Referencing a patent in your work is a courtesy to the pioneering scientist who came up before you – it’s a way of saying thanks for the foundation you’re building on. It also acknowledges the inventor’s intellectual property rights. But getting the citation just right can be a real puzzle, and that’s where this guide comes in to help you put all the pieces together.
TLDR:
To cite a patent, you’ll need the inventor’s name, the publication date (or the year it was patented), the actual title of the patent, the unique patent number, and the issuing authority (like the USPTO in the States). Just keep in mind that the citation format can vary depending on the style guide you’re using – so always double check with your instructor to see which one they favour.
The Fundamentals of a Patent
To cite a patent properly, you need to start by gathering the right information.
Government websites like the USPTO or the European Patent Office are treasure troves of patent details. As soon as you open the patent document, you’ll see the page is laid out in a neat block of text – and all the facts you need are right there on the front. You’ll see the patent name, the name of the patent holder, and the all-important patent or application number.
Quick Tip: The information you need is usually on the first page of the patent document. Look for the inventor, assignee (patent owner), application number, and issue date.
| Element | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Inventor(s) | The person or people who created the invention. List them as you would an author. | Smith, J. D. |
| Year Patent Issued | The year the patent was officially granted. | (2021) |
| Title of Patent | The official title of the invention, usually in italics. | Self-Watering Plant Pot |
| Patent Number | The unique identifier assigned by the trademark office. Include the country code. | U.S. Patent No. 10,123,456 |
| Issuing Body | The organization that granted the patent. | U.S. Patent and Trademark Office |
| URL | A direct link to the patent document, if available. | https://ppubs.uspto.gov/… |
Formatting Your Patent Citation in Different Styles
The structure of your citation changes based on the academic style you follow. While tools like a citation generator can help, understanding the logic behind the formats is a skill that will serve you well. For a deeper look into different styles, Mastering Citations offers more guidance. Below are formats and examples for several common styles.
APA Style (7th Edition)
Format:
Inventor, A. A. (Year). Patent title in sentence case and italics (Country Patent No. X,XXX,XXX). Issuing Body.
Reference List Example:
Hart, R. W. (1971). Magnetic dart game (U.S. Patent No. 3,597,875). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
In-Text Citation Example: (Hart, 1971)
MLA Style (9th Edition)
Inventor, First Name Last Name. Title of Patent. Patent Number, Date of Issue.
Works Cited Example:
Hart, Robert W. Magnetic Dart Game. U.S. Patent 3,597,875, 10 Aug. 1971.
In-Text Citation Example: (Hart)
Chicago Manual of Style (17th Edition)
Format (Notes-Bibliography):
Note Number. Inventor First Name Last Name, “Title of Patent,” Country Patent Number, issued Month Day, Year.
Bibliography Example:
Hart, Robert W. “Magnetic Dart Game.” U.S. Patent 3,597,875, issued August 10, 1971.
In-Text Note Example: 1. Robert W. Hart, “Magnetic Dart Game,” U.S. Patent 3,597,875, issued August 10, 1971.
ACS (American Chemical Society)
Format:
Inventor Last Name, First Initial.; Inventor 2 Last Name, First Initial. Title of Patent. Country Patent Number, Date of Publication.
Reference Example:
Hart, R. W. Magnetic Dart Game. U.S. Patent 3,597,875, August 10, 1971.
AMA (American Medical Association)
Format:
Inventor Last Name First Initial. Title of patent. Country patent number. Month Day, Year.
Reference Example:
Hart RW. Magnetic dart game. US patent 3,597,875. August 10, 1971.
CSE (Council of Science Editors)
Format (Name-Year):
Inventor Last Name First Initial. Year. Title of patent. Country patent number.
Reference Example:
Hart RW. 1971. Magnetic dart game. US Patent 3,597,875.
IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)
Format:
First Initial. Last Name, “Title of patent,” Country Patent x xxx xxx, Abbrev. Month, Day, Year.
Reference Example:
R. W. Hart, “Magnetic Dart Game,” U.S. Patent 3 597 875, Aug. 10, 1971.
In-Text Citation Example: [1]
Remember to check the patent stage. Citing granted patents is different from citing patent applications, which have an application number instead of a patent number.
How do I reference a Google patent?
Citing a Google patent works just like any other patent – Google is the assignee, but the inventors are the people listed on the document. You use the standard format for your required style (APA or whatever your instructor wants), listing the inventors first. The issuing authority is still the government body, like the USPTO, not Google.
How do you cite a patent on a resume?
This is a great way to showcase your work! Create a section called “Patents” or “Intellectual Property.” Use a simplified format. Something like this works well:
J. Doe & A. Smith. (2022). System for Automated Drone Delivery. U.S. Patent No. 11,123,456. Issued August 15, 2022.
If the patent application is still pending, you can write “U.S. Patent Application No. XXXXXX” and note its status as “Pending.”
How to cite proprietary information in APA?
If the information you want to cite is a trade secret and not publicly available, you generally can’t include it in a standard academic paper because your readers can’t access it either. Instead, in APA style, you treat it like a personal communication – you mention it in the text, but don’t include it in the reference list.
In-text example: According to a new internal process (J. Doe, personal communication, May 4, 2023), the company has reduced waste by 15%.
However, if the proprietary info is from somewhere you can access but your readers can’t (like an internal report), you describe it in the text and say it’s not publicly available.