This guide is based on the third edition of The ACS Style Guide: Effective Communication of Scientific Information (2006). For a more thorough discussion of citation formats, please refer to Chapter 14: References in The ACS Style Guide.
Journal Articles | Books | Encyclopedia Articles | Handbooks | Online Encyclopedias, Handbooks, and Dictionaries | Newspapers | Websites
Basic Format:
Author, A. A; Author, B. B; Author, C. C. Title of Article. Journal Abbreviation (italics) Year (boldface), Volume (italics), Page numbers or Article number (if online only).
Examples:
Kuchenreuther, J. M.; Britt, R. D.; Swartz, J. R. New Insights into [FeFe] Hydrogenase Activation and Maturase Function. PLoS One 2012, 7, e45850.
Borman, S. Protein Sequencing For The Masses. Chem. Eng. News 2004, 82, 22-23.
Slunt, K. M.; Giancarlo, L. C. Student-Centered Learning: A Comparison of Two Different Methods of Instruction. J. Chem. Educ. 2004, 81, 985-988.
Takahaski, T. The Fate of Industrial Carbon Dioxide. Science 2004, 305, 352-353.
The standard list of journal abbreviations is available in the Chemical Abstracts Service Source Index (CASSI), available online at the CASSI Search Tool.
Basic Format:
Author, A. A.; Author, B. B. Book Title (italics), Edition (if any); Publisher: Place of Publication, Year; Page numbers (page numbers are preceded by abbreviation p for one page or pp for a range of pages).
Examples:
Dill, K. A.; Bromberg, S. Molecular Driving Forces: Statistical Thermodynamics in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Nanoscience, 2nd ed.; Garland Science: New York, 2011; pp 137-139.
Engel, R; Cohen, J. I. Synthesis of Carbon-Phosphorus Bonds: New Methods of Exploration; CRC Press: Boca Raton, FL, 2004; pp 54-56.
Zumdahl, S. S. Chemical Principles, 4th ed.; Houghton Mifflin: Boston, MA, 2002; p 7.
Authored Chapters in Books with Editor(s)
Basic Format:
Author, A. A.; Author, B. B. Chapter Title. In Book Title (italics); Editor, A. A., Editor, B. B., Eds.; Series Information (if any, including series number); Publisher: Place of Publication, Year; Volume number (if any), Page numbers.
Examples:
Downs, G. M.; Barnard, J. M. Clustering Methods and Their Uses in Computational Chemistry. In Reviews in Computational Chemistry; Lipkowitz, K. B., Boyd, D. B., Eds.; Wiley: Hoboken, NJ, 2002; Vol. 18, p 11.
Lenhart, J. L.; Fischer, D. A.; Sambasivan, S.; Lin, E. K.; Soles, M. A. Utilizing Near Edge X-ray Absorption Fine Structure to Probe Interfacial Issues in Photolithography. In Polymers for Microelectronics and Nanoelectronics; Lin, Q., Pearson, R. A., Hedrick, J. C., Eds.; ACS Symposium Series 874; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2004; pp 98-117.
Books with Editor(s), and Entire Book is Referenced
Basic Format:
Book Title (italics); Editor, A. A., Editor, B. B., Eds.; Series Information (if any, including series number); Publisher: Place of Publication, Year.
Example:
Polymers for Microelectronics and Nanoelectronics; Lin, Q., Pearson, R. A., Hedrick, J. C., Eds.; ACS Symposium Series 874; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2004.
Basic Format:
Article Title. Encyclopedia Name (italics), Edition number; Publisher: Place of Publication, Year; Volume Number, Page numbers.
Example:
Psychopharmacological Agents. Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, 4th ed.; Wiley: New York, 1996; Vol. 20, pp 455-457.
Basic Format:
Handbook Title (italics), Edition number; Editor, A. A., Editor, B. B., Eds.; Publisher: Place of Publication, Year; Page numbers or other identifying information.
Examples:
The Merck Index: An Encyclopedia of Chemicals, Drugs, and Biologicals, 13th ed.; Budavari, S., O’Neil, M. J., Smith. A., Heckelman, P. E., Kinneary, J. F., Eds.; Merck & Company: Whitehouse Station, NJ, 2001; entry 5066.
CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 84th ed.; Lide, D. R., Ed.; CRC Press: Boca Raton, FL, 2003; p 83.
Online Encyclopedias, Handbooks and Dictionaries
Basic Format:
Author, A. A.; Author, B. B. (if available) Article, Section or Table Title. Encyclopedia or Handbook or Dictionary Title (italics), edition [Online]; Publisher, Posted Online Posting Date (if available). URL (accessed Month Day, Year). (Do not include session-specific URLs for subscription sites).
Examples:
Chemical Composition of the Human Body. CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 97th ed. [Online]; Haynes, W. M., Ed.; CRC Press/Taylor & Francis. http://hbcponline.com/faces/documents/07_09/07_09_0001.xhtml (accessed November 22, 2016).
Araki K.; Ozeki T. Amino Acids. Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, 4th ed. [Online]; Wiley, Posted July 18, 2003. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/0471238961.1921182201180111.a01.pub2/full (accessed November 22, 2016).
Cyclopentane. Combined Chemical Dictionary, Version 20.1 [Online]. Taylor & Francis. http://ccd.chemnetbase.com/AAA00.entry?parentCHNumber=CZF37&exno=CZF37 (accessed November 16, 2016).
Basic Format:
Author, A. A.; Author, B. B. Article Title. Newspaper Title (italics), Complete Date, Page numbers.
Example:
Jones, M. Panel Urges NASA to Save Hubble Space Telescope. New York Times, July 16, 2004, p A1.
Basic Format:
Author, A. A. (if any). Title of Site. URL (accessed date), other identifying information. (Do not include session-specific URLs for subscription sites).
Example:
ChemBioFinder.Com. http://www.cambridgesoft.com/databases/ (accessed November 21, 2016).
This guide:
ACS Citation Style Guide. http://guides.lib.berkeley.edu/acs-style (accessed Month, Day, Year).
