Referencing styles

Written pieces of work that require referencing are mainly, but not limited to, academic works to convey to the reader where the information was taken from. Such information could be ideas, direct quotes, facts or theories taken from published works, either in print or on the Internet.

There are many referencing styles available, the use of which depends on the type of writing task being done, but are essentially done for the following reasons:

To avoid plagiarism, a common offence when publishing written works wherein information used in the work is not properly credited to its source.

To allow the reader to verify and independently review the sources used.

To emphasise or give credibility to arguments or positions taken and provide the background reading that has been done.

To fulfil requirements especially for academic works.

Reference styles, or citation styles as it is also called, can be classified into two systems: the note system and the parenthetical system. Under these two systems are numerous formats that are generally categorised into either Humanities or Sciences.

The note system uses numbers in a sequence placed after a sentence or paragraph that needs to be cited. The details are then placed according to the number either as footnotes, which are placed at the end of every page, or as endnotes, placed at the end of the written work.

Parenthetical referencing, on the other hand, uses in-text citations where source and date (typically) are placed in a parenthesis directly after the sentence or paragraph that needs citation. At the end of the written work is either a reference list or a bibliography where detailed information of the sources is listed alphabetically. Among the most common styles of parenthetical system are:

Harvard style, also known as the name-date format

APA or American Psychological Association style

MLA or Modern Language Association style

For the note system, these are the most common styles used:

Oxford or the documentary-note style

OSCOLA or Oxford Standard for Citation Of Legal Authorities

Vancouver or Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals style

AMA or American Medical Association style

IEEE or Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers style

There are also some styles that use both the note system and the parenthetical system. The decision on which system to use largely depends on the subject matter and the particular type of sources used. In such cases, a referencing guide on which system to use is usually given by the tutor.

The note system is typically used in works covering Humanities subjects such as History, Literature, and the Arts. For the parenthetical system, it is generally used in Natural, Physical, and Social Sciences. Foremost examples of this type of referencing style are:

Chicago or Turabian style

ACS or American Chemical Society style

There are several other styles that were created to suit particular subjects and academic preferences. Before deciding on which particular style or system to use, it is best to consult first with your tutor regarding the referencing requirements. For more detailed discussion regarding a particular style, please refer to your university's academic guidelines as some universities have their own variation of the different referencing styles.