How to Cite Business Sources
This is a guide to citing print and electronic Business resources in the MLA ( Modern Languages Association) citation style. It was created for York University students and it provides you with examples of how to cite sources to create a reference list or bibliography and it provides guidelines for creating in-text citations.
There are a variety of citation guides so it is always wise to check with the instructor to see if there is a preferred citation style for the course. If you require a guide to citing business sources using the APA style you could try the McGill University’s Howard Ross Management Library’s guide that contains many of the same resources as the Bronfman Business Library.
This UBC guide provides a comparison of APA and MLA citation styles for a limited number of business databases.
If you need further help contact a Bronfman Business Librarian by email bgref@yorku.ca, by phone 416-736-5139 or chat to a Business Librarian in the BizResearch IM box on the left side of each Bronfman webpage. You can also refer to York University Library’s citation management page which contains a link to style guides for citing both print and electronic resources.
RefWorks, a citation management application is available to help you automate the creation of a reference list or bibliography.
Reference List MLA style examples include:
> Edgar > Business Case > Interview > Email
Books & E-books
The general format for citing a book should include: Author’s last name, First name, Title of the book. Publication information. Print.
Single Author example:
Schulich, Seymour. Get Smarter: life and business lessons for the 20-40 year old . Toronto, ON : Key Porter Books, 2007. Print.
Multiple Author example:
Anderson, James, and James Narus. Business Market Management: Understanding, creating and delivering value. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey : Pearson Education, Inc., 2004. Print.
Corporate Author example
A corporate author is an institution, an association, a company, or a government body.
Canadian Marketing Association. 2008 Fact Book. Toronto, ON : Canadian Marketing Association, 2005. Print.
E-Books
When citing an e-book you must first cite the book and then the database that you accessed it from including date accessed and the url of the e-book.
Post, Richard and Penelope Post. Global Brand Integrity Management:How to Protect your Product in Todays Environment. New York : McGraw-Hill, 2008. Books 24X7 Inc. Web-e-book. 27 February 2009.
Articles
Format Guidelines for Articles retrieved from databases
Author’s last name, Author’s first name. “Article Title” Journal Title Date mmyy: Volume #, Issue #. : Page #. Name of Database. Database Publisher. Web. Date retrieved. <Permanent URL of article >
No author
“Will Apple’s iPhone bring us wireless market up to speed? ” Marketing Week 21 June 2007: 24-25. ABI/INFORM Global. ProQuest Information and Learning. Web. 13 December 2007
Single Author
George-Cosh, George. “RIM takes tentative step into retailing.” National Post .14 December 2007. Factiva. Dow Jones & Co. 15 December 2007.
Two or More Authors
Young, David, and Andrew Cole. “Customer data equals dollars.” Telephony v.247#10 05 June 2006: 80-80. Business Source Premier. EBSCO. Web. 15 December 2007 <http://ezproxy.library.yorku.ca/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=21134321&site=ehost-live>
For Print Articles follow the same format minus the database name, access location and data accessed.
Course Kits
When citing an article from a course kit, cite the information specific to your reference and then the information about the course kit.
Course Kit example
Olatilu, Olu. “Identity Theft and Corporations’ Due Diligence.” Information Systems Control Journal 6 2006: 27-28. AK/ADMS 4552.3 Information Systems Audits. Ed. Ingrid Splettstoesser-Hogeterp. York University, Summer 2007. Print.
Business Case
This format would apply to any business case including Harvard, Ivey and MIT Sloane cases.
Author(s). Name of the case. Business Case. City. Publisher. Date. Format (Print or Web) If your format is Web include the date it was accessed.
Yoffe, David B. and Renee Kim. Apple Inc in 2010. Case Study. Boston. Harvard Business Publishing, 2010. Web. 28 October 2010.
Web Sites
When citing a web site the following information should be included where applicable: Author last name, First name. Article Title or Page Title. Date of publication. Web Site name. Name of Institution. Affiliated with the site. n. pag. Web. Date retrieved. <URL>
White Paper on a Web Site example
Haig, William. “Branding to Sell” Fall 2008. Brandchannel. n.pag. Web. 27 Feb. 2009. <http://www.brandchannel.com/papers.asp>
Entire Website example
Logistics & Supply Chain Management. 28-11-2008. Industry Canada. Web. 27 Feb. 2009. <http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/dsib-logi.nsf/eng/Home>
Annual Report from a company’s website
“Royal Bank of Canada – 2008 Annual Report.” Royal Bank of Canada. Web. 03 Dec. 2009 <http://www.rbc.com/investorrelations/ar_08/home.html>
Corporate Social Responsibility page from a company’s website
“Corporate Responsibility.” Royal Bank of Canada. Web. 03 Dec. 2009 <http://www.rbc.com/responsibility/index.html>
DVDs & Videos
When citing DVDs and videos the following information should be included: Title. Director or Producer. Distributor. Medium. Year of Release.
