Report
writing
style
guide
Tea Tree Gully
Campus
Abstract
Business Services students at Tea Tree Gully Campus are required to write reports as
part of their award. In order to communicate appropriately at TAFE and to ensure
compliance with future workplace practices, students need to develop the necessary
skills for effective report writing.
This style guide assists students in developing those skills and, as it is written in the
form of a model report, it also provides a template for students to follow when
preparing future reports. Business Services staff, former TAFE resource books,
various style guides, manuals and books have been consulted in order to produce this
document.
The focus of this style guide is on the structure of a report, formatting guidelines,
referencing of sources and effective writing techniques. Reports can take many forms
and writing styles may differ depending on the purpose of the report and the
requirements of a particular subject or employer.
It is, therefore, always important to check the specific requirements of each report. It
is recommended that the areas of readability, visual impact, referencing, proofreading
and editing be given particular consideration in order to produce an effective report. It
is also recommended that an appropriate style be used consistently throughout the
report.
Contents
Abstract..................................................................................................... 3
Contents.................................................................................................... 5
1 Introduction ........................................................................................ 6
2 Report definition ................................................................................. 6
2.1
Stages in report writing .................................................................... 7
2.2
Types of reports .............................................................................. 7
2.2.1 Short reports ..................................................................................... 8
2.2.2 Long reports ..................................................................................... 8
3 Researching ........................................................................................ 9
3.1 Library Resources ................................................................................. 9
4 Referencing ...................................................................................... 10
4.1
How to reference in the text ........................................................... 10
4.2
How to compile a reference list ....................................................... 14
5 Structure of the report ....................................................................... 16
6 Formatting guidelines ........................................................................ 17
6.1
Paper and margins ........................................................................ 17
6.2
Page numbering............................................................................. 17
6.3
Fonts ........................................................................................... 17
6.4
Type size and style......................................................................... 17
6.5
Headings ....................................................................................... 18
6.6
Line spacing and indenting ............................................................. 18
7 Writing the front matter ..................................................................... 19
7.1
Title page ...................................................................................... 19
7.2
Abstract ....................................................................................... 19
7.3
Contents........................................................................................ 20
8 Writing the body of the report ............................................................ 21
8.1
Introduction................................................................................... 21
8.2
Discussion section (or Main Body of Report) .................................... 21
8.3
Conclusion ..................................................................................... 22
8.4
Recommendations.......................................................................... 22
9 Final sections .................................................................................... 23
9.1
Reference list ................................................................................. 23
9.2
Appendices .................................................................................... 23
11
Conclusion ..................................................................................... 25
12
Recommendations.......................................................................... 25
13
References .................................................................................... 26
Select Exit button on the top menu bar. ..................................................... 30
Emerald Full text ...................................................................................... 31
Oxford Reference Online .......................................................................... 32
Appendix B .............................................................................................. 33
Referencing using the Harvard style .......................................................... 34
Appendix C .............................................................................................. 46
Cheating and Plagiarism ........................................................................... 47
1
Introduction
Report writing is an essential skill for students at TAFE and it may also play a
significant role in successful future employment. In recognising the need for students
to write quality reports, Business Services commissioned the development of this
Report writing style guide for TAFE Business Services Students (referred to herein as
the style guide) to assist students with their report writing.
While this style guide has been prepared to help students with their report writing, it
is important to point out that style is a matter of personal preference and some
variation may arise within educational institutions and workplace organisations. It is
not intended that this style guide constitutes an inflexible set of rules and it is
important to check any preferred in-house style before writing a report.
This style guide is written in the form of a model report to provide information for
students in an easily accessible format that acts as a template for students to follow. It
is based very heavily on the work by Winckel & Hart (1996) and has been produced
with the assistance of the staff in Business Services, together with information
gathered from source material listed in the references section. Accordingly, the
following sections on effective writing techniques, referencing and formatting will be
valuable to students, no matter which particular style is adopted.
2
Report definition
When defining a report in simple terms, it could be said that a report is a document
written on a given subject in order to convey information or ideas. The structure of a
report should be well organised and appropriate to both purpose and audience.
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2.1
Stages in report writing
To make sure a report is both logical and effective, the following stages should be
followed:

Preparing and planning – clarify what is required; consider purpose and
audience

Researching – think about where to obtain the information for the report;
collect and assemble data

Organising information – organise the data collected to match the structure
of the report

Writing – reports are formal and impersonal; avoid the use of ‘I’ and ‘you’ to
obtain an objective tone; use plain English and bias free language; maintain a
consistent style

