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Create CBE citation-sequence in-text citations

The citation-sequence system uses superscript numbers (or in one common variation, numbers in square brackets) in the text to refer to references listed at the end of the document. Place any style marks after the reference number.

The first reference cited in the text is 1, the second 2, and so on.

Use the table below for more detailed guidelines on formatting in-text citations using the CBE citation-sequence system.

When you need to . . .
Here's what you do:
Example

Cite multiple references

Use commas (with no spaces) between numbers.

If you have more than two numbers in a continuous sequence, use the first and last number of the sequence joined by a hyphen.

 This is a sample sentence1,2,5,7,11-15.
Cite the same reference more than once

Use the same number.

 This is a sample sentence2. This next sentence also refers to the same source2.
Cite references in tables and figure legends

Number them sequentially after all the text citations.

  
Cite a work cited by your source
(secondary citation)

Secondary citations refer to material that you have not seen in its original form but rather have obtained from another document that cited the original source.

Give the number of the original, followed in parentheses (no space) by "cited in" with the number for the source you read.

  The original description12(cited in 13) was . . . .

View a sample paragraph with in-text citations using the CBE citation-sequence system

 

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