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CSE Citation Style_pre 2019

This guide will show you how to cite your sources using the CSE (Council of Science Editors) citation style.

NEW: Online version of Scientific Style and Format 8th Edition

An 8th edition of Scientific Style and Format: The CSE Manual for Authors, Editors, and Publishers is available as an online subscription.

Note that sample references can be found in Chapter 29, under Part 4: Technical Elements of Publishing.

About CSE style

The Council of Science Editor's (CSE) style is used for citing references in the physical and life sciences.

The CSE style has two systems of citation, the Citation-Sequence system and the Name-Year system.  This guide will focus on the Name-Year system. 

Your CSE citations will include in text citations, as well as a Reference List at the end of your paper.

CSE was formerly called CBE style.

 The purpose of documentation is to:

  • Identify (cite) other people’s ideas and information used within your essay or term paper.
  • Indicate the authors or sources of these in a Works Cited list at the end of your paper.

Avoiding Plagiarism

Here are three different ways you can present information you have found in your research to consciously avoid plagiarizing.

1. Direct quote

When you use or copy the exact words or section of words from an author, you can surround that direct quote by quotation marks. Include the correct citation acknowledging the original author in your sentence.

2. Summary

Write a summary using your own words of the ideas or the text you want to use. Be original without using the words of the original work and be sure you cite that statement.

3. Paraphrase

Paraphrasing is similar to a summary. It just means taking what you have read and rewriting it in your own words. You must cite that paraphrase.

Printable CSE Guide

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Help!

Meet with a Librarian: TRU Library offers individualized, in-depth, one-on-one research consultations.

The Writing Centre can provide help with any stage of the writing process, and will provide feedback on your writing.