0
Anonymous Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

How to cite authors when they use middle initials inconsistently?

As in topic. I'm working on a bibliography for a published work. Suppose Joe Fresh sometimes uses a middle initial and sometimes does not. If I include the middle initial only where used, my list looks out of order and inconsistent:

Fresh, Joe F., 1999, A story book

Fresh, Joe, and Harvey Mudd, 2001, Another story book

If I always include the middle initial, my entries look unbalanced (what happened to Harvey's initial?) and may not even be correct (will this article show up under Joe F Fresh?):

Fresh, Joe F., 1999, A story book

Fresh, Joe F., and Harvey Mudd, 2001, Another story book

What's the best option here?
  

Top answer

You need to use whatever the publication uses on its title page/line, and let the alphabetical order fall where it may.

— Mister Micawber

  • You need to use whatever the publication uses on its title page/line, and let the alphabetical order fall where it may.
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

2 Answers
0
You need to use whatever the publication uses on its title page/line, and let the alphabetical order fall where it may.
0
0
Use the author's name as it appears in the publication.

Fresh, Joe, Mudd, Harvey, 2000. A first story book, Longman Press, London.
Fresh, Joe F., Mudd, Harvey, 2001. Another story book, Longman Press, London.
van Tillberg, Wijnand A.P.H., Smith Jr., Henry H., Johnson, Jan, 1999. How to write effectively, J. Comm. 129, 4-5.
0

Related Questions