University Libraries

Just as with any other source you are quoting or paraphrasing, you want to make sure that you correctly cite archival and special collections primary sources. This is especially important since these materials are often unique and may not be cited or referenced elsewhere. Above all, you want to make sure that anyone reading your work can follow the thread of your research back to the original materials, even down to the box, folder, or drawer.

Why It Matters

If you have questions about when to cite or just need a refresher, we encourage you to do the quick Plagiarism Tutorial. Plagiarism is a form of academic misconduct and it's always better to be safe than sorry!

Sidenote: If you're interested in using any of the image files in our Digital Archives, art librarian Michele Jennings has created an incredibly helpful guide on Fair Use and Creative Commons for Images.

How To

For the most part, whichever style guide you are using to cite your research will provide guidelines on how to cite archival and special collections materials.

Most importantly!:

• Consult your style guide
• Consult the holding institution (such as the Mahn Center)
  • If you're citing a digital item you found online, look carefully at the descriptive information that should accompany that item. Often all the information you need to properly cite is included there.

Keep in mind that published materials such as books, periodicals, and newspapers, of which there are plenty in archival and special collections, get cited according to your style guide, no matter how old they are or which collection they are held in.

Unpublished materials, archival and manuscript materials, can be trickier to cite. In bold below are the key elements you'll want to include, along with some tips to keep in mind:

• Item: If there is no title, think about describing the item (Photograph, diary, oral history, tweet, etc.). For example, if it is correspondence try to identify the sender and/or recipient and date. Check if your style guide asks you to include additional details.
  • If there is no exact date try to estimate a circa or approximate date based on the content and context. If not, most style guides ask for some form of a undated or n.d. [no date] designation.
• Call Number or Shelf Mark: These vary by institution but are a unique identifier for collections or individual items. For archives they often begin with MSS or RG followed by a number. If you aren't sure, check with the institution.
• Collection: The title of the collection in which you found your item
• Item Location: This will usually be Box and Folder numbers
• Holding Institution or Repository. Where the collection is held
  • Generally the repository will instruct you in how to properly reference them and their collections. Pair that information with the requirements listed in your style guide.

For Example

Correspondence from Jane Coulter to Almyra Brown, December 27, 1847, MSS 18 Brown Family Collection, Box 1 Folder 25, Mahn Center for Archives & Special Collections, Ohio University Libraries. [see original item]

Portrait of Margaret Boyd, circa 1873, MSS 015 Boyd Family Collection, Mahn Center for Archives & Special Collections, Ohio University Libraries. [see original item]

Ohio University, Promotional Film, 1947, Ohio University Archives Films, Mahn Center for Archives & Special Collections, Ohio University Libraries. [see original item]

Leaf from a Book of Hours, France, 1400s, Gilbert and Ursula Farfel Collection of Incunable and Manuscript Leaves, Leaf #011, Mahn Center for Archives & Special Collections, Ohio University Libraries. [see original item]