52 1993).
Examples are given throughout the text in this topically arranged manual. Government Document examples are included.
ASA Style Guide. Washington, D.C.: American Sociological Association, 1996.
(Ref HM 73 A54 1996).
A style guide for sociological research. Included are details on preparing a manuscript for publication, reference sources, and "computer file formatsfor some ASA journals."
Blicq, Ron. Guidelines for Report Writers: a Complete Manual for on-the-job Report Writing . Englewood Cliffs, N. J.: Prentice-Hall, 1982.
(HF 5719 B55 1982).
The major thrust of this manual is business report writing. Style examples are furnished.
Lowery, Roger C. Political Science: Illustrated Search Strategy and Sources... . Ann Arbor, Mich.: Pierian Press, 1993.
(Ref JA 88 U6 L69 1993).
An appendix contains the Style Manual for Political Science.
National Education Association of the United States. Style Manual: NEA Style Manual for Writers and Editors . 3rd ed. Washington, D. C.: The Association, 1974.
(Ref PN 147 N26 1974).
Education in general, and the National Education Association in particular, are the areas of emphasis for this manual. The section devoted to bibliographies and footnotes is discussed with no real distinction between the two forms. The following publication forms are among those included: anthologies, condensations, editorials, excerpts, leaflets, speeches, surveys, and tests. Style coverage is broader than education.
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association . 4th ed. Washington, D. C.: American Psychological Association, 1994.
(Ref BF 76.7 A46 1994).
The manual for use in preparing manuscripts for psychological journal articles. The discussion includes how to submit a manuscript and the publication programs of the APA. An appendix describes handling theses, dissertations, student papers, and how to to make an oral presentation.

Electronic Text Sources

In addition to the titles noted here the annotations of other manuals will note when electronic text style is provided.
 
 
Chicago Guide to Preparing Electronic Manuscripts; for Authors and Publishers. Chicago: University of Chicago, 1987.
(Ref Z 286 E43 C48 1987)
The discussion is divided into sections for the author, the generic coding of the electronic manuscript, and how the publisher works with the manuscript. Appendices include a questionnaire for the author to answer, an evaluation form for the typesetter, final author checklist, and a list of computer codes.
The Chicago Manual of Style, 13th ed., 1982, is closely followed. Citation Style Guides .
(Electronic Text)
A number of citation manuals are available at this site. Style information includes for Internet citations. Documentation Guides: Citing Sources Within Your Paper Duke University librarians have established this site. Basic examples are given for the APA, MLA, Chicago, and Turabian style manuals. The site is arranged by type of source, e.g. newspapers, books, articles, etc.
Harmon, Charles, ed. Using the Internet Online Services, and CD-ROM's for Writing, Research and Term Papers. New York: Neal-Schuman, 1996.
(Ref LB 2369 U75 1996).
A final chapter in this book entitled "Citing print and electronic sources" has examples of style for various electronic texts.
Li, Xia. Electronic Style: A Handbook for Citing Electronic Information. 2nd ed. Medford, N.J.: Information Today, 1996.
(Ref PN 171 D37 L5 1996).
A comprehensive manual to all types of electronic text. Sections include books, periodicals, full-text databases, bibliographic databases, bulletin boards, electronic mail, etc. glossary. Especially valuable for its style for the WWW.
MLA Style
In this summarization of MLA style examples are given for citing from the World Wide Web.
McGuire, Mary. The Internet Handbook for Writers, Researchers, and Journalists. New York: Guilford Press, 2000.
(Ref ZA 4201 I566 2000).
This book discusses the Internet for writers. One appendix contains information on how to cite online sources.
 
Patrias, Karen. "National Library of Medicine Recommended Formats for Bibliographic Citation," P. [13] - 26 in. Directory of Electronic Journals, Newsletters, and Academic Discussion Lists. 3rd. ed., 1993.
(Ref Z 286 E43 D57 1993).
This brief manual contains detailed electronic style examples for electronic texts.

Miscellaneous

In addition to the titles here there are several brief style guides to heavily used manuals in Carrier Library. Currently there are guides to APA, Chicago, and MLA. Check with a reference librarian for assistance with these guides. Many periodicals will include style information for their specific title. Some list it in each issue while others many list it annually/irregularly. The titles listed in this section are not comprehensive in their coverage and are not discipline specific.

Fleischer, Eugene B. A Style Manual for Citing Microform and Nonprint Media. Chicago: American Library Association, 1978.
(Ref LB 2369 F5).
This manual attempts to provide style coverage for all forms of nonprint materials. Electronic text sources are not covered. Citation examples are given.
James Madison University. Graduate School. Thesis/Dissertation Manual. Harrisonburg, Va.: The University, 1994.
(Ref LD 3141 M566h G84 1994).
This manual is produced for the use of graduate students in their thesis work at James Madison University. Sample sheets for the various steps in preparing the thesis are furnished. This is updated on an irregular basis by the Graduate School's "Thesis Manual."
United States. Department of the Army. The Writing of American Military History: a Guide . Washington, D. C.: Government Printing Office, 1956.
(E 181 U582 1956).
A brief manual of style, with examples pertaining to military research, is provided.
Wszalek, Joyce. A Guide to Writing. Harrisonburg, Va.: James Madison University, 1989.
(Sp Coll LD 3141 M566l W7934 1989 and Ref LB 2369 W799 1989).
A general guide to writing for JMU students. The steps in the research process are covered. One section has several style examples. Various University offices are noted and the services they offer.

This page is maintained by: millergw@jmu.edu
Last reviewed: March 2003
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