AAA Citation Style - Formatting and Referencing Guidelines

If you are studying anthropology, you may have encountered the AAA citation style. AAA stands for American Anthropological Association, and as the name suggests, it is a style of referencing that is commonly used in anthropology. 

It is based on the Chicago Manual of Style but has some differences and specific rules. 

In this blog post, we will explain:

• Basics of AAA citation style
• Formatting different sources in this citation style. 

So without further ado, let’s get right into it!

What is AAA Citation Style?

AAA citation style is a variation of the Chicago style that is used by writers, researchers, and scholars of anthropology. 

The format structure includes separate referencing guidelines for books, journals, articles, and other sources.

Formatting Rules in AAA Citation

To format your paper according to the AAA citation style, you need to follow some rules for the title page, the page formatting, the in-text citations, and the reference citations. 

Title Page Formatting

The title page of your paper should include the following information:

• The title of your paper, centered and in title case
• Your name, centered and below the title
• The name of your course, instructor, and institution, centered and below your name
• The date of submission, centered and below the course information

Here is an example of what a title page should look like in AAA format:

Page Formatting Rules

The general page formatting rules for AAA citation style are:

• 1-inch margins on all sides.
• 12-point font, preferably Times New Roman.
• Double spacing throughout the paper. 
• Separate title page. 
• Separate References Cited page at the end of your paper.

In-Text Citations in AAA Style

In-text citations are used to acknowledge the sources of your information within the text of your paper. 

Here is what you should remember when adding in-text citations:

• Include the author’s name and the source’s year of publication. 
• There should be no intervening punctuation in the parentheses citation.
• If the in-text citation is at the end of a sentence always add it before the ending period.

Here is an example of an in-text citation when there is a single author. 

For Example:

Different Case Scenarios for In-Text Citation in AAA Citation Style

Here is how to add in-text citations of different sources in AAA style:

Two Authors:

For two authors, use both authors' last names and the year of publication.

For Example:

Multiple Authors: 

For three or more authors, use the first author's last name et al. and the year of publication. 

For Example:

Multiple Sources by the Same Author:

For multiple sources by the same author, use the author's last name and the years of publication, separated by commas. 

For Example:

Multiple Sources by Different Authors:

For multiple sources by different authors, use semicolons to separate them and list them alphabetically. 

For Example:

Direct Quote:

For a direct quote, use the author's last name, the year of publication, and the page number, separated by colons.

For Example:

Reference List in AAA Style

Reference lists are used to provide the full details of the sources that you have cited in your paper.  

Some of the key AAA citation guidelines about references are:

• The date of publication is added after the name of the author. 
• The last name of the author is added, followed by the first name. 
• Multiple references from the same author are arranged by adding the first published work. 
• The title of the page, book, or journal is not italicized. 
• The list of references is titled ‘References Cited’. 
• The References Cited page is double-spaced when added to the work of a student. But is single-spaced when added to an anthropological publication. 

Reference Entries for Different Sources in AAA Citation Style

Here are some examples of how to cite different sources in AAA style on the References Cited page:

Book Format

Here is how you can format different cases of a book source:

Basic Format:

Author's Last Name, First Name. Year of Publication. Title of Book. Place of Publication: Publisher.

For Example:

Book with Two Authors:

First Author's Last Name, First Name and Second Author's First Name, Last Name. Year of Publication. Title of Book. Place of Publication: Publisher. 

For Example:

Chapter in an Edited Book:

Author's Last Name, First Name. Year of Publication. "Title of Chapter." In Title of Book, edited by Editor's First Name Last Name, Page Range. Place of Publication: Publisher.

For Example:

Online Book:

Author's Last Name, First Name. Year of publication. Title of the Book, Location of publisher, state: Publisher. URL.

For Example:

Journal Article

Here is how you can format different cases of journal articles:

Basic Format:

Author's Last Name, First Name. Year of Publication. "Title of Article." Title of Journal Volume Number (Issue Number): Page Range.

For Example:

Online Journal Article:

Author's Last Name, First Name. Year of Publication. "Title of Article." Title of Journal Volume Number (Issue Number): Page Range. DOI.

For Example:

Website

For a website, use the following format:

Author's Last Name, First Name. Year of Publication. "Title of Web Page." Title of Website. Date Accessed. URL.

For Example:

Take a look at this infographic to have a better understanding of what a reference page should look like:

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