ACS Citation Examples

Use real ACS-style examples for journal articles, patents, websites, books, datasets, and preprints.

ACS citation style is commonly used in chemistry and related scientific fields. This page focuses on one practical part of building ACS references.

  • Last reviewed: June 2026
  • Based on the ACS Guide to Scholarly Communication
  • Includes journal articles, patents, books, websites, and preprints
  • Not affiliated with the American Chemical Society

Reference List Citation

In-text Citation

RTF opens in Word/Pages; TXT is for quick viewing; BibTeX/RIS are for Zotero, EndNote, Mendeley, and other reference managers.

Citation List

Saved citations will appear here and stay in this browser.

    ACS journal article example

    Whitesides, G. M. The Origins and the Future of Microfluidics. Nature 2006, 442, 368-373. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature05058.

    ACS patent example

    Goodenough, J. B.; Mizushima, K. Electrochemical Cell with Lithium Cobalt Oxide Cathode. United States US Patent 4,357,215, November 2, 1982. University of Oxford. https://patents.google.com/patent/US4357215A/en.

    ACS website example

    National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Benzene. NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0049.html (accessed June 7, 2026).

    ACS book example

    Atkins, P.; de Paula, J. Physical Chemistry, 11th ed.; Oxford University Press: Oxford, 2023.

    ACS preprint example

    Patel, R.; Chen, Y. Machine Learning for Catalyst Discovery. ChemRxiv 2026. https://doi.org/10.26434/chemrxiv-example.

    ACS citation tools

    Sources and method

    Citation examples are maintained from public ACS citation patterns and checked against authoritative identifier and metadata sources. Always follow the final requirements from your instructor, department, or target journal.

    Editorial review

    Last reviewed: June 2026. Chem Citation Tools is an independent educational project for chemistry citation workflows. The site is not affiliated with the American Chemical Society, and generated citations should be reviewed before academic or journal submission.

    FAQ

    What is ACS citation style?
    ACS citation style is a reference format commonly used in chemistry and related scientific fields.
    Does ACS use numbered citations?
    Yes. ACS style can use numbered in-text citations, including superscript numbers or italic numbers in parentheses.
    How do I cite a patent in ACS?
    An ACS patent citation usually includes the inventor, patent title, patent number, assignee, and publication date.
    Can this page generate journal article citations?
    Yes. The embedded tool can generate reference list entries and in-text citations.