As Surferbeetle said there is MLA, but there is also APA. To decide which to use, take a look at citations in an article in a similar field.

Here are two good sites to start with.

Here (This is MLA)
Here (This is APA)

They're simple but a good start, Also, try this site here.

I have to say that you shouldn't worry about whether something is in vogue today. Research is research, and it has always been such. Maybe some citations methods have changed, but the fundamentals haven't changed. I must ask what you meant by "prudent research methods."
I don't understand what you mean there.

Adam L