What is the proper citation format for non-patent literature?
When citing non-patent literature, such as books, periodicals, and other publications, the following guidelines should be followed:
- Provide sufficient information to determine the identity and facilitate the location of the publication.
- For books: Include author, title, date, specific pages relied on, and the Scientific and Technical Information Center (STIC) call number.
- For periodicals: Include author(s), title of the article, title of the periodical, volume number, issue number, date, and pages.
The MPEP provides specific examples:
“For books: Winslow. C. E. A. Fresh Air and Ventilation. N.Y., E. P. Dutton, 1926. p. 97-112. TI17653.W5.”
“For periodical articles: Noyes, W. A. A Climate for Basic Chemical Research Chemical & Engineering News, Vol. 38, no. 42 (Oct. 17, 1960), pp. 91-95. TP1.I418.”
It’s important to note that titles of books and periodicals should not be abbreviated. For more details on citing non-patent literature, refer to MPEP § 707.05.
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