Here are some examples of citation formats for the specific types of content you are likely to encounter on the Gilder Lehrman website: essays, multimedia, spotlights on primary sources, and primary sources. We have included APA, MLA, and Turabian (adapted from the Chicago Manual of Style). The examples below are suggested models. Please verify the preferred citations of online materials with your teacher or department.
APA (Sixth Edition)
These examples follow Concise Rules of APA Style, 6th ed. (Washington DC: American Psychological Association, 2010).
Essays
Essays that are part of the online journal History Now are indicated by the banner above the title of the essay, showing the issue number, title, and publication date:
In-text Citations
(Crosby, 2007)
Reference
Crosby, A. (2007, Summer). The Columbian Exchange. History Now 12. Retrieved from https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/essays/columbian-exchange.
Essays that are not part of the online journal History Now, which do not have the History Now issue banner above the essay title:
In-text Citations
(Gallagher)
Reference
Gallagher, G. W. (n.d.). The American Civil War. Retrieved from https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/essays/american-civil-war.
Multimedia
In-text Citations
(Foner and Basker)
Reference list
Foner, E., & Basker, J. G. (n.d.). The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery [Video]. Retrieved from https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/videos/fiery-trial-abraham-lincoln-and-american-slavery-0.
Primary Sources
Primary sources are historical documents found in the online catalog of the Gilder Lehrman Collection.
In-text Citations
(Knox, L. F. to Henry Knox, May 1777, p. 2)
Reference list
Knox, L. F. (1777, May). [Letter to Henry Knox]. The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, New York, NY. Retrieved from https://www.gilderlehrman.org/collection/glc0243700582.
Spotlights On Primary Sources
Spotlights on Primary Sources are brief introductions to historical documents; the “creator” listed on Spotlights on Primary Source pages is the author of the original document, not the author of the introduction. The Gilder Lehrman Institute is the author of the introductions.
In-text Citations
(Gilder Lehrman Institute, “Hoover”)
List of Works Cited
The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. (n.d.). Herbert Hoover on the Great Depression and New Deal, 1930–1933. Retrieved from https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/spotlight-primary-source/herbert-hoover-great-depression-and-new-deal-1931%E2%80%931933.
MLA (7th edition)
These examples follow MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 7th ed. (New York: Modern Language Association of America, 2009). MLA advises including the source medium (e.g., Web) and the access date. MLA also suggests eliminating the URL, but we have shown it in the Lists of Works Cited examples in case your teacher or department wants it included.
Essays
Essays that are part of the online journal History Now are indicated by the banner above the title of the essay, showing the issue number, title, and publication date:
Parenthetical Documentation
(Crosby)
List of Works Cited
Crosby, Alfred. “The Columbian Exchange,” History Now 12 (Summer 2007): n. pag. The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. Web. 28 Mar. 2014.
<https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/essays/columbian-exchange>.
Essays that are not part of the online journal History Now, which do not have the banner above the title of the essay showing the issue number, title, and publication date:
Parenthetical Documentation
(Gallagher)
List of Works Cited
Gallagher, Gary W. “The American Civil War.” The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, n.d. Web. 29 Sept. 2014. <https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/essays/american-civil-war>.
Multimedia
Parenthetical documentation
(Foner and Basker)
List of Works Cited
Foner, Eric, and James G. Basker. “The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery.” Video. Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2014. <https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/videos/fiery-trial-abraham-lincoln-and-american-slavery-0;.
Primary Sources
Primary sources are historical documents found in the online catalog of the Gilder Lehrman Collection of The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.
Parenthetical documentation
(Knox 1)
List of Works Cited
Knox, Lucy Flucker. Letter to Henry Knox, May 1777. MS. The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, New York. 29 Mar. 2014. Web. <https://www.gilderlehrman.org/collection/glc0243700602>.
Spotlights on Primary Sources
These are brief introductions to historical documents; the “creator” listed on Spotlights on Primary Source pages is the author of the original document, not the author of the introduction. The Gilder Lehrman Institute is the author of the introductions.
Parenthetical documentation
(Gilder Lehrman Institute, “Hoover”)
List of Works Cited
The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. “Herbert Hoover on the Great Depression and New Deal, 1930–1933.” The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2014. <https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/spotlight-primary-source/herbert-hoover-great-depression-and-new-deal-1931%E2%80%931933>.
Turabian (8th edition)
These examples follow Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 8th ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2013). The two different styles described in Turabian—notes-bibliography style and author-date style—are listed below.