Business Ethics for the 21st Century. David Vogel and Frank Daly – Producers. Meridian Education Corp., New Jersey. DVD. 2004.
Demanding customers: customer care made perfect. Directed by Hugh Laurie. Video Arts production. ITF Business E-Videos. Streaming Media. 1998. http://theta.library.yorku.ca/cgi-bin/video.cgi?num=ins068
Blogs/Weblog & Podcasts
The format for citing a blog or weblog is as follows:
Author last name, First name. “Title of Entry” blog entry. Title of Blog. Date posted. Web- Blog. Date accessed. <URL>
Blog example
Earle, Nick (Sr. VP of Cisco Services European Markets) “Cisco & Accenture Collaborate to Aid CIOs With Their Balancing Act” . The Platform:Opinions & Insights from Cisco. posted Feb. 24, 2009. Web- blog entry. Feb. 27, 2009. http://blogs.cisco.com/news
Podcasts
The format for citing a podcast is as follows:
Author last name, First name, host’s name or producer’s name. “Title of podcast.” Date of podcast. “Title of podcast show “(if different than the title). Title of larger site. Web- podcast. Date of download. <Podcast URL>
Podcast example
Ashkenas, Ron. “Are You Making Things Too Complex?”. Episode 72 Dec. 6, 2007. HBR Ideacast. Harvard Business Review Online. Web- podcast. March 4, 2009.
< http://www.hbsp.harvard.edu/b01/en/misc/ideacast/archives_hbrideacast_pg5.jhtml>
Statistics
The examples of how to cite statistics all come from Statistics Canada. Statistics Canada provides a comprehensive help page on how to properly cite the Statistics Canada resources.
Citing the complete CANSIM database accessed using E-STAT example
Statistics Canada. No date. Table 326-0001 Consumer Price Index (CPI), 2001 Basket Content, Monthly (table). CANSIM (database). Using E-STAT (distributor). Last updated July 26, 2007.
http://estat.statcan.gc.ca/cgi-win/CNSMCGI.EXE?CANSIMFILE=EStat%5CEnglish%5CCII_1_E.htm (accessed June 13, 2008).
Citing a complete Beyond 20/20
Statistics Canada Business Register Data (2008) . Table prnaic6.ivt Establishment Counts by Canadian province, national industry (NAICS 2007) and employment category . Using Canadian Business Patterns Statistics Canada Beyond 20/20. Statistics Canada Data Liberation Initiative (distributor). Web. Last updated March. 4, 2008.
(accessed July 15, 2008).
Citing a table from 2001 Community Profiles example
Statistics Canada. 2002. Ottawa, Ontario (table). 2001 Community Profiles. 2001 Census. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 93F0053XIE. Ottawa. June 27.
http://www12.statcan.ca/english/profil01/PlaceSearchForm1.cfm (accessed August 16, 2005).
Data Insight-Web
Consumer Price Index (CPI) 2002. IHS Data Insight-Web IHS Global Insight. Web. 15 July 2009
Databases by Name
ABI Inform (Proquest) example – ( follow the Articles citation format) Note: when you have selected multiple databases in ABI
select the Cite This link on the full text view, to determine the database the citation was pulled from.
“Will Apple’s iPhone bring us wireless market up to speed? ” Marketing Week 21 June 2007: 24-25. ABI/INFORM Global. ProQuest Information and Learning. Web. 13 December 2007
Research in Motion- Equity Beta 2006-2008. Bloomberg Professional. Bloomberg LP. New York, New York. n. pag. Database. 20 January 2008.
“The Future of Digital Entertainment.” Business Insights. Business Insights. London. n. pag. Web. 15 December 2007.
“Market Overview – Canada Q4 2008.” December 19, 2008. Business Monitor Online. Business Monitor International Ltd. n. page. Web. 20 January 2008.
Business Source Premier - ( follow the Articles citation format)
Young, David, and Andrew Cole. “Customer data equals dollars.” Telephony 247.10 05 June 2006: 80-80. Business Source Premier. EBSCO Publishing. n. pag. Web. 15 December 2007 < http://ezproxy.library.yorku.ca/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=21134321&site=ehost-live>
Not-for-profit organizations [sections 4400 - 4460], CICA Standards and Guidance Collection. Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants. n. pag. Web. January 2008.
Research in Motion- Equity Price- Intraday High. Datastream. Datastream International. n. pag. Web. 24 January 2008.
Microsoft Corporation June 30, 2008. Form 10K. Edgar: U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Database. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. n.pag. Web. 5 March 2009. < http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/789019/000119312508162768/d10k.htm>
George-Cosh, George. “RIM takes tentative step into retailing.” Financial Post 14 December 2007. Factiva. Dow Jones & Co. n. pag. Web. 15 December 2008.
Research in Motion – Company Snapshot. Financial Post Advisor. Canwest Publishing Inc. n. pag. Web. 20 January 2008.
