Citation, Documentation of Sources

Q. I’m using Shelley Jackson’s short story “Skin” as a primary source in an article I’m writing, but the story is published only as tattoos on the bodies of volunteers (one word per volunteer). How do I cite this work?

A. Cite it the same way you would “cite” your sandwich or your miniblinds or the fluff under your bathroom rug—not by trying to pretend it is a bibliographic source, but simply by telling what it is. In the text or in a note, write something like “Shelley Jackson’s ‘Skin’ is a story published only as tattoos on the bodies of volunteers (one word per volunteer).”