How to Cite a Book in CSE (8th Edition)

This guide explains how to format a book citation in CSE (8th Edition). Follow the format template below, refer to the real example, and use the step-by-step instructions to build your citation correctly.

Format Template

The general pattern for citing a book in CSE (8th Edition):

Template

Author(s). Year. Title. Place: Publisher.

In-Text Citation Example

How the citation appears within the body of your paper:

In-text citation

(Sapolsky 2017)

Reference List Entry Example

The full citation as it appears in your reference list:

Reference list entry

Sapolsky RM. 2017. Behave: the biology of humans at our best and worst. New York (NY): Penguin Books.

Step-by-Step Guide

1
Format the author names
List each author as Last Name followed by initials with no periods (e.g., Sapolsky RM). Use semicolons between three or more authors.
2
Add the year
Place the year after the author names, followed by a period.
3
Write the book title
Use sentence case. Do not italicize. End with a period.
4
Add publication details
Write the city followed by the state or country abbreviation in parentheses, a colon, and the publisher name. End with a period.
5
Include edition if applicable
If not the first edition, add the edition number after the title: "3rd ed." End with a period before the publication details.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Italicizing the book title (CSE does not use italics).
Using headline-style capitalization for the title (CSE uses sentence case).
Omitting the state or country abbreviation after the city of publication.
Adding periods between author initials (CSE uses no periods in initials).
Forgetting the period after the year.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does CSE format the place of publication?

CSE requires the city followed by the state (for US cities) or country abbreviation in parentheses. For example: New York (NY), London (UK), or Cambridge (MA). This differs from most other styles.

Does CSE italicize book titles?

No. CSE does not use italics for any element in the reference list. All titles are in regular (roman) type.

How do I cite an edited book in CSE?

List the editor(s) in the author position followed by "editor" or "editors" (spelled out). For example: Johnson KL, editor. 2022. Title of book.

Information You Will Need

Before creating your citation, gather the following information from your book:

Author(s) or Editor(s)
Year of publication
Title
Edition (if not the first)
Publisher
DOI or URL (if electronic)

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Step-by-Step Guide

Format the author names

List each author as Last Name followed by initials with no periods (e.g., Sapolsky RM). Use semicolons between three or more authors.

Add the year

Place the year after the author names, followed by a period.

Write the book title

Use sentence case. Do not italicize. End with a period.

Add publication details

Write the city followed by the state or country abbreviation in parentheses, a colon, and the publisher name. End with a period.

Include edition if applicable

If not the first edition, add the edition number after the title: "3rd ed." End with a period before the publication details.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Italicizing the book title (CSE does not use italics).

Using headline-style capitalization for the title (CSE uses sentence case).

Omitting the state or country abbreviation after the city of publication.

Adding periods between author initials (CSE uses no periods in initials).

Forgetting the period after the year.