ACS style guide by There are three ways to format an in-text citation using ACS. All three are acceptable, but it is important to pick one and use it throughout your paper. Do not use multiple formats in the same paper. The formats are:
If you use either of the numbered formats, the citations should be numbered sequentially in your paper. The reference section of your paper should be in numerical order, so that "2" in the body of your paper corresponds to "2" in your reference list. If you use the author name and year format, the citations in your reference section should be alphabetized by authors' last names.
(Note: This guide is based off of the West Virginia University Libraries ACS Guide)
Articles can be found both online and in print. The formats for each are very similar. The main difference being, for an article accessed through an online database it is necessary to indicate that it was accessed online and the date when it was accessed. Both print and online journals have official abbreviations for their titles, which can be found at the link below. If you cannot find the abbreviation for the journal you are citing, write out the full journal title. Your citation should include:
If the article is accessed through an online database also include:
Basic format:
Author(s). Journal abbreviation Year, volume, page(s).
Example:
Munakata, S.; Ishimori, K.; Kitamura, N.; Ishikawa, S.; Takanami, Y.; Ito, S. Regul. Toxico. Pharmacol. 2018, 99, 122-128.
Basic format:
Author(s). Title of Article. Journal Abbreviation [Online] Year, Volume, Pages. Database. URL (accessed Month Day, year).
Example:
Gashaw, A.; Teshita, A.; Getachew, T. Environmental tobacco smoke exposure and its health impacts: a review. Int. J. Biol. Chem. Sci. [Online] 2018, 10, 1370-1381. SciFinder Scholar. https://scifinder.cas.org/scifinder/view/link_v1/reference.html?l=BmxxGlm8wGowyyQH6ZcT0DxwCp8OEtvYZbKLqEZUnsOeDd4IMteM3w (accessed October 9, 2018).
With nonscientific magazines and newspaper, always include the title of the article as well as the title of the magazine/newspaper. These magazines and newspapers will not have abbreviations for their titles, so include the full title. The format for print and online articles are similar. The main difference is with online articles it is important to indicate that the article was accessed online, and when it was accessed.
Basic format:
Author(s). Title of Article. Title of Newspaper/Magazine [Online], Complete Date, Pages, Database, URL (accessed Month Day, Year).
Example:
Sullivan, W. The Chemistry Of Hibernation: Hibernation Chemistry. New York Times [Online], January 29, 1985, p. C1. Proquest Historical Newspapers: New York Times. https://search.proquest.com/docview/111102231?accountid=2837 (accessed October 9, 2018).
Print Articles
Basic format:
Author(s). Title of Article. Title of Magazine, Complete Date, Page(s).
Example:
Palmer, K. Taming Crispr. Wired, Oct 2018, p 108.
Government publications can take a lot of different formats and the information provided to create a citation varies from document to document. For example, sometimes there are authors, other times there are not. If an item doesn't have a piece of information, such as an author, simply skip it. However, always include as much information as possible.
Basic Format:
Author(s). Chapter Title. Document Title; Government Publication Number; Publishing Agency: Place of Publication, Year; Pages.
Example:
Hutto, W. H.; Bussman, R. W. Juice Grapes Lodi district Origin. A Brief Review of the 1951 Lodi Tokay Grape Season; U.S. Department of Agriculture; Lodi, CA, 1952; 10.
When a book does not have editors it means the entire book is written by one author or is a collaboration between a few authors and you can cite the whole book rather than a specific chapter from the book. The information you'll need to include in your citation is:
When accessing a book online also include:
Basic format:
Author(s). Title of book. Name of publisher: City, Year.
Example:
Faraday, M. Chemical History of a Candle. Oxford University Press: Oxford, 2011.
Basic format:
Author(s). Title [Online]; Publisher: Place of Publication, Year. URL (accessed Month Day, Year).
Example:
Marsden, J. O.; House, I. C. Chemistry of Gold Extraction [Online]; SME: Southfield, MI, 2006. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/wvu/detail.action?docID=464583# (accessed October 10, 2018).
Often times a book will have a different author or group of authors for each chapter. These books will have editor(s) as well as authors. Author(s) and editor(s) should be included in your citation. The information you should have in your citation for a book chapter is:
When using a chapter from an online book it is important to include:
Basic format:
Author(s). Title of article. In Title of book; Editor(s); Publisher: City, Year, Pages.
Example:
Backes, C.; Hirsch, A. Noncovalent Functionalization of Carbon Nanotubes. In Chemistry of Nanocarbons; Akasaka, T; Wudl, F.; Nagase, S., Eds.; Wiley: Chichester, 2010, pp 1-48.
Basic format:
Author(s). Chapter Title. In Book Title [Online]; Editor(s), Eds.; Publisher: Place of Publication, Year, Pages. URL (accessed Month Day, Year).
Example:
Aguilar, G.; Mazzamaro, G.; Rasberger, M. Oxidative Degradation and Stabilisation of Mineral Oil-Based Lubricants. In Chemistry and Technology of Lubricants [Online]; Mortier, R. M.; Fox, M. F.; Stefan, O. T., Eds; Springer: Dordrecht, 2010, 107-152. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1023/b105569_4 (accessed October 10, 2018).
Similar to Government publications, technical reports or bulletins can take a lot of different formats and the information provided to create a citation varies from document to document. For example, sometimes there are authors, other times there are not. If an item doesn't have a piece of information, such as an author, simply skip it. However, always include as much information as possible.
Confusingly, some technical reports or bulletins are government funded, or put out by government funded institutions. But, they are different from a full government publication.
Basic Format:
Author, A.; Author, B.; etc. Title of Report or Bulletin; Technical Report or Bulletin Number; Publisher: Place of Publication, Date; Pagination.
Example:
Krotulski, A.J.; Papsun, D.M.; et al. Potent Synthetic Opioid -Isotonitazene -Recently Identified in the Midwestern United States; Public Bulletin for the Center for Forensic Science Research and Education: Willow Grove, PA, November 2019.
When citing a thesis or dissertation the minimum information included should be:
If more information is available such as the level of thesis (e.g. master, phd) or the location of the university, include that information in your citation.
Basic format:
Author. Title of Thesis. Level of Thesis, Name of University, Location of University, Date of Completion.
Example:
Duis, J. M. Acid/base chemistry and related organic chemistry conceptions of undergraduate organic chemistry students. Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO, 2008.
With patents the minimum required information is:
If available also include:
Basic format:
Patent Owner(s). Title. Patent Number, Date.
Example:
Phillips, A.; Heben, M.; Podraza, N.; Yorde, R.; Anderson, R. Organic Substrates Having Improved Weatherability and Mar Resistance. U.S. Patent WO 2018184000, October 4, 2018.