Citation Guides for Engineers

Welcome to Citation Guides for Engineers!

This guide provides assistance with popular citation styles seen in the engineering field. If you have more in-depth questions, feel free to use the Chat with a Librarian box on the left to receive help from a real librarian or visit The HUB Writing Center

Why Do Citations Matter?

Citations are more than just an academic requirement—they’re a way of respecting intellectual property. When you cite sources, you acknowledge the original creators ideas, data, or designs and show where your own work builds on theirs. For engineers, proper citation is especially important because it:

• helps avoid plagiarism.
• demonstrates the originality of your contributions.
• shows that you understand the ethical and legal responsibilities tied to intellectual property.

In professional settings, failing to give credit can damage your credibility or even lead to legal consequences, while accurate citations strengthen your work and highlight your role in advancing innovation.

There are many citation managers that you can choose from, all with particular pros and cons. Three popular systems used in academia are Endnote, Zotero, and Mendeley. Currently, SCU does not subscribe to any citation management vendors. 

Other than the basic chart on this page, there are many comparison charts on the internet. NOTE that many comparison charts review Endnote Desktop, NOT Endnote Web. Here are some helpful places to start:     

• Comparison Chart-University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Wikipedia-Comparison of reference management software
• EndNote Desktop vs. Endnote Web -- Which might work better for you?