University of KwaZulu-Natal Libraries, Edgewood
REFERENCING
Library Guide
http://library.ukzn.ac.za.
What is Referencing?
Referencing is a standardised method of acknowledging sources of information and ideas that you have used
in your assignment in a way that uniquely identifies their source. Direct quotations, facts and figures, as well
as ideas and theories, from both published and unpublished works, must be referenced.
There are many acceptable forms of referencing. This information sheet provides a brief guide to the APA
referencing style for in-text citations and for creating the Reference List (examples are below). Within the
text of the assignment the author’s name is given first, followed by the publication date. Include page numbers
for direct quotations and also where it is useful to provide a page number. A reference list at the end of the
assignment contains the full details of all the in-text citations.
The APA or American Psychological Association referencing system also referred to as the AuthorDate-System defines the rules and systems that exist for referencing.
Why is referencing important?
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to acknowledge the work or words of others
to avoid plagiarism (using someone else’s ideas as if they were your own)
to verify quotations
to enable readers to follow-up and read more fully the cited author’s arguments.
Steps Involved in referencing :
In your research and reports, you are required to acknowledge information sources which you have
consulted.
1. Note down the full bibliographic details of the source from which the information is taken. Include
the relevant page number(s).
In the case of a book, ‘bibliographical details’ refers to: author/editor, year of publication, title, edition,
volume number, place of publication and publisher as found on the front and back of the title page.
In the case of a journal article the details required include: author of the article, year of publication,
title of the article, title of the journal, volume and issue number of the journal, and page numbers.
For all electronic information, in addition to the above you should note the date that you accessed
the information, and the database name or web address (URL).
2. Insert the citation at the appropriate place within the text of the document.
3. Provide a reference list at the end of the document.
Referencing :
There are two parts to referencing an assignment:
1. within-text referencing: details of sources of information used are written within the body of the
assignment
2. list of works cited: details of sources of information used, which appear at the end of the
assignment.
Details about each source of information must be provided and these details must be
presented in a particular way.
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Within the text of the assignment, brief details are given about the sources of information used.
Use the name of the author, followed by the year of publication when citing references within the text of
an assignment.
Where authors of different references have the same family name, include the author’s initials in the intext citation i.e. (Good, J. L., 1995) or J. L. Good (1995).
If two or more authors are cited at the same point in the text then they are included in the same in-text
citation, separated by a semicolon e.g. (Dell 1992; John 2004). They are presented alphabetically by
author. When directly quoting from another source, the relevant page number must be given and
double quotation marks placed around the quote.
When paraphrasing or referring to an idea from another source which is a book or lengthy text, include
the relevant page number, as it is useful to provide a page number for the reader.
The List of works cited at the end of the assignment provides full details about all the sources of
information used.
A reference list only includes books, articles etc that are cited in the text. In contrast, a bibliography is a
list of relevant sources for background or for further reading.
The reference list is arranged alphabetically by author. Where an item has no author it is cited by its
title, and ordered in the reference list or bibliography alphabetically by the first significant word of the
title.
What is a Reference/Citation?
A reference or citation consists of the elements that allow the reader to trace the original book or article you
have read or cited from.
When citing a book you need the following elements, in this order:
Author (year of publication): Book title. City of publication: Name of the publisher.
For example, if you looked at a book with these elements:
Author: Cook, David
Year of publication: 1983
Title: The Environment
Publisher: Hamish Hamilton
Place of Publication: London
Your citation would look like this:
Reference List - Cook, D (2005).The Environment. London: Hamish Hamilton.
In –Text - …”The discovery of minerals and oils is an added threat.” ( Cook,1983,p9)
For a journal article, you need the following elements:
Author(s)(year of publication): Title of article. Title of journal volume number (issue number): Page
numbers.
Author of article: Perumal,J. (2008). Student resistance and teacher authority. Journal of Curriculum studies
Year of publication: 2008
Tile of article: Student resistance and teacher authority
Title of Journal: Journal of Curriculum Studies
Volume: 40
Issue: 3
Pages: 381-398
Your citation would look like this:
Reference List - Perumal, J. (2008). Student resistance and teacher authority. Journal of Curriculum studies,
40(3), 381-398.
In- Text - Teachers sanction certain narratives …. for ideological … reasons ( Perumal,2008,p395).
Examples of Referencing:
BOOKS - Surname(s) of author(s) or editor(s), Initials. Year of publication. Title of book.
Edition (only when edition other than the 1st). City (of publication): Name of publisher.
Reference List Example
Single author
Gorard, S.(2001).Quantitative Methods in Educational
Research. London: Continuum.
2 Authors
Dimmock, C., & Walker, A. (2005). Educational Leadership:
culture and diversity. London: Sage.
Reeves, J., Forde, C., O’Brien, J., Smith, P., & Tomlinson, H.
