Citation and Referencing

Referencing is a fundamental skill for demonstrating good academic practice. It is the most important practice in scholarly writing to avoid plagiarism. It is a consistent method of acknowledging another person’s ideas that you have used in your own work. All sources used in your work must be referenced.

There are many acceptable styles of citation and referencing. It is important that you check with your tutor to ensure you’re using the correct style for your department and your assignment.

Some commonly used styles are:

• APA (American Psychological Association)
• MLA (Modern Language Association)
• Chicago
• Harvard
• IEEE, and Vancouver

At UKH, the principal style used is Harvard with pagination. The only variation is in the English department, where APA and MLA may be used depending on the level and subject. Pagination is required regardless of style. Whichever style preferred; it must be used consistently throughout the assignment.

It is very important to follow your department/tutor’s assignment guidance, as some details, such as punctuation, might vary. Reference styles follow strict rules of punctuation and indentation. You will need to refer to a style sheet to ensure your reference is correct.

Harvard Citation Style

Harvard Style (or author-date system) is a specific kind of parenthetical referencing. It involves a short author-date reference inserted after the cited text, e.g., (Smith, 2000. p.62), with the full reference listed at the end of the article.

Please note that there are variations of Harvard style.

Useful sites for Harvard referencing:

• Exeter University ‘Referencing – The Harvard System’ (United Kingdom): https://www.eriesjournal.com/public/site/harvard_referencing.pdf
• Himmelfarb Library at Geroge Washington University (United States of America): https://guides.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/harvard_citation/introduction
• Monash University Library ‘Harvard referencing guide’ (Australia): https://guides.lib.monash.edu/harvard
• Southern Cross University ‘Getting Started – Harvard’ (Australia): https://libguides.scu.edu.au/harvard
• University of Leeds (United Kingdom): https://library.leeds.ac.uk/info/1402/referencing/50/leeds_harvard_introduction

Formatting of Citations in Databases and Catalogues

Most database providers allow you to format materials used references in a particular style (APA, Harvard, MLA, etc.), and email, print, or save these references.

UKH Discovery catalogue provides references for every item listed, allowing you to format references in the UKH recognised styles (APA, Harvard, MLA), and email, print, or save these references.

Important: Always review the citations formatted by databases or citation management tools. Compare results with style guidelines listed for the format you are using to ensure correct formatting and punctuation.

Citation and Referencing Support

• Please check out the links provided for citation styles and materials held in the library, or book a training session with the library staff
• The library cannot correct your work for you. You are responsible for applying citation and referencing rules correctly in your assignments.
• If you have any doubts regarding citation and references, discuss them with your lecturer or supervisor.