Introduction to referencing

1. Referencing

2. Agenda
● What is referencing?
● How to cite in-text?
● The reference list
● Checking your references

3. What is referencing?
A standardized way of acknowledging sources of
information and ideas that you have used in your
assignment

4. Why reference?
Good referencing will improve the overall quality of your essay in
several ways:
● arguments clearly supported by evidence
● work will be more convincing
● marker can see how widely you read and if you fully understand the work
● readers can find your sources
● work will reflect the academic values and good academic practice
expected at University.
● avoid plagiarism

5. Referencing style
• UCT Author-date
– Based on Harvard referencing style
• UCT Author-date reference guide

6. Two stages of referencing
• In-text citation
– Put brief details in round brackets () within the body of an essay to
indicate every instance that you have borrowed words or ideas
• Reference list
– Put the full details of all sources used in your work at the end of your
paper

7. How to use sources
• Direct quotation – use someone else’s work word for word
• Put the words used in “quotation marks”
• Use sparingly
• Paraphrasing – put someone else’s ideas in your own words

8. Details to include - in-text citation
Author’s surnameWHO
Date (year) of publicationWHEN
Page numberWHERE

9. Example
From page 134 of:
Crouch, L. A. 1996. Public education equity and efficiency in South
Africa: lessons for other countries. Economics of Education Review.15(2):
125-137. DOI:10.1016/0272-7757(96)00004-0.
Extract:
It is now perhaps trite to state the rather obvious fact that South African
society embodies both First World and Third World standards of living.
WHO
Crouch
WHERE
134
WHEN
1996

10. In-text citation - Direct quotation
The study found that “South African society embodies both First World and
Third World living standards”.
Crouch states that “South African society embodies both First World and Third
World living standards”.

11. In-text citation - Direct quotation
The study found that “South African society embodies both First World and
Third World living standards” (Crouch, 1996:134).
Crouch (1996:134) states that “South African society embodies both First
World and Third World living standards”.
NB: List all authors to a maximum of three separated by a comma but the last
separated by an ampersand &. If more than 3 authors, list the first author followed by et
al.

12. In-text citation - Paraphrase
In an analysis of equity and efficiency in public education, it was
found that South Africa has elements of both a first world
country and a third world country (Crouch, 1996:134).
In his analysis of equity and efficiency in public education,
Crouch (1996:134) noted that South Africa has elements of
both a first world country and a third world country.

13. In-text citation
Sometimes the structure of a citation will vary slightly.
For example, when there is:
• no author
• no date
• no page numbers

14. In-text citation - No author
If there is no author, use the first significant words of the title. Usually, three
words are enough for in-text citations. Use ellipses for longer titles to indicate the
omission of words:
(“First significant words of title …”, year of publication:page number)
Title: SA and Nigeria in deal to enhance bilateral economic co-operation
South Africa is hopeful for an increase in economic activity with Nigeria (“SA
and Nigeria in deal …”, 2016:3).
“SA and Nigeria in deal …” (2016:3) noted that “SA is optimistic about further
growth of economic ties between the two countries”.

15. Exercises

16. Which in-text citation is correct?
A. According to (Fischer, 2001:18) the type of inflation that is
associated with wars usually arises from an increase in
aggregate demand.
B. According to Fischer (2001:18) the type of inflation that is
associated with wars usually arises from an increase in
aggregate demand.

17. Context:
Two authors: Aisen, Ari
Veiga, Francisco Jose
Date: 2006
Page: 27
Furthermore, they argue that politically unstable countries are often susceptible
to political shocks _________________
Answer: (Aisen & Veiga, 2006:27).

18. Context: Four authors
Authors’ names are not part of the sentence
Its target-range approach amounts to “a compromise between an exclusive
focus on price stability and concern for short-term output and employment
goals” ________
A. (Bernanke, Laubach, Mishkin & Posen, 1999:116).
B. Bernanke, Laubach, Mishkin & Posen (1999:116).
C. (Bernanke et al., 1999:116).
D. Bernanke et al. (1999:116).

