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Citing Cartographic Materials

Just like books and articles, maps need to be cited when used as references. There is no need to panic! Maps may look different than books but they are very similarly cited. The primary difference is that the scale and series information (if applicable) need to be noted in the citation. The guides linked to on this page will help. Most of the information on these sites comes from Cartographic Citations: A Style Guide by Christine Kollen, et. al. This is available from the Map Library and the Prairie Research Institute on campus. The first edition of Cartographic Citations may be borrowed from the Map Library.

While many of these sites do not say which style guide they are following, adapting to a style guide is easy. Most guides want the same information; they just like to have it in a different order. Follow the format of your choice of style guide and simply plug in information where appropriate.

Cartographic Material Citation Guides

North Carolina State University: Citing Maps and Atlases Simple and straightforward. Includes how to cite several different map formats.

McMaster University: Guide to Citing Maps & Atlases A 2-page table based on Cartographic Citations.

Boise State University: Citations An excellent and clear guide to citing non-print maps in APA and MLA. Includes an illustrative example.

Western Washington University: Citation Quick Guides and Style Manuals Provides citation guides for multiple map formats in both APA and MLA.

Brock University: How to Reference Geospatial Data, Maps, Atlases, Air Photos Emphasis on web-based and digital resources.