Skip to Main Content

Getting Started: Information Research Tips

Introductory help in learning how to identify, locate, evaluate, and use information effectively and ethically for research assignments.

How to Read a Citation

How do you know which is a book, which is a book chapter or essay, and which is a journal article? There are many different citation formats and styles; but often, those who write for the social sciences use the American Psychological Association (APA) citation style. Here are some examples:

Book

To find out which UCLA library owns this book, search the catalog under the author's name, title words, or keywords (a combination of author and title words). HINT: Leave out words like the, a, an, to, etc.

Chapter or essay in a book

A citation for a chapter or essay in a book includes many of the same elements as a book citation. However, the key to knowing that it is a book chapter is the word in after the chapter title.

To find this essay search the catalog under the Editor's name (Inness) or under words from the book's title such as: kitchen culture America; or under keywords (a combination of book Editor and book title words).

Journal Article

How do you find a journal article? Find out which UCLA library owns a subscription to that periodical. In the example above, you would search under Aztlan, and click on "Journal Title (start of)" in the drop-down menu.