ACS Format
ACS style is the American Chemical Society’s scholarly communication system for chemistry and related fields. Citation and reference details should follow the current ACS Guide and the relevant source-type examples rather than a generic one-template citation.
Use the current ACS Guide to Scholarly Communication for ACS citations and references, and follow the example that matches the source type and publication requirements.
Key details
Important caveats
Scope Boundary
“ACS format” is broader than a single bibliography template; do not invent one universal layout or citation pattern for every source and venue.
Further guidance
Application
Identify the source type, then follow the current ACS reference guidance and any journal, instructor, or publisher requirements that apply.
Core Rule
ACS reference construction depends on the source type and the conventions documented in The ACS Guide to Scholarly Communication.
Practical Application
Identify the ACS source type first, then follow the corresponding current ACS Guide to Scholarly Communication example and any journal-specific instructions. Keep citation numbering/author-date choices, author lists, titles, journal abbreviations, volume/pages, and persistent identifiers aligned with the selected ACS model rather than mixing patterns from unrelated source types.
Reader Check
Can every reference be mapped to an ACS example for that source type, and does the target journal impose any additional requirement?
Worked Example
For a journal article, start from the ACS journal-article reference model; do not format it by copying the pattern for a website or book chapter simply because the same fields appear.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- The ACS Guide to Scholarly Communication (opens in a new tab)American Chemical Society · Authority used to verify the public writing guidance.
- Creating References — The ACS Guide to Scholarly Communication (opens in a new tab)American Chemical Society · Authority used to verify the public writing guidance.