How to Cite in ASCE Style: Civil Engineering Guide

This guide will help you understand how to properly cite sources in ASCE format—the citation format for civil engineering journals and American Society of Civil Engineers publications.

Official Resources

ASCE style is the citation format required for publications by the American Society of Civil Engineers, covering structural engineering, transportation, environmental engineering, geotechnical work, and all civil engineering disciplines. Understanding ASCE style is essential for publishing in journals like the Journal of Structural Engineering, Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, and ASCE conference proceedings.

The Publishing in ASCE Journals: A Guide for Authors provides comprehensive formatting requirements.

Quick Overview: ASCE Citation Format

ASCE uses the author-date method for in-text citations, similar to APA style but with specific formatting differences. Key characteristics:

In-text citations show author surname(s) and year
References are listed alphabetically by first author's surname
Journal titles are abbreviated (title case)
Only journal and conference titles use abbreviations
ASCE journals no longer use page numbers—they use content identifiers (CIDs)

In-Text Citations in ASCE

Single Author

The analysis confirmed previous findings (Morrison 2024).

Two Authors

Use "and" between surnames:

Bridge load factors were established (Smith and Jones 2023).

Three or More Authors

Use the first author followed by "et al.":

The methodology has been validated (Patel et al. 2024).

Multiple Citations

List chronologically, separated by commas:

Several studies support this approach (Chen 2021, Morrison 2023, Patel et al. 2024).

Author Name in Sentence

Don't repeat the name in the citation:

According to Morrison (2024), the structural capacity exceeded expectations.

Direct Quotes

Include page numbers for direct quotes:

"The load distribution was significantly affected" (Smith 2023, p. 45).

Reference List Format

Journal Articles

ASCE journals (new format with content identifiers):

Other journals (with page numbers):

Key formatting notes:

First author: Last name, First initial. Middle initial.
Subsequent authors: First initial. Middle initial. Last name
Article titles in quotation marks, sentence case
Journal titles abbreviated, title case, italicized
Include DOI when available

Books

With specific pages:

Edited Books and Chapters

Conference Proceedings

Note: Include the publisher of the proceedings and location. If no publisher, use the conference sponsor's name and location.

Technical Reports

Standards

Websites

Dissertations and Theses

Maps

ASCE Journal Title Abbreviations

Use the CASSI database or the University of British Columbia's Woodward Library list for standard abbreviations:

Full Title	Abbreviation
Journal of Structural Engineering	J. Struct. Eng.
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering	J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng.
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering	J. Mater. Civ. Eng.
Journal of Construction Engineering and Management	J. Constr. Eng. Manage.
Journal of Transportation Engineering	J. Transp. Eng.

Common ASCE Mistakes to Avoid

Including unpublished material: ASCE does not permit unpublished material in the References list, except for forthcoming journal articles with DOIs. Cite unpublished work in-text only: "(B. Smith, unpublished data, 2024)."
Wrong author order formatting: Remember—first author is Last, F. M., but subsequent authors are F. M. Last.
Missing DOIs: ASCE strongly encourages including DOIs for all sources that have them.
Forgetting content identifiers: ASCE journals no longer use page numbers. Use the content identifier format: 04013001.
Using "and" incorrectly: In the reference list, use "and" between the last two authors. In citations, use "and" for two authors only.

ASCE Citation Tools

Reference managers like Zotero and Mendeley include ASCE style templates. ASCE also provides LaTeX templates for journal submissions.

References

American Society of Civil Engineers. Publishing in ASCE Journals: A Guide for Authors [Internet]. Reston (VA): ASCE; [cited 2025 Jan 2]. Available from: https://ascelibrary.org/page/informationforeditors/authorsguide
Texas Tech University Libraries. ASCE Citation Style [Internet]. Lubbock (TX): Texas Tech University; [cited 2025 Jan 2]. Available from: https://guides.library.ttu.edu/engineeringcitations/asce
Cal Poly Humboldt Library. ASCE Style Guide Citing Sources [Internet]. Arcata (CA): Cal Poly Humboldt; [cited 2025 Jan 2]. Available from: https://libguides.humboldt.edu/ere/asce

When researching civil engineering literature, Wonders can help you discover relevant sources and maintain organized reference lists with content identifiers.

Frequently asked questions

How do I cite ASCE codes and standards?

Cite standards with the issuing organization as author, followed by year, title, edition (if applicable), and location/publisher. Use the organization's acronym with full name in parentheses on first use: “ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers). 2022. Minimum design loads and associated criteria for buildings and other structures. ASCE/SEI 7-22. Reston, VA: ASCE.”

How do I handle forthcoming articles?

Include as much information as available, add “Forthcoming” before the DOI, and update once published: “Han, C.-Y., J.-H. Wang, X.-H. Xia, and J.-J. Chen. Forthcoming. ‘Limit analysis for local and overall stability of slurry trench in cohesive soil.’ Int. J. Geomech. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GM.1943-5622.0000268.”

How do I cite a working paper or submitted manuscript?

Since ASCE doesn't allow unpublished material in reference lists, cite it parenthetically in your text with enough information for readers: “(B. Smith, ‘Weldment design for RHS truss connections,’ working paper, Salk Institute, Pittsburgh).”

What about citing software in ASCE style?

Include the software name, version, developer/publisher, location, and URL if applicable. For example: “ABAQUS. 2021. ABAQUS Analysis User's Guide, Version 2021. Providence, RI: Dassault Systèmes Simulia Corp.”

Can I cite personal communications in ASCE?

Yes, but only in-text, not in the reference list. Format as: “...other researchers (Orton et al., unpublished data, 1992)...” or “In some cases (A. W. Pinter, personal communication, 1979)...”