19. Reference list
• Full details of all the sources mentioned in your work have to
be listed at the end of the paper
• Alphabetical order
• Details included in a reference are dependent on the source
type i.e. book, article, website etc.

20. Basic structure of UCT Author-date reference
Author(s) of resource – Surname & initialsWHO
Date of publication – Year of publicationWHEN
Title of resourceWHAT
Publication details
• Book - Place and name of publisher
• Journal - Volume, issue and page numbers
• Web resource - URL
WHERE

21. Referencing - Book
Glimcher, P. W. 2011. Foundations of neuroeconomic analysis. New
York: Oxford University Press.
Note: The names of all authors should appear in the reference list to a maximum of eight. Add et al.
after the eighth name when there are more than eight authors.
Surname & initials Glimcher, P. W.WHO
Year of publication 2011.WHEN
Title of book - italicised Foundations of neuroeconomic
analysis.WHAT
Town of publication New York:
Name of publisher Oxford University Press.
WHERE

22. Referencing journal articles
Things to consider:
• Does it have a DOI?
A unique number that identifies electronic documents. It is guaranteed
never to change, so you can use it to link permanently to electronic
documents.
• Does it have a stable URL/permalink?

23. Referencing – Electronic journal with DOI
A DOI is a unique number that identifies electronic documents. It is guaranteed
never to change, so you can use it to link permanently to electronic documents.
DOI

24. Referencing – Electronic journal with DOI
A DOI is a unique number that identifies electronic documents. It is persistent
identifier, so you can use it to link permanently to electronic documents.

25. DOI

26. Referencing – Electronic journal with DOI
Pons-Vignon, N. & Anseeuw, W. 2009. Great expectations: working conditions in South
Africa since the end of apartheid. Journal of Southern African Studies. 35(4):883-899.
DOI: 10.1080/03057070903313236.
Surname & initials Pons-Vignon, N. & Anseeuw, W.WHO
Year of publication 2009.WHEN
Title of article – Great expectations: working conditions in
South Africa since the end of apartheid.
Title of journal – italicised & capitalised (except articles &
prepositions) Journal of Southern African Studies.
WHAT (x2)
Journal volume and issue number 35(4):
Page number(s) - for the article 883-899.
DOI - DOI: 10.1080/03057070903313236.
WHERE

27. Referencing – Electronic journal with stable URL/permalink

28. Referencing – Electronic journal with stable URL/permalink

29. Referencing – Electronic journal with stable URL/permalink

30. Referencing – Electronic journal with stable URL/permalink
Siebert, W.S. 1987. Black trade unions and the wage gap in South Africa. Managerial
and Decision Economics. 8(1):55-65. Available: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2560525
[2018, March 20].
Surname & initials Siebert, W.S.WHO
Year of publication 1987.WHEN
Title of publication - Black trade unions and the wage gap in South
Africa.Title of journal – italicised & capitalised (except articles &
prepositions) Managerial and Decision Economics.WHAT (x2)
Journal volume and issue number 8(1):
Page number(s) - for the article 55-65.
Stable URL or permalink - preceded by the word Available:
Available: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2560525
Date retrieved [2018, March 20].
WHERE

31. Example
How do you reference this journal article?

32. Answer
Ariovich, G. 1985. The economics of diamond price
movements. Managerial and Decision Economics.
6(4):234-240. Available:
http://www.jstor.org/stable/2487029 [2018, August 21].

33. Referencing - Website (personal authors)
Dreschler, D. & Hallam, D. 2009. Buying land in developing nations: challenges
and promises. Available: http://www.voxeu.org/article/buying-land-developing-
nations [2018, March 16].
Surname & initials Dreschler, D. & Hallam, D.WHO
Year produced or last updated 2009.WHEN
Title of resource - italicised Buying land in developing
nations: challenges and promises.WHAT
URL – preceded by the word Available: Available:
http://www.voxeu.org/article/buying-land-developing-nations
Date retrieved - date resource was accessed [2018, March 16].
WHERE

