Citation Guide
for Hawaiian & Pacific Research

Overview

This guide provides citation guidance for Hawaiian and Pacific research materials, including archival records, Hawaiian-language sources, oral histories, and digital collections. It is intended as a reference support tool for students, researchers, and community users working with materials commonly found in Hawaiian & Pacific Collections.

 

Because many Hawaiian and Pacific sources do not conform to conventional Western publishing norms, careful attention to authorship, language, provenance, and access context is essential for accurate and respectful citation.

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General Principles for Hawaiian & Pacific Sources

When citing Hawaiian and Pacific materials, consider the following:

1. Authorship

   Many sources may be attributed to an organization, community, or collective, or have no named author. Represent authorship accurately and avoid imposing individual attribution where it does not exist.

2. Titles in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi

   Retain original Hawaiian-language titles. If needed for clarity, provide an English translation in brackets after the title.

3. Dates

   If the original creation date is unknown, use the publication date or access date, noting uncertainty where appropriate.

4. Access & Context

   Access dates are especially important for digital archives and databases, as content and URLs may change.

5. Cultural Responsibility

   Citation is not only a technical act but also an ethical one. Be mindful of how citation practices represent ʻike, poʻe, and place.

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MLA (Modern Language Association)

Books

Author’s Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Publisher, Year.

 

Journal Articles

Author’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of Article.” Title of Journal, vol. #, no. #, Year, pp. ##–##.

 

Digital Archives

Author (if known). “Title of Document.” Name of Database, Name of Library or Organization, URL. Accessed Day Month Year.

 

Oral Histories

Interviewee’s Last Name, First Name. Interview by Interviewer’s First Name Last Name. Date of Interview. Name of Collection, Repository, URL or physical location.

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APA (American Psychological Association)

Books

Author’s Last Name, F. M. (Year). Title of book. Publisher.

 

Journal Articles

Author’s Last Name, F. M. (Year). Title of article. Title of Journal, volume(issue), pages. DOI or URL.

 

Digital Archives

Author’s Last Name, F. M. (Year). Title of document. Name of Database. URL.

 

Oral Histories

Interviewee’s Last Name, F. M. (Year, Month Day). Interview by F. M. Interviewer [Format]. Name of Collection. Repository. URL or location.

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Chicago Style

Books

Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Publisher, Year.

 

Journal Articles

Last Name, First Name. “Title of Article.” Title of Journal volume, no. number (Year): pages.

 

Digital Archives

Last Name, First Name. “Title of Document.” Name of Database. Date. Repository or Organization. URL.

 

Oral Histories

Last Name, First Name of Interviewee. Interview by First Name Last Name of Interviewer. Name of Collection, Repository, Date. URL or location.

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Citing ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi Sources

For sources entirely in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi:

• Retain the original Hawaiian-language title

• Provide an English translation in brackets, if helpful

• Indicate [In Hawaiian] at the end of the citation

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Example (MLA):

Author. Ka Moʻolelo o… [The Story of …]. Publisher, Year. [In Hawaiian].

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Citing Multimedia & Non-Traditional Sources

Photographs

Photographer (if known). Title or Description. Year. Name of Collection, Repository.

 

Videos

Title of Video. Directed or produced by Name, Year. URL.

 

Government & Organizational Reports

Organization Name. Title of Report. Year. URL.

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Other Common Situations

• No Author: Begin with the title.

• Multiple Authors: Follow style-guide rules; use “et al.” when appropriate.

• Unknown Date: Use n.d. or ca. (circa).

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A Final Note

This guide is intended as a starting point. Always follow the citation style required by your instructor, discipline, or publisher, and consult the most recent edition of the relevant style manual.

 

For questions specific to Hawaiian-language, archival, or community-based sources, consultation with a librarian or archivist is recommended.