Try Wonders for free
Lab manuals are often required reading for science courses, but they're tricky to cite—they may lack traditional publication details, be internally produced, or exist only as course handouts. Here's how to handle them.
Types of Lab Manuals
Lab manuals come in several forms, and the citation approach varies:
- Published commercial manuals are printed by academic publishers. Cite like books.
- Custom course materials are assembled by instructors or departments, often through campus print shops or course management systems.
- Instructor-created handouts may have no formal publication information.
- Online lab modules accessed through learning management systems.
Identify which type you're working with before formatting your citation.
Published Lab Manuals
If the manual has an ISBN, publisher, and author—cite it like a book:
APA:
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of lab manual (edition). Publisher.
Example:
Myers, D. G., & Hansen, J. (2022). Laboratory manual for biology 101 (5th ed.). McGraw-Hill.
MLA:
Author. Title of Lab Manual. Edition, Publisher, Year.
Chicago:
Author. Title of Lab Manual. Edition. Place: Publisher, Year.
Course-Specific Manuals
For manuals created for a specific course at your institution:
APA:
Author or Department. (Year). Title of manual [Course materials]. Institution Name.
Example:
Department of Chemistry. (2024). Organic chemistry laboratory manual [Course materials]. University of Michigan.
Or if an instructor is credited:
Johnson, M. R. (2024). CHEM 210 laboratory experiments [Course materials]. University of Michigan.
MLA:
Author or Department. Title of Manual. Institution, Year. Course materials.
Instructor Handouts Without Formal Publication
For informal materials without traditional publication details:
APA:
Author, A. A. (Year). Title or description of material [Unpublished course materials]. Department Name, Institution Name.
MLA:
Author. "Title or Description." Course Name, Institution, Year. Handout.
Include as much identifying information as you have. If there's no title, describe the document: "Week 5 lab procedures."
Online Lab Modules
For digital lab materials accessed through LMS or online platforms:
APA:
Author or Organization. (Year). Title of module [Online lab module]. Platform or Institution. URL
If login is required and readers can't access the URL, note that the material is from your institution's course system:
Department of Biology. (2024). Microscopy techniques [Online lab module]. Canvas, University Name.
Who Is the Author?
This can be unclear for lab manuals. In order of preference, use the named author(s) if credited on the manual, the department that produced it, the institution, or "Unknown author" as a last resort (but try harder first).
Check the title page, cover, and any copyright statements for author information.
Citing Specific Experiments or Sections
If referencing a particular experiment within a larger manual:
In-text: (Department of Chemistry, 2024, Experiment 7)
Or treat it like a chapter:
Johnson, M. R. (2024). Experiment 7: Synthesis of aspirin. In Organic chemistry laboratory manual (pp. 45-52). Department of Chemistry.
Lab Manuals as Part of Textbook Packages
Some lab manuals are bundled with textbooks and share the same author:
Campbell, N. A., & Reece, J. B. (2023). Laboratory manual for biology (12th ed.). Pearson.
If the lab manual has different authors than the textbook, cite them separately.
Edition and Version Information
Lab manuals are frequently revised. Include edition or version information when available:
Title of Manual (3rd ed.) Title of Manual (Fall 2024 version) Title of Manual (Rev. ed.)
This helps readers identify the correct version.
The exact formatting for lab manual citations depends on your required citation style. Check the specific guide for your discipline below.
