Writing citations: the principles
To produce a citation for any kind of material in any style, you will need four pieces of information:
- author/s and/or editor/s
- date of publication
- title
- publication details (e.g. edition, where published, who by, number of volumes)
Here are some examples of how those details might work for different kinds of source material.
Material | Author | Date | Title | Publication details |
Book | Cottrell, S. | 2005 | Critical thinking skills | Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan |
| Journal article | Weingart,S.N.,Zhang,L., Sweeney, M, &Hassett,M. | 2018 | Chemotherapy medication errors | The Lancet Oncology,19(4), pp. e191-e199 |
Computer software | IBM | 2020 | SPSS (Version 27.0) [Computer program] | IBM. Available at:https://www.ibm.com/uk-en/analytics/spss-statistics-software. (Accessed: 27 May 2021) |
TV programme | Panorama | 2008 | The Challenge of the Sixties | BBC4. 15th May. 17:45. |
Map | Ordnance Survey | 1956 | Map of Roman Britain, Scale sixteen miles to one inch | Southampton: Ordnance Survey |
Work of art | Cedar, M. | 1938 | Mars at Night. [Sculpture] | Manor Art Gallery, Manchester |
Watch our video on Finding bibliographic details
In this short video we offer some tips for finding all the details you need for a complete reference.
If you are unable to view this video on YouTube it is also available on YuJa - view the How to Find Bibliographic Details video on YuJa (University username and password required)
Putting the reference details into the correct style
Provided you have these details and know which referencing style to use, you should be able to correctly write a citation for any source you need to use.The style of referencing you need to use will affect: how and where you place brief citations (in the body of the text, in footnotes, or replaced by a number that acts as a signpost to the reference list); the order details should be arranged in; what punctuation you use. Getting it right shows that you are being thoughtful about your studies and can work with accuracy and academic rigour.
There are many different styles of referencing, and it is important to make sure that you are using the preferred style for your School/Department. Remember that if you are taking modules in different departments, they may require a different style.
Which style should I use?
We have compiled a list of styles used in Schools and Departments across the University, but please check your Course handbook carefully for any changes.
Referencing styles in use in the University
A list of Schools and Departments and their preferred referencing styles.
We also have some general guidance about some some of the different styles:
Find out more about different referencing styles
General guidance and sources of help for styles in use in the University.
Need help citing specific types of publication?
We have compiled a list of examples in the Harvard style which will help you when citing different types of publication:
Example of adapting a reference for different citation styles
A journal article in theHarvard referencing style:
Gulddal, J. (2020)'That deep underground savage instinct:narratives of sacrifice and retribution in Agatha Christie's Appointment with Death',Textual Practice,34(11),pp. 1803-1821.
A journal article in theChicago referencing style:
Gulddal, Jesper. "That deep underground savage instinct:narratives of sacrifice and retribution in Agatha Christie's Appointment with Death." Textual Practice34, no. 11 (2020):1803-1821.