Reviewing and revising – ask someone else to read and critically review the
report; proof read and edit carefully
2.2
Types of reports
There are many types of reports but they mainly fall into two categories:

The information report – these are variable in length and include routine
reports, periodic reports and progress reports

The analytic report – the length can vary from a few pages to several
volumes; data is researched, presented and analysed; conclusions are drawn
and recommendations are made
Reports may include both information and analytic elements and may be either short
or long (Fuss 1999, p 3).
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2.2.1 Short reports
Short reports usually contain the following elements (detailed in sections 7, 8 & 9):

A title page

An introduction

A discussion section with headings

A conclusion

Recommendations (when required)

References

Appendices (attachments) if they are useful
2.2.2 Long reports
Long reports may include the following (detailed in sections 7, 8 & 9):

A title page

An abstract

A contents page

An introduction

A discussion section with headings

A conclusion

Recommendations

References and/or bibliography

Supporting documents in an appendix or appendices
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3
Researching
Research is searching for information that provides evidence to support the report’s
purpose. The characteristics of good research are that it is active, broad, focussed,
relevant and authoritative. The number of information sources available is ever
increasing and may sometimes appear overwhelming (ed. Brougham & Barrett, 1996
& 1999, p 10). The following points may help:

Clarify exactly what you need to know

Read the question carefully and make a list of key words (words that describe
the subject you are researching)

Use the library catalogue to find information in books, journals, CD-ROMS,
videos and newspapers

Television news, current affairs shows and newspapers are useful sources of
information but remember they have an inherent bias, so use them carefully

Use the Internet and search engines to access information on the World Wide
Web but remember to make sure the source is authoritative.

Make use of the TAFE SA Library staff
3.1 Library Resources
The TAFE SA Library Tea Tree Gully Campus can support your studies with:
Resources

Books

Video and Audio cassettes

CDs

Magazines, Newspapers

Interlibrary loans
Reference Assistance

Online catalogue

TAFE SA Library catalogues

Searching on the Internet

Online Databases
See Appendix A for RESEARCH DATABASES available to TAFE students
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4
Referencing
Referencing must be used whenever someone else’s views, theories or ideas are used.
This includes:

Copying
(using their figures, tables or structure)

Quoting
(using their exact words)

Paraphrasing (using their same idea in your own words)

