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Quick Overview: AAA Citation Format
AAA (American Anthropological Association) style is the standard citation format for anthropology research. Since September 2015, AAA style follows the Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition, using the author-date system.
Important update: AAA journals now use free-format submission, meaning submitted manuscripts don't need to follow specific style guidelines—formatting is handled during copyediting. However, for coursework, theses, and final publications, understanding AAA citation format remains essential.
Key features of AAA style:
- Author-date in-text citations: (Author Year) or (Author Year, page)
- "References Cited" list at the end
- Based on Chicago author-date (not notes-bibliography)
- Double-spaced for student papers; single-spaced for publications
In-Text Citations in AAA
AAA uses parenthetical author-date citations placed before the period.
Basic format:
Kinship structures vary significantly across cultures (Morgan 1871).
With page number (for quotes or specific claims):
As Geertz argues, "culture is public because meaning is" (1973, 12).
Author named in text:
Malinowski (1922) pioneered participant observation methodology.
Two authors:
Social stratification affects health outcomes (Farmer and Castro 2004).
Three or more authors:
Recent studies show increased migration patterns (Smith et al. 2019).
Multiple sources:
Several ethnographies document this practice (Boas 1911; Mead 1928; Benedict 1934).
No author — use the title or organization name:
("Fieldwork Ethics" 2020)
No date — some archival sources lack dates:
(Harrison n.d.)
Reference List Format
The reference list is titled "References Cited" and appears at the end of your paper. Entries are alphabetized by author's last name.
General formatting:
- Last name, First name. Year. Title. Place: Publisher.
- Hanging indent for entries longer than one line
- Double-spaced for student papers
- Single-spaced for journal submissions
Reference Examples by Source Type
Books
Single author:
Geertz, Clifford. 1973. The Interpretation of Cultures. New York: Basic Books.
Two authors:
Comaroff, Jean, and John L. Comaroff. 1991. Of Revelation and Revolution. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Edited volume:
Marcus, George E., ed. 1999. Critical Anthropology Now. Santa Fe: School of American Research Press.
Chapter in edited volume:
Wolf, Eric R. 1982. "Culture: Panacea or Problem?" In Culture and Political Economy, edited by Thomas C. Patterson, 21–40. New York: Academic Press.
Journal Articles
Print journal:
Ortner, Sherry B. 1984. "Theory in Anthropology Since the Sixties." Comparative Studies in Society and History 26(1): 126–166.
Online journal with DOI:
Tsing, Anna. 2015. "Salvage Accumulation, or the Structural Effects of Capitalist Generativity." Cultural Anthropology 30(3): 327–348. https://doi.org/10.14506/ca30.3.01
Other Sources
Dissertation:
Chen, Sarah M. 2018. "Migration and Identity in Rural China." PhD dissertation, Department of Anthropology, University of Michigan.
Website:
American Anthropological Association. 2020. "What Is Anthropology?" Accessed March 15, 2024. https://americananthro.org/practice-teach/what-is-anthropology/
Film/Documentary:
Marshall, John, dir. 1980. N!ai: The Story of a !Kung Woman. Watertown, MA: Documentary Educational Resources.
Interview/Fieldwork — cite personal communications and fieldwork interviews in text only, not in the reference list:
(J. Smith, personal communication, June 2023) or (fieldwork interview, July 2022).
AAA vs. Chicago: What's Different?
AAA style is based on Chicago author-date, but anthropology conventions add some specifics:
| Feature | AAA | Chicago Author-Date |
|---|---|---|
| Reference list title | "References Cited" | "References" or "Works Cited" |
| Ethnographic sources | Special conventions for fieldwork | No specific guidance |
| Subfield variations | May vary by journal | Consistent format |
| U.S. spelling | Required | Preferred |
For any formatting question not addressed by AAA guidelines, defer to the Chicago Manual of Style, 17th edition.
Common AAA Mistakes to Avoid
- Using notes-bibliography Chicago: AAA uses author-date, not footnotes. Don't use superscript numbers for citations.
- Forgetting "References Cited": the heading is specifically "References Cited," not "Bibliography," "References," or "Works Cited."
- Inconsistent author formatting: always invert the first author's name (Last, First) but not subsequent authors (Jean, and John L. Comaroff).
- Missing access dates for websites: include "Accessed [date]" for online sources without stable DOIs.
- Italicizing article titles: only book and journal titles are italicized. Article and chapter titles use regular font.
Citation Tools for AAA
- Chicago Manual of Style Online – the authoritative source for AAA style rules
- Zotero – free reference manager with AAA/Chicago output style
- Mendeley – citation manager with anthropology journal styles
- Wonders – research workspace for organizing ethnographic sources and literature
References
- American Anthropological Association. "Publishing Style Guide." Accessed January 2, 2026. https://americananthro.org/publications/publishing-style-guide/
- University of Chicago Press. The Chicago Manual of Style. 17th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2017.
- Vanderbilt University Library. "Anthropology Citation Styles." Research Guides. https://researchguides.library.vanderbilt.edu/anthropology/ANTH-Citations
- University of Toronto Libraries. "AAA Citation Style." Research Guides. https://guides.library.utoronto.ca/c.php?g=250705&p=5198639
