• Printable guide
• Terminology
• Resources
• Harvard style
• APA style
• Oxford style
• For TAFE staff

Bibliographies and referencing

Information or ideas from other people's work used in the writing of your essays or reports must be acknowledged. The method you choose to use must be consistent throughout your document. Several methods have been developed over the years to record details of the sources you have used for your work.

Well-known methods include Harvard (also known as the author-date system), American Psychology Association (APA) and Oxford (documentary-note). This document gives links to resources on these methods. Other methods not covered here include Chicago, MLA and Vancouver.

Different methods are generally favoured by different subject disciplines. Always contact your teacher before using this guide as they may have a preferred method. For instructions using the Harvard style you can download the following guide:

Short, printable guide to bibliographies and referencing using Harvard system [pdf, 52 KB]

Scroll down for more detailed information and examples of different types of referencing systems.

Know your terminology

In-text referencing - acknowledging sources of information within the body of your work.

Bibliography or reference list - a listing of sources of information which is included at the end of your work.

Bibliography - a complete listing of all sources of information which were relevant to the topic - even if you did not refer to them in your report or essay.

Reference list - a listing of all the sources of information that you referred to in your essay or report. Items on your reference list must also appear in your in-text referencing.

Resources on referencing

Note: all references are listed below using the Harvard method.

Snooks & Co. 2002, Style manual for authors, editors and printers, 6th edn, John Wiley & Sons Australia , n.p.

This resource is available at all Northern Sydney Institute Libraries and gives details of several different referencing methods.

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Harvard

Also known as the author-date system.

Harvard (Author/Date) Style. Retrieved March 25, 2008, from

http://www.lib.unimelb.edu.au/cite/harvard_dis/

Harvard style - print and non-print sources. Retrieved March 25, 2008, from http://www.usq.edu.au/library/help/ehelp/ref_guides/harvard.htm

Harvard style - referencing online sources. Retrieved March 25, 2008, from http://www.usq.edu.au/library/help/ehelp/ref_guides/harvardonline.htm

American Psychology Association

APA referencing 2007. Retrieved February 26, 2008, from

http://library.curtin.edu.au/research_and_information_skills/referencing/

apa.pdf

Ritchie, S 2007 (Revised ed.), A beginner's guide to the APA reference style. Retrieved February 26, 2008, from

http://library.ucol.ac.nz/~upload/Library%20Documents/Beginners%20APA%20guide%20Feb%202007%20final.pdf

Oxford

Also known as the documentary-note method.

The Footnote / Bibliography or 'Oxford ' Referencing System 2007. Retrieved February 26, 2008, from http://www.lc.unsw.edu.au/onlib/refbib.html

Referencing using the documentary-note (Oxford) system 2007. Retrieved February 26, 2008, from http://www.deakin.edu.au/current-students/study-support/study-skills/handouts/oxford-docnote.php

For TAFE staff

TAFE NSW TAFE Commission 2005, TAFE NSW style guide. Retrieved February 26, 2008, from https://detwww.det.nsw.edu.au/marketing/corporate_id/style_guide/

This document is only available to DET staff using DET password.                                                                                                 

©2008 Northern Sydney Institute & TAFE NSW Australia.