How to cite research paper is a question that researchers face and find difficult to answer when they begin the task of writing their submissions. There are a number of standard methods that are used. Each has its unique advantage and is best suited for a particular type of thesis submission. We provide here a broad outline of the principle methods used along with the type of work for which they are useful.

The most frequently used and most popular citation methods are the MLA and the APA styles. While the first is a form that is preferred in the humanities submissions, the second is the choice in the fields of social sciences, psychology and education. There is a third style of citing references that is known as the AMA style and is in use in the fields of medicine and the biological sciences.