CRJ 418/518: Criminal Justice Research Methods

Citations provide the information necessary for readers to identify and retrieve each source you use. When you use someone else's words or ideas in your papers, you should create In-text citations within your paper and References Page (ASA) at the end of the paper. Each In-text citation should lead to a References Page/List citation, and each References Page/List citation should come from an In-text citation.

Use the American Sociological Association Style Guide (7th edition) to correctly cite your sources and format your research paper.  

Use the American Sociological Association's Quick Tips ASA Style Sheet for:

• In-Text citation templates
• References Page citation templates

Use the Purdue OWL American Sociological Association (ASA) Formatting and Style Guide templates to put together your ASA In-Text and References Page citations:

• In-Text citations
• References Page rules and citation templates
• Format your paper

The University of Connecticut American Sociological Association guide has an extensive list of References Page citation templates and examples, including templates and examples for DVDs and online videos for the 6th ed. of the ASA Style Guide.

Federal Statutes/Laws

You need to find the following information for your citations:

• the law you're citing
• the year the law was passed
• where it's found in the United States Code
• the year of the edition of the United States Code in which you found the law

In-Text Citation: (Name of Law, Year law was passed)

• Should include the name of the law and the year it was signed into law
  • (Family and Medical Leave Act, 1993)

References List Citation: Name of Law of Year law was passed Title Number in United States Code U.S.C. § § Section Code-Section Code in United States Code (Year of the edition of the United States Code in which you found the law)

• Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, 29 U.S.C. § §2601-2654 (2006). 

State Statutes/Laws

In-text Citation: (State Abbreviation Name of Law, Year)

• Should include the state abbreviation, the name of the law, and the year it was signed into law
  • (NM Elections, 2017)
• For unnamed laws, should include the state abbreviation, the number of the law and the year it was signed into law
  • (NM Stat § 40-4-9.1, 2006)

References List Citation:  State Abbreviation Code, Stat § Name of law (if available), Abbreviation § section number(s) (Year)

• With law name: NM Stat § Elections 1-4-4. (2017)
• Unnamed Law: NM Stat  § 40-4-9.1. (2006) 

Court Decisions 

You need to find the following information for citations about court decisions:

• Name of the case: Name vs. Name
• Source reporting the decision: Volume Source Page
• Court and date of the decision: (Court Date)

In-Text Citation: (Name v. Name, Court Date)

• (Lessard v. Schmidt, 1972)

References List Citation: Name v. Name, Volume Source Page (Court Date)

• Lessard v. Schmidt, 349 F. Supp. 1078 (E.D. Wis. 1972)