Summarising (using their main points)
(Winckel & Hart 1996, p 14).
Referencing not only shows the source of the information and the extent of the
research, it also strengthens the report’s credibility and ensures the writer is not guilty
of plagiarism. Plagiarism is claiming someone else’s words or ideas as your own (See
Appendix C for a copy of the TAFE Plagiarism Policy).
The two most common methods of referencing sources are; the Harvard system
(sometimes referred to as the author-date system) and numerical systems that use
footnotes or endnotes. Business Services students at TAFE should use the Harvard
system and this will be the only system discussed in this style guide. ‘The Harvard
system is a simple referencing system that provides a minimum of information in the
text’ (ed. Brougham & Barrett, 1996 & 1999, p 42) as well as an alphabetically
arranged, fully detailed reference list at the end of the report.
4.1
How to reference in the text
Whether paraphrasing or quotations are used, references need to be included in the
body of the text as well as in the reference list. The Harvard system of referencing
requires that in the text, the author’s surname, year of publication and page numbers
(if appropriate) are stated.
Quoting may be used for impact or if paraphrasing seems inadequate but it should not
be overused (ed. Brougham & Barrett, 1996 & 1999, p 41). Paraphrasing is preferable
as it aids the flow of writing and is less disjointed for the reader.
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If a quotation is longer than 30 words, it should be indented from the margins and
written in single line spacing, without quotation marks. For example:
If you want people to support your reasoning, it is important to tell
them where you obtained your information. In particular, numeric
data such as statistics or accounting figures need a source of reference.
(Cielens & Aquino 1999, p 377)
or
Cielens and Aquino (1999, p377) tell us that:
If you want people to support your reasoning, it is important to tell
them where you obtained your information. In particular, numeric
data such as statistics or accounting figures need a source of reference.
If quotations are shorter than one line they do not need to be indented. They should
run on from the main text and be enclosed in single quotation marks. For example:
Dwyer (2000, p 222) says the media should be studied critically in order to ‘separate
and identify facts from opinions.’
or
The media should be studied critically in order to ‘separate and identify facts from
opinions’ (Dwyer 2000, p 222)
If summarising an author’s ideas or concepts from the whole, or a large portion, of
their work, then page numbers are not needed. However, acknowledgement is still
necessary. For example:
A recent study (Allen 1998) has shown that successful workplace writing………..
or
Allen (1998) has shown in her recent study that successful workplace writing…..
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When there are more than two authors involved, reference to their work should
include all their surnames the first time their work is cited (referenced). In all later
citations of the same reference, only the surname of the first author and the
abbreviation ‘et al’ (meaning and the others) needs to be included. For example:
A recent study (Jones, Smith, Brown & White 1994) has shown that……..
The research previously cited by Jones et al (1994) suggest that…….
When referring to different authors with the same surname, use their initials or
their full name. For example:
A recent study (James, C.L. 1996) has shown…. but James. A.B. (2001) claims that..
When the work of one author (primary source) is referred to in another book or
article (secondary source), it is necessary to acknowledge both sources. For
example, when Tan is the primary sources and Groner is the secondary source:
Tan (Groner 1995, p 31) states that….
or
Tan’s work in 1978 (cited in Groner 1995, p 31) states that….
or
Groner (1995, p 31) in reporting Tan’s study, states that….
When citing several references at the same point, semi-colons should separate the
names of the authors, with surnames in alphabetical order. For example:
Recent studies (Brown 1992; Brown & Smith 1994; Smith 1990) have shown…
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When there are two or more publications in the same year by the same author,
they should be distinguished by adding an a, b, c and so on. For example:
Recent studies by Jones (1994b) and Paris (1997a and c) have shown that….
If an article does not have an author, then either the sponsoring organisation, the
newspaper or the title of the article is used. For example:
A recent study (Anti-Cancer Foundation of SA 2001) has suggested….
or
A recent study (Advertiser 24 May 2000, p 5) has suggested….
or
A recent study (Accountants Online, 2001) suggests that….
Some books are compilations of work from various authors and the editor,
therefore, becomes significant and needs to be acknowledged. For example:
Current articles (ed. Harris 1994) suggest that…..
or
Current articles edited by Harris (1994) suggest that….
Personal communications also need to be referenced. For example:
In an email communication on 3 May 2001, Fred Smith……
or
Fred Smith (pers. comm. 3 May 2001) reported that
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Appendix A provides more examples of both in text referencing and alphabetical
reference lists.
4.2
How to compile a reference list
The Harvard referencing system requires an alphabetical reference list to be included
at the end of the report but before the Appendices (Winckel & Hart 1996, p 18). It
lists only those references cited in the text and should not be confused with a
bibliography, which also lists other relevant sources that may have been consulted for
the report (Dwyer 2000, p 223).
The reference list is arranged in alphabetical order of authors’ surnames. If there is no
author, arrangement is by alphabetical order of title. The reference list is usually titled
‘References’ and should include the full details of all the sources cited (University of
South Australia, February 2000). Appendix B provides extensive examples of how to
cite references in a reference list but the following conventions generally apply.
For books the order is:
Example:
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
author(s) – surname and initials

year of publication

title of publication (in italics)

edition (if applicable)

publisher

place of publication
Liberty, K. E. & Vallance, T. 1992, Powerful communication, Nelson
Wadsworth, Texas.
14
For journals the order is:

author(s) – surname and initials

year of publication

title of article (in single inverted commas)

title of journal or periodical (in italics)

volume number

issue number

page number(s)
Shoebridge, Neil 1996, ‘What’s hot? Entertainment, that’s what’,
Business Review Weekly, vol. 18, no. 42, pp 46-52
Example:
For a website:

author(s) – surname and initials (sponsoring body or title if author not
available)
Example:
Note:

year of publication

title of publication (in italics)

date of access (in square brackets)

URL
Brown, H. 1995, Citing Computer References [Online accessed 12
October 1995].
URL: http://neal.ctsateu.edu/history/cite.html
The examples of referencing used in the above two sections are adapted from style guides and
books listed in the reference section and from Appendix A
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5
Structure of the report
‘Each report should maintain the same internal style and structure’ (Winckel & Hart
1996, p 3). In a long piece of writing like a report, readers need as much help as
possible in order for them to follow the case being made and to comprehend the
overall document. The structure of a report is just as important as the information
itself.
Well chosen headings will lead the reader through the report so they can easily
identify its content and order. The numbering of the headings is important and it is
essential that the headings and the material they cover can be found quickly on the
contents page of the report. Using the decimal numbering system, Introduction is
numbered 1; References have the final number (eg 7). These main headings are
known as first level headings, with subheadings known as second or third level
headings. Refer to the contents page of this style guide for an example of the decimal
numbering of headings. Notice how they conform exactly to the internal headings
within this style guide.
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6
Formatting guidelines
Winckel and Hart (1996, pp 3-6) say that consistency should be the main focus for all
formatting choices, with the same internal style and structure maintained throughout
and they suggest the following formatting guidelines:
6.1
Paper and margins

white A4 paper

wide margins recommended
6.2
Page numbering

the title page should not be numbered

all other pages may be numbered in the centre at the bottom of the page or
in the bottom right hand corner

