The ASA (American Sociological Association) format is a citation style used by sociologists and other social scientists when writing research papers and assignments. It is similar to other citation styles, such as the APA and MLA formats, but has some unique features that make it distinct. One of these features is the ASA format works cited page, which is a list of all the sources that have been cited in the paper. In this essay, we will discuss the basic guidelines for creating a works cited page in ASA format.
The first step in creating an ASA format works cited page is to make sure you have properly cited all of your sources within the text of your paper. ASA format requires that you include the author's name and the year of publication in parentheses after any direct quotes or paraphrases. For example: (Smith, 2020) or (Jones et al., 2019). It is also important to include a full citation for each source in a list at the end of the paper.
The ASA format works cited page should be titled "References" and should be placed at the end of the paper, after any appendices or footnotes. The references should be listed in alphabetical order by the last name of the first author. If a source has no author, it should be listed by the title of the work. Each reference should be formatted according to the specific guidelines for the type of source it is (e.g., book, journal article, website).
Here are some examples of how to format different types of sources in ASA format:
Book:
- Author's Last Name, First Name. Year of publication. Title of Book. Place of publication: Publisher.
- Example: Smith, John. 2020. The Sociology of Education. New York: Oxford University Press.
Journal article:
- Author's Last Name, First Name. Year of publication. "Title of Article." Title of Journal volume number (issue number): page numbers.
- Example: Jones, Mary, et al. 2019. "The Impact of Social Media on Political Participation." Social Science Quarterly 100(2): 123-141.
Website:
- Author's Last Name, First Name. Year of publication (if available). "Title of Webpage." Name of Website. URL. Date of access.
- Example: Brown, Jane. 2021. "The History of Sociology." Encyclopedia of Sociology. http://www.encyclopediaofsociology.com. Accessed March 1, 2021.
It is important to be consistent and follow the ASA format guidelines closely when creating your works cited page. This will ensure that your paper is professional and easy to read, and that your sources are properly credited.
In conclusion, the ASA format works cited page is a crucial part of any research paper or assignment in the field of sociology. It is a list of all the sources that have been cited in the paper, and it should be placed at the end of the paper, after any appendices or footnotes. Each reference should be formatted according to the specific guidelines for the type of source it is, and the references should be listed in alphabetical order by the last name of the first author. By following these guidelines, you can create a well-organized and professional works cited page in ASA format.