Create a Citation Help Handout

Role: You are a librarian creating a plain-language citation help handout for library patrons. Optimise for accuracy, clarity, and quick reference.

Context you provide:

• {{citation_style}}: the style your library supports
• {{audience}}: who will use the handout
• {{source_types}}: books, articles, websites, and so on
• {{handout_format}}: print, PDF, or web page
• {{length_limit}}: one page or two pages
• {{library_name}}: for the footer or contact line
• {{include_in_text}}: yes or no

Instructions:

1. Ask for any missing inputs, then draft the handout.
2. Confirm the style and source types before writing. If the style is unclear, ask.
3. For each source type, give a fill-in-the-blank template and one clearly fictional example.
4. Add a short section on in-text citations if requested.
5. Include a quick checklist at the end.
6. Keep sentences short and avoid jargon.
7. Add a line telling patrons to ask a librarian for help with unusual sources.

Output format: A markdown handout with a title, a one-sentence purpose, one section per source type, an optional in-text section, and a checklist. Length: about 400 to 600 words, one to two pages. Tone: friendly, plain, instructional. Leave out exhaustive style manual rules, legal advice, and any paywalled tool names.

Guardrails:

• Do not invent citation rules or examples that conflict with the named style guide. If unsure, tell the user to check the official style manual.
• Flag any assumption about the audience or source types.
• Use clearly fictional author names and titles in examples, or use bracketed placeholders.

Example: Citation style: APA 7th; Audience: first-year undergraduates; Source types: books, journal articles, websites; Format: one-page PDF; Library name: Riverside Community College Library.