34. Referencing - Website (group or corporate author)
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. 2015. Health care quality
indicators - primary care. Available: http://www.oecd.org/els/health-systems/hcqi-primary-
care.htm [2018, February 9].
NB: 1st in-text citation: (Organisation for Economic and Co-operation and Development [OECD], 2015)
Subsequently: (OECD, 2015)
Name of organisation Organisation for Economic Co-
operation and Development.WHO
Year produced or last updated 2015.WHEN
Title of resource - italicised Health care quality indicators -
primary care.
WHAT
URL – preceded by the word Available:
Date retrieved - date resource was accessed [2018,
February 9].
WHERE

35. Example
Which elements do you use to reference this website?

36. Answer
How do you reference this website?
WHO WHEN
WHAT
WHERE

37. Answer
O'Brien, B. 2010. Water licences valued at A$2.8 billion
traded in Australia’s emerging water markets. Available:
http://voxeu.org/article/price-precious-commodity-water-
trading-australia [2018, August 21].

38. Source with no date
If there is no publication date or identifiable copyright date, use the
abbreviation n.d.
In-text
SADC was formed to reduce economic dependence on apartheid South
Africa (Africa Union Commission [AUC], n.d.).
Reference list
Africa Union Commission. n.d. Southern African Development Community
(SADC). Available: http://www.au.int/en/recs/sadc [2016, January 14].

39. Exercises

40. What is wrong with this reference?
O'Brien, B. 2010. Water licences valued at A$2.8 billion traded in Australia’s
emerging water markets. [2018, March 20].
Answer: Publication details (URL) missing
O'Brien, B. 2010. Water licences valued at A$2.8 billion traded in Australia’s
emerging water markets. Available: http://voxeu.org/article/price-precious-
commodity-water-trading-australia [2018, March 20].
WHERE

41. What is wrong with this reference?
Rossouw, J. Politics and policies: determinants of South Africa’s monetary
policy problems in the 1980s. Economic History of Developing Regions.
33(1):51-68. DOI: 10.1080/20780389.2017.1372187.
Answer: There is no date
Rossouw, J. 2018. Politics and policies: determinants of South Africa’s
monetary policy problems in the 1980s. Economic History of Developing
Regions. 33(1):51-68. DOI: 10.1080/20780389.2017.1372187.

42. The following statements were made by students for not
referencing a particular source in an essay.

43. I didn’t reference the source because it just gave me ideas to use in my
essay; I changed most of words in the article to my own.
Any source that has been used in your essay, either as a direct
quotation or a paraphrase must be fully referenced. By doing this you
acknowledge the part another person has played in the development of
your own ideas.

44. I didn’t reference the source in the text of the essay because I put the
source in the reference list
Readers need to match in-text citations with the full details of sources
in a list of references. This enables readers to find and use the sources
for themselves, if required.

45. I didn’t reference the source because no author or writer’s name was
shown on the website.
If no named author or writer is shown, you should cite and reference
the name of the originator of the source, which can be a name of an
organization, or corporate body. If not available, start the reference with
the title.

46. UCT Author-Date Reference Guide
The guide is available on Vula as well as from Libraries’
website

47. Go to: www.lib.uct.ac.za
Hover your mouse on
Research Help

48. Click on Referencing help

50. Reference guide
http://www.lib.uct.ac.za/lib/referencing-help

51. In-text and Reference List examples

52. Checking your essay’s references

53. Checking in-text citations
Read your essay and note all direct quotations and paraphrases:
• have you used quotation marks correctly for direct quotations?
• have you included all details?
• have you used the correct style consistently?
– (Surname, year:page number)
• is every cited source in your reference list? WHEREWHO WHEN

54. Checking list of references
• Are all sources in the reference list cited in-text?
• Have you included the correct details?
• Have you formatted your references correctly?
– e.g. surname, initials, punctuation, capitalise, italics etc.
• Is your list in the correct alphabetical order?
WHEREWHATWHO WHEN

55. If you need further assistance
maureen.chiware@uct.ac.za

56. Acknowledgement:
Some content has been adapted from Learnhigher
http://www.learnhigher.ac.uk/writing-for-university/referencing/