If you’re taking a class in anthropology, you get to study some of the most interesting topics out there, from ancient human societies to modern cultural practices around the world. But when it comes time to write a paper about these fascinating subjects, you’ll need to use a special way of citing your sources called AAA style.

For many students, seeing a requirement like "use AAA citation" can be confusing. What does it stand for? What are the rules?

This guide is here to make it all simple. Think of citing your sources as telling your reader who you "talked to" during your research. It’s how you introduce the experts (the authors of your books and articles) whose work helped you form your own ideas. It’s a key part of academic honesty and helps you to avoid plagiarism while incorporating research in your writing.

Let's dive into the simple rules of AAA style with clear examples you can use for your next paper.

What Is AAA Style and Why Is It Used?

AAA stands for the American Anthropological Association. This is the main professional organization for anthropologists in the United States, and they created this specific citation style for all writing in their field.

Here’s a helpful tip: AAA style is actually a special version of the Chicago Manual of Style (specifically, the author-date system). So, if you’ve ever used Chicago style before, AAA will look very familiar.

Using this style is important for a few key reasons:

1. It Gives Credit: It properly honors the researchers whose ideas you are discussing.

2. It Builds Trust: It shows your teacher that your arguments are based on real, credible research.

3. It Helps Other Researchers: It provides a clear map for anyone who wants to find your sources and read them for themselves.

The Two Key Parts of AAA Citation

Like most citation styles, AAA has two parts that work together:

1. In-Text Citations: These are brief notes you put inside your sentences to show exactly where a piece of information came from.

2. The "References Cited" List: This is an alphabetized list at the end of your paper that gives the full details for every source you mentioned.

You need both parts for your citations to be complete. The in-text citation points to the full source in the References Cited list.

Part 1: How to Use In-Text Citations in AAA Style

AAA uses a simple and clean author-date system for its in-text citations. It’s easy to get the hang of.

The basic format is: (Author's Last Name Year:Page Number)

• When you summarize an idea from a source: You just need the author and year.

  • Example: Early anthropological work often focused on the structure of family and kinship systems (Malinowski 1922).

• When you use a direct quote: You MUST include the page number where you found the quote.

  • Example: As one anthropologist noted, “Culture is a web of significance that man himself has spun” (Geertz 1973:5).

• When you mention the author’s name in your sentence: You only need to put the year (and page number, if needed) in parentheses right after their name.

  • Example: According to Clifford Geertz (1973), culture is a web of significance.

Part 2: How to Build Your "References Cited" List

This is the list at the end of your paper that gives the full details for all your sources. It should be titled "References Cited" and organized alphabetically by the author's last name.

Here are the templates and examples for the most common types of sources you’ll use in anthropology.

Example 1: Citing a Book

• Template: Author's Last Name, First Name. Year. Title of Book in Title Case and Italics. Place of Publication: Publisher.

• Real Example: Geertz, Clifford. 1973. The Interpretation of Cultures. New York: Basic Books.

• Key Tips:

  • The author’s name is Last Name, First Name.

  • The book title is italicized and uses "title case" (meaning you capitalize the main words).

Example 2: Citing a Journal Article

• Template: Author's Last Name, First Name. Year. "Title of Article in Title Case and Quotation Marks." Name of Journal in Italics Volume(Issue):First Page–Last Page.

• Real Example: Mead, Margaret. 1928. "The Role of the Individual in Samoan Culture." American Anthropologist 30(4):588–603.

• Key Tips:

  • The article title is in quotation marks.

  • The journal title is in italics.

  • There is no space between the journal volume, the issue number in parentheses, and the colon.

Example 3: Citing a Chapter in an Edited Book

This is for when you use a book that is a collection of chapters written by different people.

• Template: Author's Last Name, First Name. Year. "Title of Chapter." In Title of the Book, edited by Editor's First and Last Name, First Page–Last Page of Chapter. Place of Publication: Publisher.

• Real Example: Appadurai, Arjun. 1990. "Disjuncture and Difference in the Global Cultural Economy." In Global Culture: Nationalism, Globalization and Modernity, edited by Mike Featherstone, 295–310. London: SAGE Publications.

Example 4: Citing a Website

• Template: Author or Organization Name. Year Published. "Title of the Web Page." Title of the Website. Accessed Month Day, Year. URL.

• Real Example: American Anthropological Association. 2024. "AAA Style Guide." American Anthropological Association. Accessed June 29, 2025. https://www.americananthro.org/StayInformed/Content.aspx?ItemNumber=2044.

• Key Tips:

  • Include the date you accessed the website, because online information can change.

  • If there is no author, start with the name of the organization that runs the website.

Final Tips for AAA Success

• Check Your Capitalization: AAA uses "headline-style" capitalization for titles, where you capitalize the first letter of most words. Small words like "the," "and," or "in" are not capitalized unless they are the first word.

• Get Author Names Right: In your References Cited list, the first author is always Last Name, First Name. If there are more authors, their names are written normally (First Name Last Name).

• Be Consistent: The most important rule in any citation style is to be consistent. Follow the same format every single time. Even small mistakes can make your paper look unprofessional, which is why citation errors lower your grade and how to avoid them.

You Can Cite Like an Anthropologist!

Learning a new citation style can feel like learning a new language, but AAA style is very logical and clean. Once you get the hang of the author-date system, you'll find it’s one of the easiest styles to use.

By citing your sources correctly, you are participating in the academic conversation of anthropology. You are showing respect for the work that came before you and making it easier for others to build on your own ideas. Use this guide, pay attention to the details, and you will be ready to write a professional and credible anthropology paper.