How do you cite yourself unpublished?

To cite yourself for an unpublished work, such as a paper or manuscript, you use a specific format in the reference list that designates it as "unpublished" and apply the standard author-date style for in-text citations.

Understanding Self-Citation for Unpublished Works

Citing your own unpublished work is essential when you want to refer to your ongoing research, drafts, or manuscripts that have not yet been formally published. This practice ensures proper attribution to your earlier work and demonstrates the progression of your ideas or findings.

Reference List Format

When including your unpublished work in the reference list at the end of your document, follow a structure that clearly identifies the work as unpublished.

General Structure

The standard format for an unpublished paper is:

• Author, A. A. (Year). Title of the work [Unpublished paper].

Here, "Author, A. A." refers to your name, "Year" is when the work was completed or drafted, and "Title of the work" is the specific title of your paper or manuscript. The "[Unpublished paper]" descriptor is crucial as it indicates the work's status.

Practical Example

Based on the provided reference, an example of this format would be:

Fisher, J. D. (2021). This is the title of my paper [Unpublished paper].

To apply this, you would replace "Fisher, J. D." with your own name, "2021" with the relevant year of your work, and "This is the title of my paper" with the exact title of your unpublished manuscript.

In-Text Citation

For in-text citations, the process is straightforward, following the standard author-date format.

General Structure

When referencing your unpublished work within the body of your text, use the following format:

• (Author, Year)

Practical Example

As shown in the references, an in-text citation for an unpublished work would appear as:

(Fisher, 2021)

You would substitute "Fisher" with your last name and "2021" with the year corresponding to your entry in the reference list.

Key Citation Formats at a Glance

For a clear overview, here's a table summarizing the citation formats for your unpublished work:

Remember to maintain consistency between your in-text citations and your reference list entry.