(2002). Performance management in education: improving
practice. London: Paul Chapman.
Nel, P.S., Van Dyk, P.S., Haasbroek, G.D., et al. (2002).
Human Resources Management. 6th ed. Cape Town: Oxford
University Press.
International Committee of the Red Cross.1993.International
review of the Red Cross: humanitarian law and human rights.
Geneva: International Committee of the Red Cross.
Scott, D. (2000). Realism and Educational Research :
Scott, D. (2000a). Reading educational research and policy.
London: RoutledgeFalmer.
3, 4 or 5 authors
6 or more authors
Organisations, Companies and
institutions as authors
Multiple works by the same author
Multiple works published in the
same year by the same author
Scott, D. (2000b). Realism and educational research: new
perspectives and possibilities. London: RoutledgeFalmer.
Editor
Encyclopedia or Dictionary
Article or chapter in a book
Thesis
Conference proceeding
Bleach, K. (Ed). (2000). Raising boys' achievement in
schools. Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs. : Trentham Books.
Johnston, R.J.(Ed). (2000). The Dictionary of Human
Geography (4th ed., Vol.1). Malden: Blackwell publishers.
Chisholm, L. (2004). Changing class : education and social
change in post-apartheid South Africa. In: Sayed, Y. The
case of teacher education in post- apartheid South Africa:
politics and priorities (pp. 247- 265). Cape Town: Human
Sciences Research Council.
Barath, S. (2006). Factors affecting motivation of adolescent
learners in central Durban. M.ed. theses. Durban: University
of KwaZulu Natal.
Author. (Date). Title of paper. Title of published document,
Place and date of conference, page reference(s), Place (of
publication): Publisher.
PERIODICALS - Surname and initial(s) of author. Year of Publication. Title of article.
Title of Periodical, volume number (issue or part number), page numbers
Reference List Example
Journal Article
Magazine Article
Newspaper Article
Surname and initial(s) of author. (Year of publication). Title of
article. Title of the periodical, Volume number (Issue or Part
Number), Page Numbers.
Surname and initial(s) of author. (Date of Publication). Title of
article. Title of the Magazine, Volume number, Page
numbers.
Surname and initial(s) of Reporter. (Date of Publication).Title
of article. Title of newspaper, pp. Page numbers.
GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS - Correct name of country. Name of department. (Date). Title.
Place: Publisher.
Reports of government
South African National Department. (2004). Education statistics at
departments
glance in 2002. Pretoria: Department of Education
Statutes and acts of
Name of Country. Name of act, number , year.
parliament
Arrange alphabetically in a separate list.
Videotape
Film
E-book
ELECTRONIC MEDIA
Name (function of the originator(s), e.g. director or producer). (Year
and date). Title [Television broadcast]. Country of origin: Movie
studio/distributor.
Name (function of the originator(s), e.g. director or producer). (Year).
Title [Motion picture]. Country of origin: Movie studio/distributor.
Macdonald, R. (2002). Academic and Educational Development:
Research, Evaluation and Changing Practice in Higher Education.
Retrieved November 19, 2008, from NetLibrary database.
Author(s). (Date of publication). Title of Book. Publisher.
Retrieved [date of access], from [name of database] database.
Internet - World Wide Web
Online periodical article
Online journal articles
based on a print source
Full text from an electronic
database
Lecture / Course notes
Interviews and personal
communication
Unpublished material
Unpublished conference
papers
Unpublished conference
proceedings
Author/editor, initials. (Year). Title. Retrieved date, from URL
Author. (2000). Title of article. Title of Periodical, vol (issue),pages’
paragraphs used. Retrieved month day, year, from source
Author, initials. (Year). Title. [Electronic version] Journal title [online],
volume (issue), page(s).
Author(s). (Date of publication). Title of the article. Title of the
Periodical, volume number, Inclusive page numbers. Retrieved [date of
access], from [name of database] database.
OTHER SOURCES
Name. of lecturer(s). (Date). Title of Lecture. Course Code. Name of
University, City, Country.[ indicate that these are unpublished lecture /
course notes]
Surname, initial(s) and status of person interviewed. Year. Details of
time, place and interviewer. :
Author, Initials. (Year). Title. Unpublished manuscript.
Include number and name of the conference, where it was held and
when.
Author, (Year of Conference, Date).
Title. Paper presented at the Conference Name,
Conference Location and Date. ( Unpublished).
Note: this page is only an introduction to the APA (American Psychological Association) referencing
system.
It is very important that you check the assignment guide for your Department or School as some
details, e.g. punctuation, may vary from the guidelines on this page. You may be penalised for not
conforming to your school's requirements.
For a comprehensive guide please refer to:
American Psychological Association. (2001). Publication manual of the American Psychological
Association (5th Ed.). Washington DC: APA.