Referencing - Frequently asked questions
- How often must I reference?
- What is the difference between a reference list and a bibliography?
- What are the differences between the author-date and numerical reference styles?
- Where do I put the in-text references? At the beginning or at the end of the sentence?
- Should I use quotations or paraphrase the information?
- If all the ideas from a paragraph came from the one source how do you show that?
- What do you do if every book you read says the same thing that is common knowledge?
- What if you write a summary that has been synthesised from a number of different sources?
- What if a book was reprinted several times at different dates? Which date do you use?
- How do you reference an internet site that doesn't have an author?
- Can I just use the URL in my assignment?
- I've been told that we have to arrive at our own opinion - will I be disadvantaged if I put that in the essay without referencing it? What if it's similar to something I might have read?
- I have written this in my own words, do I need to reference it in the text?
- Do I need to include page numbers in my in-text reference?
- How do I reference sources of information when not all the referencing elements are included, eg no author is mentioned?
- If I read a book and the author of that book uses information from another book how do I reference it in my essay?
- We were told (at school/TAFE) that if you put the information in your own words and it's from various places, then you don't need to show resources. You only need to reference quotes. Why change now?
Answers
How often must I reference?
Every time you use other people's ideas you must acknowledge the source of information.
What is the difference between a reference list and a bibliography?
A reference list includes only the sources that have been included in the text of the assignment.
A bibliography includes all sources using in gathering information for the assignment, some of which are not directly included in the text.
What are the differences between the author-date and numerical reference styles?
The systems used most commonly in the University of South Australia are summarised in Tables 1 and 2. These tables list the styles, the disciplines in which the styles are used, and examples of presenting both 'in-text' reference and as the details of the source in the reference list. The example is a book with an author.
Author date systems
Author-date systems indicate a reference in the text by providing the author's name and the year of publication in parentheses. The reference list is presented in alphabetical order.
| Style |
Discipline |
æIn-textÆ reference |
Reference list |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvard | Most | (Escritt 2000, p.59) | Escritt, S 2000, Art nouveau, Phaidon, London. |
| APA | Psychology | (Escritt 2000, p.5) | Escritt, S. (2000). Art nouveau. London: Phaidon. |
| CIBA | Nursing | (Escritt 2000: 59) | Escritt S 2000 Art nouveau. Phaidon, London. |
| MLA | Languages | (Escritt 2000, p.59) | Escritt, S. 2000, Art nouveau, Phaidon, London. |
Numerical systems
Numerical systems indicate a reference in the text by providing a number in the text. These numbers can be either superscripts3, or in round (3) or square brackets [3]. The numbers are listed in order in the assignment and in the reference list.
| Style |
Discipline |
In text reference |
Reference list |
|---|---|---|---|
Turabian |
Art |
In text3 Note: the number is a superscript. |
3 Escritt S. Art nouveau, London: Phaidon; 2000. |
Vancouver |
Medical & Scientific journals |
In text 3 Note: the number is a superscript. |
3. Escritt S. Art nouveau, London: Phaidon, 2000. |
Endnote |
Journals |
In text [3] |
3 Escritt S. Art nouveau, Phaidon, London, 2000. |
Footnote |
Journals |
In text3Note: the number is a superscript. |
3 Stephen Escritt, Art nouveau, Phaidon, London. 2000. Note the font is smaller e.g. 8 point. |
Details of how to reference for each of these styles is provided in the referencing guides in the Referencing webpage.
Where do I put the in-text references? At the beginning or at the end of the sentence?
This depends upon whether the information is well established and accepted by the authorities in the discipline or whether this is new information or an opinion. If the information is acknowledged then the reference goes at the end of the text. e.g. It has long been recognized that regular Tai Chi classes can improve the physical fitness of adults (Brown 1970). In contrast, if the finding is new, subject to speculation, or by a prominent author, then the reference goes at or near the beginning of the sentence. e.g. Brown (2001) reported a significant improvement in the Mini State Mental Examination of adults who undertake regular Tai Chi classes.
Should I use quotations or paraphrase the information?
Quotations should be used only when the exact words are essential to convey the meaning or the information; this may occur when an idea is expressed in a particularly eloquent or compelling manner. In all other cases use your own words and paraphrase. Which ever means is used you will still need to cite the work.
If all the ideas from a paragraph came from the one source how do you show that?
Put the reference at the end of the paragraph.
What do you do if every book you read says the same thing that is common knowledge?
