If you’ve ever written an academic paper in China, you’ve met a rulebook that feels half‑familiar and half‑foreign. GB/T 7714 is that rulebook – the national standard that tells you exactly how to format every reference, from journal articles to patents.

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Standard number: GB/T 7714‑2015 ·
Issuing body: Standardization Administration of China (SAC) ·
Latest version: 2015 ·
Purpose: Bibliographic references for Chinese academic publications ·
Common users: Chinese universities, journals, and researchers ·
Equivalent international standard: ISO 690 (adapted)

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Exact adoption rate across all Chinese institutions remains unknown
  • Whether the standard is legally binding for all publications is not specified
  • No official free English translation is publicly available
3Timeline signal
4What’s next

Five key facts define the standard’s scope and status:

Property Value
Standard number GB/T 7714‑2015
Issued
Implementation date
Scope Bibliographic references in Chinese academic and technical publications
Available in English No official English translation; summaries exist

The implication: the standard is mandatory in practice across Chinese academia, but its reach outside the mainland remains uneven.

What is GB/T 7714 format?

Origin and purpose of GB/T 7714

  • GB/T 7714 is China’s national standard for bibliographic references and citations to information resources (ReadWonders citation guide).
  • The 2015 edition is officially titled Information and Documentation—Rules for Bibliographic References and Citations to Information Resources (ReadWonders guide).
  • It is widely required in Chinese academic journals, dissertations, and theses (Suminote reference tool).

Key updates from 2005 to 2015 version

  • GB/T 7714‑2015 officially introduced the author‑date system as an alternative to the numeric system (ReadWonders guide).
  • The new version clarified handling of multiple authors and editions (Suminote reference tool).
  • Electronic source requirements (DOI, access date) were expanded (Hicom-Asia translation service).

The implication: the 2015 revision made the standard more flexible, but also more demanding on authors who need to track electronic details.

How GB/T 7714 relates to international citation standards

  • The standard is adapted from ISO 690, the international standard for bibliographic references (ReadWonders guide).
  • It shares the two‑system approach (numeric and author‑date) with ISO 690 but uses document‑type codes specific to Chinese academic contexts (Hicom-Asia translation service).

The pattern: GB/T 7714 is ISO 690’s Chinese cousin – same family, different local customs.

How to cite in GB/T 7714 style?

Why this matters

The numeric system uses superscript square‑bracketed numbers, while the author‑date system uses parentheses. Choose one and stick to it – mixing the two is the top reason manuscripts get returned.

Citing journal articles

  • Pattern: AUTHOR. Title[J]. Journal Name, Year, Volume(Issue): Pages. (ReadWonders guide).
  • Example (numeric): [1] Zhang L, Wang Y. A study on citation patterns[J]. Chinese Journal of Library Science, 2020, 46(3): 15‑28.
  • Example (author‑date): Zhang L, Wang Y. A study on citation patterns[J]. Chinese Journal of Library Science, 2020, 46(3): 15‑28.

Citing books and book chapters

  • Pattern for books: AUTHOR. Title[M]. Edition. Place of publication: Publisher, Year. (ReadWonders guide).
  • Example: Chen X. Academic Writing Standards[M]. 3rd ed. Beijing: Science Press, 2018.

Citing conference proceedings

  • Pattern: AUTHOR. Title[C]. Conference Name, Date, Location. Place: Publisher, Year: Pages.
  • Example: Li M. Digital libraries in China[C]. Proc. of the 5th Int. Conf. on Library Science, 2019, Shanghai. Beijing: Higher Education Press, 2019: 45‑52.

Citing electronic sources and websites

  • Pattern: AUTHOR. Title[EB/OL]. (Publication date)[Access date]. URL. (ReadWonders guide).
  • Example: National Library of China. GB/T 7714‑2015[EB/OL]. (2020-01-15)[2025-04-01]. https://www.nlc.cn/standard/7714.

Citing patents and standards

  • Patents use [P], standards use [S]. Example: Zhang H. Method for automatic citation indexing[P]. China, CN104123456A. 2014-10-15.

What this means: each source type has a rigid template. Memorise the code letter – [J] for journal, [M] for book, [EB/OL] for online – and the punctuation sequence, and the rest is fill‑in.

What are the key differences between GB/T 7714‑2005 and GB/T 7714‑2015?

Four major changes, one theme: more choice, more precision.

Area GB/T 7714‑2005 GB/T 7714‑2015
Citation system options Numeric only Numeric and author‑date both allowed (ReadWonders guide)
Multiple authors Up to three authors listed; “et al.” after three Clarified rules for truncation and “et al.” use (Suminote reference tool)
Electronic sources No DOI or access date required DOI and access date strongly recommended (Hicom-Asia translation service)
Reference list ordering Numbered sequentially by first appearance Numbered for numeric; alphabetical by author for author‑date (Hicom-Asia translation service)

The trade‑off: the 2015 version gives authors more flexibility but also more room for error if they flip between systems mid‑document.

How to format references for different source types in GB/T 7714?

Five common source templates, each with its own required order and punctuation.

Journal article template and example

  • Numeric: [1] Zhang L, Wang Y. A study on citation patterns[J]. Chinese Journal of Library Science, 2020, 46(3): 15‑28.
  • Author‑date: Zhang L, Wang Y. A study on citation patterns[J]. Chinese Journal of Library Science, 2020, 46(3): 15‑28.

Book template and example

  • Pattern: Author(s). Title[M]. Edition. Place: Publisher, Year.
  • Example: Chen X. Academic Writing Standards[M]. 3rd ed. Beijing: Science Press, 2018.

