This page is an FAQ based on guidance from the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure. It is provided as guidance, with links to the ground truth sources. This is information only: it is not legal advice.
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.