Determine the citation format used by your publication. Contact your publication to determine the correct citation format. Depending on the type of research paper you are writing, there are several commonly used citation formats. If your research paper is in the humanities, your publication will likely use either MLA or Chicago format. MLA format utilizes parenthetical in-text citations, while Chicago format uses numbered footnotes or endnotes to cite material. If writing for a legal publication, you will likely use the Bluebook format, while research papers on behavior sciences will likely use the APA format.
Determine the correct classification for the critical essay to which you are citing. Critical essays appear in many sources, such as a journal, book or magazine. If the critical essay you are citing also appears on the Internet, the correct citation form might be an Internet source or as an online publication.
Check the style guide used by your publication for the method of in-text citation. While most style guides are hundreds of pages long, online guides for APA, MLA, Chicago and Bluebook detailing commonly cited resources are available. (See Resources)
Use the appropriate in-text citation. If using MLA or APA style, you will likely need to use parenthetical citations, which generally require putting the author's last name and page number in parenthesis at the end of the sentence. If using any other format, you will use either footnotes or endnotes, which require placing a superscript number at the end of the sentence and including the citation information at the bottom of the page or at the end of the research paper. While the format of citation depends on the style used, you will need to include the author's name, the title of the publication and the page number.
Include the critical essay in the bibliography of your research paper. The method of citing a critical essay in a bibliography depends on the style used, but you will need to include the author's full name, the title of the essay, the publication the essay appears in and the year of publication.