Research Guides: Nutrition and Food: Citation Management & Styles

Why Cite

When writing a research paper you will use a wide variety of resources. You are required to cite your sources for two main reasons:

To give credit to the creator of the original idea. By citing you will avoid any charges of plagiarism.
To enable readers of your paper to be able to find the resources you have used and consult them to read further on the topic.

For more information, check Why We Cite and How to Avoid Plagiarism.

Nutrition Style Guide

One of the standard citation styles for the field of Nutrition is the JAND or Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics citation style. It uses a modified version of the American Medical Association Manual of Style, 10th edition for references. Please check with your professor what citation style they would like you to use for their papers. It is often listed in their syllabus.

One of the important differences between JAND and AMA citation style is that JAND style requires that all authors' names are listed - unlike in AMA where the use of "et al" is acceptable.

Citation Managers

What's the best citation management software for me?

So how do you pick the best citation management software for you? There are many factors to consider. For example, if you are an undergraduate student, you might be looking for the fastest and easiest option—something with a short learning curve, which lets you grab citations and produce bibliographies in a snap. Oh, and let's not forget: it needs to be free or cheap.

If you're a graduate student or a faculty member, you might have different considerations: the software needs to work well with the databases you use frequently, it must be able to organize and filter a large number of citations, and it should be able to produce a bibliography in the primary style used in your discipline. If you're working on a research team, you'll also want to make sure the software allows you to collaborate with your colleagues smoothly.

U of T has created this guide comparison chart below to help you examine the different features available and figure out the best option for you. We've adapted it slightly to reflect TMU's resources.