Q. Can I get a citation for articles I find in the library databases?

Many of our Library databases provide preformatted citations for the articles you find. They have citation tools that will let you pick which format you need (such as APA or MLA), and then they show you it in that style. You can then copy and paste the citation into your list of references.

Keep in mind though that they are not perfect. Please make sure to review the references and make any corrections needed. *

Below, the screenshots show where to find citations in many commonly used databases:

ProQuest Databases:

• These databases include:
  • ABI/Inform Collection
  • Accounting, Tax & Banking Collection
  • Criminal Justice Database 
  • Career & Technical Education Database
  • Health & Medical Collection
  • ProQuest​ Central
  • Healthcare Administration Database
  • Nursing & Allied Health Database
• After you open the article (usually by clicking on the title), find and click on the Cite link. It is found towards the upper right, with other tools like "Print" or "Email."

• The citation tool defaults to MLA citations. You can choose another style like APA from the drop-down list. Click on the highest edition number shown for the style you need. §

Gale Databases:

• These databases include: 
  • ​Opposing Viewpoints (Gale In Context)
  • Gale Virtual Reference/Gale EBooks 

• After you open the article (usually by clicking on the title), look for a Cite icon on a horizontal bar towards the top right. It is found near other icons like "Send to", "Download" and "Print". ​

• It defaults to MLA. You can choose another style like APA by clicking on the style above the box.

​Ebsco Databases:

• These databases include:
  • Academic Search Premier
  • CINAHL
  • LibSearch (from the Library home page)
• After you open the article (usually by clicking on the title), find and click on the Cite link. It is found in the middle of the right column labeled Tools, near "Print", "Email", "Save" & "Permalink".

• A box will appear with the citation repeated in a variety of citation formats. Simply copy the citation that corresponds to your required citation style, then get the URL from the Permalink icon and paste it at the end of the reference, if it doesn't have the link.

* Make sure that you are copying the citation that corresponds to the style that your instructor wants (such as MLA or APA), and double-check that the citation tool formatted it correctly. The most common things that need to be fixed are when a name or acronym in the title does not have the first or all the letters capitalized (such as starbucks, nyc, or newark, nj), which you should fix. Also, sometimes there is no link to the article at the end of the reference, so you must add a permalink.

_______________________________________________________________________

Here is a list that shows which library databases have citation tools. A few databases do not have formatted citations available. You will need to prepare the citations for those based on general rules for citing sources in a specific format, following the links to APA or MLA examples below; or search our FAQs for "cite" and the name of the database to see if we have examples.