This guide will help you understand how to properly cite sources in ASCE format—the citation format for civil engineering journals and American Society of Civil Engineers publications.
Jan 20, 2026
By
Joe Pacal, MSc
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TL;DR
ASCE style uses author-date citations like (Smith 2023) with an alphabetized reference list. This guide covers formats for journals (using content identifiers instead of page numbers), books, standards, and technical reports. Unpublished sources go in text only, not the reference list. Perfect for civil engineering and ASCE journal submissions.
Official Resources
ASCE style is the citation format required for publications by the American Society of Civil Engineers, covering structural engineering, transportation, environmental engineering, geotechnical work, and all civil engineering disciplines. Understanding ASCE style is essential for publishing in journals like the Journal of Structural Engineering, Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, and ASCE conference proceedings.
The Publishing in ASCE Journals: A Guide for Authors provides comprehensive formatting requirements.
Quick Overview: ASCE Citation Format
ASCE uses the author-date method for in-text citations, similar to APA style but with specific formatting differences. Key characteristics:
In-text citations show author surname(s) and year
References are listed alphabetically by first author's surname
Journal titles are abbreviated (title case)
Only journal and conference titles use abbreviations
ASCE journals no longer use page numbers—they use content identifiers (CIDs)
In-Text Citations in ASCE
Single Author
The analysis confirmed previous findings (Morrison 2024).
Two Authors
Use "and" between surnames:
Bridge load factors were established (Smith and Jones 2023).
Three or More Authors
Use the first author followed by "et al.":
The methodology has been validated (Patel et al. 2024).
Multiple Citations
List chronologically, separated by commas:
Several studies support this approach (Chen 2021, Morrison 2023, Patel et al. 2024).
Author Name in Sentence
Don't repeat the name in the citation:
According to Morrison (2024), the structural capacity exceeded expectations.
Direct Quotes
Include page numbers for direct quotes:
"The load distribution was significantly affected" (Smith 2023, p. 45).
Reference List Format
Journal Articles
ASCE journals (new format with content identifiers):
Other journals (with page numbers):
Key formatting notes:
First author: Last name, First initial. Middle initial.
Subsequent authors: First initial. Middle initial. Last name
Article titles in quotation marks, sentence case
Journal titles abbreviated, title case, italicized
Include DOI when available
Books
With specific pages:
Edited Books and Chapters
Conference Proceedings
Note: Include the publisher of the proceedings and location. If no publisher, use the conference sponsor's name and location.
Technical Reports
Standards
Websites
Dissertations and Theses
Maps
ASCE Journal Title Abbreviations
Use the CASSI database or the University of British Columbia's Woodward Library list for standard abbreviations:
Full Title | Abbreviation |
|---|---|
Journal of Structural Engineering | J. Struct. Eng. |
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering | J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. |
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering | J. Mater. Civ. Eng. |
Journal of Construction Engineering and Management | J. Constr. Eng. Manage. |
Journal of Transportation Engineering | J. Transp. Eng. |
Common ASCE Mistakes to Avoid
Including unpublished material: ASCE does not permit unpublished material in the References list, except for forthcoming journal articles with DOIs. Cite unpublished work in-text only: "(B. Smith, unpublished data, 2024)."
Wrong author order formatting: Remember—first author is Last, F. M., but subsequent authors are F. M. Last.
Missing DOIs: ASCE strongly encourages including DOIs for all sources that have them.
Forgetting content identifiers: ASCE journals no longer use page numbers. Use the content identifier format: 04013001.
Using "and" incorrectly: In the reference list, use "and" between the last two authors. In citations, use "and" for two authors only.
ASCE Citation Tools
Reference managers like Zotero and Mendeley include ASCE style templates. ASCE also provides LaTeX templates for journal submissions.
When researching civil engineering literature, Wonders AI can help you discover relevant sources and maintain organized reference lists.
References
American Society of Civil Engineers. Publishing in ASCE Journals: A Guide for Authors [Internet]. Reston (VA): ASCE; [cited 2025 Jan 2]. Available from: https://ascelibrary.org/page/informationforeditors/authorsguide
Texas Tech University Libraries. ASCE Citation Style [Internet]. Lubbock (TX): Texas Tech University; [cited 2025 Jan 2]. Available from: https://guides.library.ttu.edu/engineeringcitations/asce
Cal Poly Humboldt Library. ASCE Style Guide Citing Sources [Internet]. Arcata (CA): Cal Poly Humboldt; [cited 2025 Jan 2]. Available from: https://libguides.humboldt.edu/ere/asce