GMID (Global Marketing Information Database)
“Canadian Retailing: Leading Retailers.” 01 July 2004 Global Market Information Database. Euromonitor International. n. pag. Web. 20 January 2008.
Country Risk Summary – Cuba. IHS Global Insight. IHS Global Insight Inc. n. pag. Web. 17 January 2009.
Global Insight – DataInsight Web
“Canada Growth Rate: Real Gross Domestic Product, Year-on-Year Chain-weighted basis Units: percent” Global Insight , DBCANM V1992067 Data edge: 2007 Forecast source: Global Insight Updated quarterly. Last update: 15 February 2009. HIS Global Insight- DataInsight Web. n. pag. Web. 17 March 2009.
“Canadian Tire Corporation Ltd – Company profile”. Hoover’s Online. Hoover’s Inc. n. pag. Web. 22 January 2008.
“Canadian Banks – Ten Years Later, Time Well Spent?” Credit Suisse North America. January 10, 2008. Investext Plus. Thomson Research. n. pag. Web. 20 January 2008
“Airlines in Canada: Industry Profile.” November 2008. Marketline Advantage. Datamonitor USA. n. pag. Web. 22 January 2008.
” Saputo Inc. – Company Profile.” January 20, 2009. Marketline Advantage. Datamonitor USA. n. pag. Web. 2 July 2009.
“Apple Inc. – Company Profile.” Mergent. Moody’s Investor’s Services. n. pag. Web. 24 Januray 2008.
“Automotive: North America – Industry Reports.” Mergent. Moody’s Investor’s Services. n. pag. Web. 24 July 2009.
Corridore, Jim. “Airlines Industry Profile .” December 18, 2008. Standard & Poor’s NetAdvantage. Standard & Poor’s Corp. n. pag. Web. 22 January 2008.
“Apple Inc – Company Profile.” July 2, 2009. Standard & Poor’s NetAdvantage. Standard & Poor’s Corp. n. pag. Web. 2 July 2009.
New Mindsets Inc. Web. 17 March 2009. < http://gnome.schulich.yorku.ca>
Plunkett’s Insurance Industry Research Center. Plunkett Research Online. Plunkett Research. n. pag. Web. 22 January 2008.
Scholar’s Portal ( follow articles citation format)
Clarke III, Irvine and Earl D. Honeycutt. “Color Usage in International Business to Business Print Advertising.” Industrial Marketing Management vol. 29, no. 3, May 2000: 255-261. Elseiver Science. E-Journals@Scholar’s Portal . Web. 17 March 2009. DOI: 10.1016/S0019-8501(99)00068-1
Research in Motion. May 17, 2007. Form – Annual Report. SEDAR. n. pag. Web. 26 January 2008.
World Competitiveness Yearbook
Country Profile – Canada. IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook. IMD International, Switzerland. n. pag. Web. 17 March 2009.
In-text Citations
Referring to the works of others in your text is done by in-text or parenthetical citations.
Basic Format
The basic in-text citation format is to follow the quote or paraphrased idea with the Author’s Last Name and page number(s), all of which is placed in brackets or parentheses.
E.g. Strategy is a pattern ( Mintzberg 10)
Multiple Works by the Same Author
If you are citing more than one work by the same author provide a shortened version of the title and the page number to distinguish the two works from one another.
E.g. ( “Strategy Safari” 107, “Mintzberg on Management” 49)
No Author
If the author of the cited work is unknown use an abbreviated version of the title and provide the page number.
E.g. (“Canadian Banks Ten Years Later” 23)
Two Authors with the Same Last name
If you are citing two different authors with the same last name include the first initial to distinguish the two.
E.g. (J. Hill 18, W. Hill 259)
Web Site
When creating in-text citation for Internet sources include the author and the paragraph # of the web page. To determine the paragraph # simply count from the top of the web page. If the web page does not have an author include an abbreviated article/ web site name and paragraph #. Also remember that the URLs for Websites are included in the Works Cited list only.
E.g (Haig, par. 3)
Bibliography or Reference list for a web site
Haig, William. “Branding to Sell” Fall 2008. Brandchannel. Retrieved. 27 Feb. 2009. <http://www.brandchannel.com/papers.asp>
Interviews typically fall into two categories: print or broadcast published and personal interviews.
Personal Interviews
Personal interviews refer to those interviews that you conduct yourself. List the interview by the name of the interviewee. Include the descriptor Personal interview and the date of the interview.
Gates, Bill. Personal interview. 1 Jan. 2010.
Published Interviews (Print or Broadcast)
Gray, J. (2006, 06). Seymour schulich. Canadian Business, 79(24), 144-144. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.library.yorku.ca/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/221379607?accountid=15182
Email including email Interviews
Doe, John. “Re: Research in Motion.” Message to Mike Lazaridis. 1 Jan. 2010. E-mail.
Created by June Hill YUL/BBL June 24, 2009 Revised September 2011 Elizabeth Watson