Try to find the original source of the idea and if this is not possible use the oldest reference. However, keep in mind that common knowledge that has existed for a long time and is well known throughout the world does not need a reference e.g. Darwin sailed on the Beagle does not require a reference as this is undisputed knowledge.
What if you write a summary that has been synthesised from a number of different sources?
Cite all of the sources used and list them in chronological order in the text.
What if a book was reprinted several times at different dates? Which date do you use?
Use the publication date of the book you used because information is often updated and may be different from one edition to the next.
How do you reference an internet site that doesn't have an author?
Use the title as the main reference as you would with any work that is anonymous. Make sure that you include the URL so that your readers can locate the source.
Can I just use the URL in my assignment?
An in-text citation, using the author-date style, for a web address requires the author and the site date. You can use the URL in the text, but separate it from the sentence by using angle brackets.
e.g. Leishner (January2001). Details are available from <http://165.112.78.61/
Published_Articles/Oops.html>
In the reference list include author, site date, name of place and sponsor, date of viewing and the URL.
e.g. Leishner, AI 2001, æOops: How Casual Drug Use Leads to AddictionÆ, NIDA, viewed Nov 2001, <http://165.112.78.61/Published_Articles/Oops.html>.
I've been told that we have to arrive at our own opinion - will I be disadvantaged if I put that in the essay without referencing it? What if it's similar to something I might have read?
Our opinions are usually based on information gathered from other sources and our own experiences. Therefore, if you are asked for an opinion or you wish to express your opinion in an essay then you should distinguish clearly between other peoples' ideas or views and your own. It is common practice to cite other people's views first before expressing your own opinion. Once you have appropriately cited other authors you may wish to state whether you agree or disagree with them and why. In this way the lecturer can distinguish between your views and those of others. Whether you agree or disagree with the views of others is not necessarily important; what is important is the logical thinking underpinning your opinions and the way in which you develop a rational and coherent argument to express them.
I have written this in my own words, do I need to reference it in the text?
If you have written in your own words, this is called paraphrasing. Although you are able to write about the idea in your own way (which is recommended practice), you are still actually are using the ideas from another source. Therefore you will need to reference it. For example:
Writing successfully at the tertiary level involves consulting sources and using this information to construct a logical argument (Anderson 1994).
Do I need to include page numbers in my in-text reference?
If what you have written comes from a specific page or pages in the source, then definitely include a page number.
For example:
Writing successfully at the tertiary level involves consulting sources and using this information to construct a logical argument (Anderson 1994, p. 12).
Planning an assignment at the tertiary level involves defining and limiting the problem, specifying limitations, creating a time schedule, consulting sources, preparing a working bibliography taking notes, quoting and paraphrasing versus plagiarism, making and outline and writing a draft (Anderson 1994, pp. 9-18).
How do I reference sources of information when not all the referencing elements are included, eg no author is mentioned?
Some sources of information do not include all identifying elements, and are quite unorthodox in their provision of publication details. In these cases, stick with the basic principle of referencing, namely to provide enough details so that readers can locate the original sources of information if needed. Finding the exact source is facilitated by the citation in the reference list including all essential elements of referencing, namely: Author, Date, Title, and Source. Therefore, where possible include all of these elements in the reference list. If one of these elements is not recorded in the original source, then you can only use the other elements that are provided.
For example, if there is no author, ensure that the other elements are accurate.
Tasting Australia 2001, URL, South Australian Government, [online, accessed ...]
If I read a book and the author of that book uses information from another book how do I reference it in my essay?
There are a few ways to refer to an author cited in another text.
Marini (Tan 1992, p. 71) stated that ...
or ... Marini's study in 1975 (cited in Tan 1992, p. 71) stated that ...
or ... Tan (1992, p. 71), in reporting Marini's study, states ...
In each case Marini is the primary reference contained in a book by Tan (secondary reference). However, the reference list contains only references that you have actually used and in this case the reference used was Tan (1992). Therefore, the reference by Tan (1992) is placed in the reference list.
We were told (at school/TAFE) that if you put the information in your own words and it's from various places, then you don't need to show resources. You only need to reference quotes. Why change now?
At University you are expected to conform to accepted academic practices and one of these practices is acknowledging the work or ideas of others, even if you have paraphrased them.
If you have used these referencing resources and still have further questions, go to the Learning and Teaching Unit and attend a drop-in session with a Learning Adviser.