So You Wanna Cite the CDC, Chicag-Style? A Guide for the Citationally Challenged
Ah, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Those bastions of public health information, tirelessly battling germs and dispensing wisdom on everything from avoiding the zombie apocalypse (not officially, but one can dream) to preventing the summer sniffles. But sometimes, after a deep dive into their treasure trove of webpages, you find yourself needing to cite them in a paper. Here's where things can get a little, well, microbial.
Fear not, intrepid researcher! For I, your friendly neighborhood citation guru (with a healthy dose of sarcasm), am here to guide you through the murky swamp of Chicago-style CDC citation.
First things first: It's a Website, Not a Book (Duh!)
Unlike a dusty old tome from the library, the CDC's website is a living, breathing organism (hopefully not literally, with all those germs and such). This means we gotta treat it differently in our citations.
Breaking it Down: The Chicago Way
Here's the basic format for citing a CDC webpage in Chicago style:
- Author: This one's a bit of a trick question. The CDC itself is the author, so you'll put: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Title: Snag the title of the webpage you used (it's usually right at the top).
- Website Name: This is where it gets a little funky. Chicago style likes things formal, so instead of just "CDC website," we use the full website name: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (.gov) (the ".gov" part is important).
- Organization: That's the CDC again, so write: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- Publication Date: Find the date the webpage was last updated (usually hidden somewhere at the bottom).
- URL: Don't forget the web address! But ditch the http:// stuff, Chicago style doesn't like that.
Here's an example to make things crystal clear:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). "How to Wash Your Hands." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (.gov), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, April 26, 2023. https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html
Pro tip: If you can't find a publication date, you can use "Accessed" followed by the date you retrieved the information.
Avoiding the Citation Abyss: Top Tips
- Double-check those dates! Out-of-date health info can be worse than a bad case of the giggles.
- Is it a CDC webpage or a scientific report? Chicago style treats reports differently, so make sure you're using the right format.
- Feeling fancy? You can add a brief description of the webpage content in square brackets after the title.
Citation Success! You're Practically a Scholar Now!
Now, go forth and conquer that research paper! Remember, proper citation is like good hygiene: essential for keeping things clean and avoiding nasty surprises (both academic and biological).
Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only and should not be a substitute for consulting the official Chicago Manual of Style. If things get too confusing, don't be afraid to ask your friendly neighborhood librarian for help. They've seen it all, from MLA mayhem to APA anarchy.