Essays
Notes-Bibliography Style
Essays that are part of the online journal History Now are indicated by the banner above the title of the essay, showing the issue number, title, and publication date:
Notes
1. Alfred Crosby, “The Columbian Exchange,” History Now 12 (Summer 2007), The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, accessed March 28, 2014, https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/essays/columbian-exchange.
Bibliography
Crosby, Alfred. “The Columbian Exchange,“ History Now 12 (Summer 2007). The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. Accessed March 28, 2014.
https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/essays/columbian-exchange.
Essays that are not part of the online journal History Now do not have the History Now banner at the top of the page. For undated online materials, Turabian recommends using the date of access in place of the date of publication.
Notes
Gary W. Gallagher, “The American Civil War,” The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, accessed March 28, 2014, https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/essays/american-civil-war.
Bibliography
Gallagher, Gary W. “The American Civil War.” The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. Accessed March 28, 2014. https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/essays/american-civil-war.
Author-Date Reference Style
Essays that are part of the online journal History Now:
Parenthetical citations
(Crosby 2007)
Reference list
Crosby, Alfred. 2007. “The Columbian Exchange,” History Now 12 (Summer). The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. Accessed March 28, 2014. https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/essays/columbian-exchange.
Essays that are not part of the online journal History Now:
Parenthetical citations
(Gallagher 2014)
Reference list
Gallagher, Gary W. 2014. “The American Civil War.” The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. Accessed March 28, 2014. https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/essays/american-civil-war.
Multimedia
Notes-Bibliography Style
Notes
1. Eric Foner and James G. Basker, “The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery,” The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History video, 36:12, accessed March 28, 1014, https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/videos/fiery-trial-abraham-lincoln-and-american-slavery-0.
Bibliography
Foner, Eric, and James G. Basker. “The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery.” 36:12. March 28, 2014. https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/videos/fiery-trial-abraham-lincoln-and-american-slavery-0.
Author-Date Reference Style
Parenthetical citation
(Foner and Basker 2014)
Reference list
Foner, Eric, and James G. Basker. 2014. “The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery.” The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History video, 36:12. Accessed March 28, 2014. https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/videos/fiery-trial-abraham-lincoln-and-american-slavery-0.
Primary Sources
Primary sources are historical documents found in the online catalog of the Gilder Lehrman Collection of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.
Notes-Bibliography Style
Notes
1. Lucy Flucker Knox to Henry Knox, May 1777, The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, New York, accessed March 28, 2014, https://www.gilderlehrman.org/collection/glc05895.
Bibliography
If only one item from the Gilder Lehrman Collection is cited, use the item record for the bibliography:
Knox, Lucy Flucker, to Henry Knox, May 1777. The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, New York. Accessed March 28, 2014. https://www.gilderlehrman.org/collection/glc05895.
If multiple items from the Gilder Lehrman Collection are used, the bibliography entry can be the Institute itself:
The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, New York.
Author-Date Reference Style
Parenthetical citation
(Lucy Knox to Henry Knox, May 1777, Gilder Lehrman Institute)
Reference list
If only one item from the Gilder Lehrman Collection is cited, use the item record for the bibliography:
Knox, Lucy Flucker. 1777. Letter to Henry Knox, May. The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, New York. Accessed March 28, 2014. https://www.gilderlehrman.org/collection/glc05895.
If multiple items from the Gilder Lehrman Collection are used, the bibliography entry can be the Institute itself:
The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, New York. http://www.gilderlehrman.org/collections.
Spotlights on Primary Sources
Notes-Bibliography Style
These are brief introductions to historical documents; the “creator” listed on Spotlights on Primary Source pages is the author of the original document, not the author of the introduction. The Gilder Lehrman Institute is the author of the introductions.
Notes
1. Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, “Herbert Hoover on the Great Depression and New Deal, 1931–1933,” accessed March 28, 2014, https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/spotlight-primary-source/herbert-hoover-great-depression-and-new-deal-1931%E2%80%931933.
Bibliography
The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. “Herbert Hoover on the Great Depression and New Deal, 1931–1933.” Accessed March 28, 2014. https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/spotlight-primary-source/herbert-hoover-great-depression-and-new-deal-1931%E2%80%931933.
Author-Date Reference Style
Parenthetical citation
(Gilder Lehrman Institute 2014a)
Reference list
The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. 2014a. “Herbert Hoover on the Great Depression and New Deal, 1930–1933.” Accessed March 28, 2014. https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/spotlight-primary-source/herbert-hoover-great-depression-and-new-deal-1931%E2%80%931933.