ACS Style 3rd Edition Guide - Citing Articles

Sep 21, 2026

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Handout explaining how to use ACS (American Chemical Society) Style 3rd edition to cite sources in academic writing. It defines in-text citations as short references placed within the text, using superscript numbers linked to a numbered reference page. The guide covers reference-page rules, including numbering order and hanging indent formatting, and provides citation formats and examples for journal, newspaper, and magazine articles, including author, title, journal/newspaper/magazine, dates, volume/issue, pages, and DOI or URL details.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

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Pages5

Reading Time13 min

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What is an in-text citation?

What is a Reference Page?

ACS Style 3rd Edition - Citing Journal Articles

In-text Citation Format: superscript number

Reference Format

ACS Style 3rd Edition - Citing Newspaper Articles

In-text Citation Format: superscript number

Reference Format

ACS Style 3rd Edition - Citing Magazine Articles

In-text Citation Format: superscript number

Reference Format

References

ACS Style 3rd Edition Guide – Citing Articles APSU Writing Center Handout What is an in-text citation? An in-text citation is a short reference within your writing that shows where your information came from. There are different ways to cite in ACS style, but the following explains how to cite using superscripts. • Sources are assigned numbers based on the order they appear in the text. The first source is given a superscript 1, the second a 2, and so on. • Insert a small number after the relevant text. Example: Oscillation in the reaction of benzaldehyde with oxygen was reported previously.³ What is a Reference Page? The reference page lists full details of every source cited in your text. The in-text citation numbers correspond to this list. References are numbered in the order they appear in the paper (not alphabetically) . Each number matches the corresponding in-text superscript citation. All references should use a hanging indent (0.5 inches for lines after the first line) . Reference Example: 1. Lehman, J. W. Operational Organic Chemistry: A Problem-Solving Approach to the Laboratory Course, 4th ed.; Pearson Prentice Hall, 2009. ACS Style 3rd Edition-Citing Journal Articles In-text Citation Format: superscript number. • Use superscript numbers that correspond to the reference in your reference list. Sentence with In-Text Citation Example 1: The reaction proceeds under mild conditions. ¹ Sentence with In-Text Citation Example 2: New insights into hydrogenase activation have improved understanding of enzyme function.² Reference Format: Author, A. A. ; Author, B. B. ; Author, C. C. Title of Article. Journal Abbreviation Year, Volume (Issue), Page numbers. DOI • Journal Abbreviation and Volume are italicized. • Year is bold. Reference Examples: 1. Tan, G. Y. ; Das, M. ; Keum, H. ; Bellotti, P. ; Daniliuc, C. ; Glorius, F.Photochemical single-step synthesis of β-amino acid derivatives from alkenes and (hetero)arenes Nature Chemistry 2022, 14 (10), 1174−1184. DOI: 10.1038/s41557-022-01008-w 2. Kuchenreuther, J. M.; Britt, R. D.; Swartz, J. R. New Insights into [FeFe] Hydrogenase Activation and Maturase Function. PLoS One 2012, 7 (9), e45850. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0045850 ACS Style 3rd Edition-Citing Newspaper Articles In-text Citation Format: superscript number. • Use superscript numbers that correspond to the reference in your reference list. Sentence with In-Text Citation Example 1: A recent study involving students helped solve a long-standing crystal structure problem. ¹ Sentence with In-Text Citation Example 2: Advances in renewable energy technologies continue to shape global sustainability efforts.² Reference Format: Author, A. A. Title of Article. Newspaper Name, Month Day, Year. URL • Newspaper name is italicized. • Year is not bolded in newspaper citations. Reference Examples: 1. Demming, A. ‘Doing something for the real world’: How 1,000 UK schoolkids helped crack a crystals conundrum. Guardian, March 2, 2024. [https://www.theguardian.com/science/2024/mar/02/doing-something-for-the-real-world](https://www.theguardian.com/science/2024/mar/02/doing-something-for-the-real-world)how-1000-uk-schoolkids-helped-crack-a-crystals-conundrum 2. Smith, J. Renewable energy breakthroughs accelerate global transition. The New York Times, January 15, 2025.[https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/15/science/renewable](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/15/science/renewable)energy-breakthrough.html ACS Style 3rd Edition-Citing Magazine Articles In-text Citation Format: superscript number. • Use superscript numbers that correspond to the reference in your reference list. Sentence with In-Text Citation Example 1: New materials such as MXenes are showing promise for advanced technological applications. ¹ Sentence with In-Text Citation Example 2: Advances in battery technology are improving energy storage capabilities.² Reference Format: Autho

FAQs

How does ACS style determine the numbers used in superscript in-text citations?

Sources are assigned numbers based on the order they appear in the text. The first source gets superscript 1, the second gets 2, and so on.

What rules apply to the reference page in ACS style?

References are numbered in the order they appear in the paper (not alphabetically). Each number matches the corresponding in-text superscript citation, and references use a hanging indent (0.5 inches for lines after the first line).

What is the reference format difference between ACS journal, newspaper, and magazine citations?

Journal citations include journal abbreviation, italicized volume, bold year, volume/issue, page numbers, and DOI. Newspaper citations include an italicized newspaper name and month/day/year with a URL. Magazine citations include italicized magazine name and volume, bold year, volume/issue, page numbers, and DOI.

Sep 21, 2026

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