Widely used formats for attributing information found on a website in a bibliography?

[Laughing Lagomorph]

I am taking an honest to Og college course this semester, for the first time since Ronald Reagan was President.

I need to write a couple of papers and am getting a fair amount of information off the web. The problem is the web wasn't widely used for informational purposes by laypeople back when I last wrote a paper for a course.

I need some pointers on how to attribute in the bibliography information found only on the web...not just newspaper or magazine articles that are on the web that also have publication dates associated with them, but info that is only on the web. Something like this page, as an example:

http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/article/1615-8818.html

If you could point me somewhere that had general rules and guidelines for handling this type of thing I would be much obliged.

Thanks in advance.

[tomndebb]

The Encyclopædia Britannica provides the following guidelines for citing its articles--in this case, its article on Wallace Stevens (links may not work if you do not have the Premium service):To cite this page:

MLA style:
"Stevens, Wallace." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2004. Encyclopædia Britannica Premium Service.
2 Oct. 2004 <http://www.britannica.com/eb/article?tocId=9069661>.

APA style:
Stevens, Wallace Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved October 2, 2004, from Encyclopædia Britannica Premium Service.
<http://www.britannica.com/eb/article?tocId=9069661>

Britannica style:
"Stevens, Wallace" Encyclopædia Britannica from Encyclopædia Britannica Premium Service.
<http://www.britannica.com/eb/article?tocId=9069661>
[Accessed October 2, 2004].

and hyperlinks the styles to a page that saysCitation Styles


MLA:
The citation style recommended by the Modern Language Association is taken from the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers.
Note: While every effort has been made to follow MLA style rules exactly, there may be minor discrepancies in capitalization because article titles in Britannica's encyclopedias do not always conform to the capitalization rules designated by the MLA style. Please refer to the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers if you have any questions.

APA:
The citation style recommended by the American Psychological Association is taken from the APA's Publication Manual, 5th edition. Note: While every effort has been made to follow APA style rules exactly, there may be minor discrepancies. Please refer to the APA's Publication Manual, 5th edition if you have any questions.

Britannica:
Britannica's editors have developed a citation style after carefully considering the issues of citing electronic publications. If you have not been instructed to use a specific citation style, Britannica's format is an attractive alternative.

[Lsura]

Is there a preferred citation style for the class you're taking? If so, use it - if there's not a style specified for the class/department/university you're taking the class from, then typically MLA or APA are acceptable.

The Internet Public Library has some information about citing electronic resources (in a variety of formats) available here (http://www.ipl.org/div/farq/netciteFARQ.html).

[tomndebb]

The Modern Language Association does not publish its documentation guidelines on the Web. (http://www.mla.org/style), but this page notes the printed books to which you can refer (which should be available at a college library).

This outfit (a Connecticut community college) purports to have prepared a style based on that of the MLA. (http://webster.commnet.edu/mla/index.shtml)

The Columbia University Press (http://www.columbia.edu/cu/cup/cgos/idx_basic.html) addresses the Web, Usenet, Gopher, FTP, and other on-line sources.

If you are doing science reporting,

The APA Style rules are on-line (http://www.apastyle.org/elecref.html).

[Laughing Lagomorph]

Is there a preferred citation style for the class you're taking? If so, use it - if there's not a style specified for the class/department/university you're taking the class from, then typically MLA or APA are acceptable.

...

There apparently is no preferred style for the class. A search of the University website (didn't think of that) seems to indicate that in the abscence of more specific guidance by the instructor APA, MLA, Chicago, and CBE are all acceptable.


tomndebb I am actually at my house in the suburbs miles away from the college library (not that you would have any way of knowing this). It is a night course at Northeastern University which is near where I work. I will probably go out tomorrow and buy one of those books...it will be a good investment as I plan on taking more courses.

Thank you all for your help.