Answered By: Elizabeth Galoozis (she/her)
Last Updated: Apr 22, 2022     Views: 38952

Citing a primary source document from an archive varies by citation style (for example, MLA). Most citation styles require the following information to create a citation:

  • the creator or author,
  • specific item title, page, section,
  • date,
  • box and file number,
  • and the name of the archive.

MLA Citation Style

MLA format from Purdue OWL: Genre-appropriate MLA Citation. Box number, Folder number. Unique identifier and collection name. Archives name, Institutional affiliation, Location. Date accessed.

MLA Example: Brittain, Vera. Letter to XYZ. 29 June 1950. Box 4, Folder 1. Coll2009-004 Lesbian Legacy Collection Subject Files. ONE Archives at the USC Libraries, University of Southern CA, Los Angeles, CA. 11 Aug. 2015.

Chicago Style

The Chicago Manual of Style refers to archival collections as "Manuscript Collections." For more detailed guidance, check out sections 14.232-14.242.

Chicago Notes Example: Photograph, "Lisa Ben" [ca. 1965], Box 4, Folder 1, Lesbian Legacy Collection Subject Files, ONE Archives at USC Libraries, USC, Los Angeles, CA.

If you've cited one item from an archival collection, the name of the item or its creator is usually the main element in the bibliography entry. If you've cited more than one item from an archival collection, the name of the collection is usually the main element in the bibliography entry.

Chicago Bibliography Example if using multiple items from the collection: Ben, Lisa, Lesbian Legacy Collection Subject Files. ONE Archives at USC Libraries, University of Southern, CA. Los Angeles, CA.

APA Style

These are called archival documents (e.g., a diary, limited-circulation brochure or pamphlet, unpublished manuscript); see Section 10.8 of the Publication Manual of the Psychological Association, 7th edition for additional information and examples.

APA General Format: Author, A.A. (Year, Month Day). Title. [Description of Material]. Name of Collection (Call number, box number, file number, etc.). Name of Repository, location.

APA Example: Brittain, V. (1950, June 1). [Letter to XYZ]. Lesbian Legacy Collection Subject Files (Box 4, Folder 1. Coll2009-004). ONE Archives at the USC Libraries, Los Angeles, CA.

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