Web page template and example

  • Pattern: Author(s). Title[EB/OL]. (Publication date)[Access date]. URL.
  • Example: National Library of China. GB/T 7714‑2015[EB/OL]. (2020-01-15)[2025-04-01]. https://www.nlc.cn/standard/7714.

Dissertation template and example

  • Pattern: Author(s). Title[D]. Place: Institution, Year.
  • Example: Li M. Citation practices in Chinese universities[D]. Beijing: Peking University, 2021.

Patent template and example

  • Pattern: Inventor(s). Title[P]. Country, Patent number. Publication date.
  • Example: Zhang H. Method for automatic citation indexing[P]. China, CN104123456A. 2014-10-15.

The catch: missing a period or space in the wrong place can change the meaning. Always double‑check the punctuation sequence for each type.

Which tools support GB/T 7714 citation style?

Using Zotero with GB/T 7714 CSL styles

  • Zotero offers official CSL styles for GB/T 7714‑2015 (numeric and author‑date) (CEIBS Library guide).
  • A Zotero forum confirmed that the parenthetical version uses full‑width parentheses and commas (Zotero Forums discussion).
  • ZoteroBib, a fast reference generator, is also available from Zotero (CEIBS Library guide).

Using Mendeley and EndNote workarounds

  • CEIBS Library lists an EndNote style file named Chinese Std GBT 7714 (numeric).ens (CEIBS Library guide).
  • Mendeley users may need to import the Zotero CSL style manually or use a community‑submitted version.

Online citation generators for GB/T 7714

  • Free web‑based generators exist but vary in accuracy; always verify output against the official pattern (Suminote reference tool).

What to watch: reference managers are only as reliable as the style file you load. Test a few references before trusting batch generation.

What are common mistakes when using GB/T 7714?

Incorrect author name formatting

  • Chinese names should be written in pinyin with surname first and capitalised (ReadWonders guide).
  • Misordering Chinese and English author names is the most frequent error (CEIBS Library guide).

Missing or misplaced punctuation

  • Periods, commas, and colons follow rules different from APA and MLA. For example, the period after the document‑type code is mandatory: [M]. (ReadWonders guide).

Inconsistent use of numeric vs. author‑date systems

  • Switching systems within one document violates the standard (Hicom-Asia translation service).
  • In the author‑date system, the reference list must be alphabetical; in numeric, it must be numbered in citation order.

The pattern: most errors come from treating GB/T 7714 as if it were APA or MLA. The rules are different, and the document‑type codes are a dead giveaway.

The upshot

For a Chinese undergrad writing their first thesis, the numeric system is safer because it avoids alphabetisation pitfalls. For a researcher targeting an international journal, the author‑date system may align better with the journal’s house style.

Confirmed facts and remaining unknowns

Confirmed facts

  • GB/T 7714‑2015 is the current national standard of China for bibliographic references (ReadWonders guide)
  • It supersedes GB/T 7714‑2005 (Suminote reference tool)
  • The standard defines both numeric and author‑date citation systems (ReadWonders guide)
  • It is required by many Chinese academic journals and universities (Hicom-Asia translation service)

Remaining unknowns

  • Exact adoption rate across all Chinese institutions
  • Whether the standard is legally binding for all publications
  • Availability of a free official English version

GB/T 7714‑2015: Information and Documentation—Rules for Bibliographic References and Citations to Information Resources

Standardization Administration of China (SAC) — official standard title

The adoption of both numeric and author‑date systems reflects the standard’s effort to accommodate diverse academic traditions.

Adapted from commentary by Hicom-Asia translation service

Consistency in referencing is not just a formality—it directly affects the credibility of the research.

Academic editor at a Chinese university (paraphrased from CEIBS Library guidelines)

For Chinese researchers and students, the choice between the numeric and author‑date systems is not academic—it is a practical decision tied to the journal’s requirements. Adopt the numeric system for Chinese‑language journals and the author‑date system for English‑language publications. The cost of mixing them is manuscript rejection.

Additional sources

citethisforme.com, citationmachine.net

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Frequently asked questions

Is GB/T 7714 mandatory for all Chinese academic papers?

Most Chinese universities and many national journals require it, but enforcement varies. Always check your institution’s style guide.

Can I use GB/T 7714 for English‑language papers?

Yes, the standard works for English references too. Use the same document‑type codes and punctuation rules.

How to cite a dissertation in GB/T 7714?

Pattern: Author. Title[D]. Place: Institution, Year. Example: Li M. Citation practices in Chinese universities[D]. Beijing: Peking University, 2021.

What is the difference between numeric and author‑date styles in GB/T 7714?

Numeric uses superscript or bracketed numbers in text and numbers the reference list sequentially. Author‑date uses parenthetical author‑year citations and an alphabetically ordered reference list.

How to cite a patent in GB/T 7714?

Pattern: Inventor(s). Title[P]. Country, Patent number. Publication date. Example: Zhang H. Method for automatic citation indexing[P]. China, CN104123456A. 2014-10-15.

Where can I download the official GB/T 7714 standard?

The Standardization Administration of China (SAC) sells the official document. Free summaries are available from third‑party sites like ReadWonders and Suminote.

Does GB/T 7714 support electronic sources like online databases?

Yes, use the code [EB/OL] for online electronic resources and include the access date and URL.

How do I switch from numeric to author‑date style in my document?

Change the citation style in your reference manager (e.g., Zotero) to the GB/T 7714 author‑date CSL style. Manually re‑order the reference list alphabetically.