STEM Research Guide

What is ACS style?

• A documentation style for writing and formatting scientific research papers including citing sources
• Includes information about reviewing and submitting scientific manuscripts  
• Created by the American Chemical Society
• The ACS Style Guide contains comprehensive and explanations for proper scientific communication and style guidelines

How to cite in ACS style

1. In-Text Citations

• Use an in-text citation to acknowledge that you are quoting or paraphrasing another author's words, ideas or data in the text of your research paper.
• Choose one of the following methods for citing references in-text:
  • Add a superscript number at the end of the text being cited
  • Use an italic number in parentheses at the end of the text being cited
  • ​Put author’s name and resource publication date in parentheses at the end of the text being cited
• For numerical in-text citations, assign one number to each source, in the order they are referenced in your paper.

2. References List

• Include a reference list at the end of your paper. The list should begin on a new page and contain a full citation for each in-text citation referenced within your paper.
• Each full citation should include the specific publication information required by the American Chemical Society rules. This allows your reader to find the sources, if desired.
• If you used superscript or italic numbers for your in-text citations, arrange your reference list in numerical order.
• If you used author's name and date for your in-text citations, arrange your reference list alphabetically by the last name of the author.

Books

Basic Format:

Author 1; Author 2; etc. Title of Book, Edition Number; Publisher: Location, Year; Volume number, pp Pages Used.

Example:

Le Couteur, P.; Burreson, J. Napoleon's Buttons: How 17 Molecules Changed History; Jeremy P. Tarcher/Putnam: New York, 2003; pp 32-47.

E-Books

Basic Format:

Author 1; Author 2; Author 3; etc. Book Title [Online]; Series Information; Publisher: Place of Publication, Year; Volume Number, Pages Used.
     URL (accessed Month Day, Year).

Example:

Lo, K. K. Luminescent and Photoactive Transition Metal Complexes as Biomolecular Probes and Cellular Reagents [Online]; Springer:
     Berlin, 2015. https://librarysearch.williams.edu/permalink/f/s1eqoc/01WIL_ALMA51121331050002786 (accessed Jan 19, 2020).

Magazine or Newspaper Articles

Basic Format:

Author 1; Author 2; Author 3; etc. Title of Article. Title of Periodical, Complete Date, Pages.

Example:

Manning, R. Super Organics. Wired, May 2004, pp 176-181.

• For newspapers, include "p." or "pp." before the page numbers. If the article appears on discontinuous pages, give all page numbers separated by a comma.
• If retrieved online, include "Retrieved from" and the URL.

Scholarly Journal Article (Accessed Online via Open Web)

Basic Format:

Author 1; Author 2; Author 3; etc. Title of Article. Journal Abbreviation [Online] Year, Issue, Pages. Complete URL (accessed Date).

Example:

Peacock-Lopez, E. Exact Solutions of the Quantum Double Square-Well Potential. Chem. Ed. [Online] 2007, 11, 383-393.
     http://chemeducator.org/bibs/0011006/11060383ep.htm (accessed Dec 6, 2018).

Scholarly Journal Article (Accessed via Library Database)

Basic Format:

Author 1; Author 2; Author 3; etc. Title of Article. Journal Abbreviation [Online], Date, Pages. Database Name. Complete URL of database
     (accessed Date).

Example:

Begley, S. When Does Your Brain Stop Making New Neurons? Newsweek [Online] July 2, 2007, p 62. Expanded Academic Index.
     http:/galegroup.com (accessed Aug 23, 2007).

Scholarly Journal Article (Accessed in Print)

Basic Format:

Author 1; Author 2; Author 3; etc. Title of Article. Journal Abbreviation Year, Volume, Pages.

Example:

Evans, D. A.; Fitch, D. M.; Smith, T. E.; Cee, V. J. Application of Complex Aldol Reactions to the Total Synthesis of Phorboxazole B. 
     J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2000, 122, 10033-10046.

Website

Basic Format:

Author, X (if any). Title of Site. URL (accessed Month Day, Year), other identifying information (if any).

Example:

National Library of Medicine. Environmental Health & Toxicology. https://www.nlm.nih.gov/enviro/index.html (accessed Feb 04, 2020).