Citation practices in the sciences vary depending upon the field. Conventionally, referencing the work of other scientists is considered to be a commentary on their papers and conclusions as a whole. As a result, citations need to be specific if the material referenced is only a portion of the source of point of data. Often, reference pages should be titled Works Cited. When citing, formats vary depending on the type of document being referenced because of the information necessary to locate the exact source. When writing, there is a preference for primary literature over secondary sources and summary or paraphrase instead of direct quotation.
reference¹ or Reference (1) or [1]
A number refers to a ordered source in the reference list.
(Author Date)
This format focuses on the creator and when the source was created.
Author(s) . . . (Date, Source Location)
This format focuses on the creator and locates specific information within a source, such as the page or paragraph number or a table / figure.
Author(s)/ Editor(s). Date. Title. Publication Information. Location.
Number. Author(s)/ Editor(s). Title. Publication Information. Date. Location.
These are the common elements. Reference entry format varies by source type in CSE style.
Sources can be listed alphabetically (name-year style) or by the order that they appear in the text (citation-sequence or citation-name).