Roman (lower case) numerals i. ii, iii, iv etc are used to number the front
matter (abstract, contents, etc)

Arabic numerals 1,2,3,4 etc are used to number the text from the
introduction page to the appendices
6.3
Fonts

a serif font (eg Times New Roman or Century) is usually chosen for the text
of a report – these have been proven easier to read in hard copy

different fonts such as sans serif fonts, Arial, Helvetica, Tahoma, etc may be
used for headings

use the same font throughout the body of the report, only changing fonts for
headings
6.4
Type size and style

12 point type is the normal size for the text of a report – nothing less than an
11 point should be used

10 point may be used for long, indented quotations, figures and tables

italics, underlining and bold should be avoided in the body of the text –
precise words may be sufficient to create the desired emphasis
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6.5
Headings

headings should signpost the reader’s walk through the pages, leading them
systematically to the conclusions and recommendations.

headings are numbered according to their importance, using the decimal
numbering system

headings can be differentiated using bold type, different size and type of
font (overuse of underling should be avoided)

capital letters are for the first letter of the first word in each heading –
overuse of capital letters slows reading
6.6
Line spacing and indenting

1.5 or double line spacing is generally used for work submitted for
assessment (corporate reports, of course, may differ)

extra line spacing (or white space) should be used to separate paragraphs
and main headings

long quotations may be indented from both the left and right hand margins

quotes of less than two lines (or 30 words) in length should be inserted
within the text within single inverted commas

ensure good visual impact by using plenty of white space and by not
overcrowding the page
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7
Writing the front matter
In the long report format, the parts placed before the body of the report are known as
the front matter. They consist of the title page, abstract and contents page. There are
possible components such as disclaimer, acknowledgments, list of tables, list of
figures and letter of transmittal. Always check with lecturers or employers to be sure
of what is required as not all of these components will be necessary in every report.
The title page is not numbered and the rest of the front matter pages are numbered
with roman numerals.
7.1
Title page
This identifies the title of the report, the writer’s name and date and it also identifies
the name of the person/organisation who authorised or commissioned the report. Refer
to the title page of this style guide for an example.
7.2
Abstract
The abstract can have many names such as synopsis, summary, preface. In less than
200 words, the abstract should cover:

What is the problem?

How was it investigated?

What did you find out?

What do your findings mean?
(UNSW Learning Centre Academic Skills Resources)
Example Abstract
A trailer rig was used to analyse the properties of an undamped system and
experiment with a range of instrumentation. [1]
[1] Set up procedure
[2] Initial findings
It was found that two modes of vibration exist, these being longitudinal
vibration and rotational. The damping ratio and natural frequency were
calculated and are included in this report. The damping was found to be
linear. [2] While the experiment was useful it did not closely resemble
road conditions. Actual road conditions would result in successive bumps
and constant vibration while the wheels rotated the whole time. [3]
Finally, it was decided that given cost considerations, the XY plotter
provided accurate results and manageable data. [4]
(Excerpt from UNSW Learning Centre – Academic skills resources – Report writing)
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[3] Conclusions
[4] Recommendations
An abstract is placed on a separate page before the contents page. The page should be
numbered with the roman numeral i.
Refer to the abstract of this style guide and identify the components listed above.
7.3
Contents
The table of contents lists the major and minor sections of the report with the relevant
page numbering. Headings must mirror those used in the body of the report. The
page should be numbered with the roman numeral ii.
Refer to the contents page of this style guide for an example.
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8
Writing the body of the report
The report begins with the Introduction and from then on the pages are numbered
with arabic numerals (1, 2, 3 etc).
8.1
Introduction
The introduction sets the scene of the report, it identifies for the reader the report’s
main task or topic and should cover:

the purpose/aim of the report

some background information about the topic

methods of research

scope or limits of the report

outline the information that is to follow in the report
Example Introduction
This document compares a range of instrumentation of varying cost and
sophistication and investigates the properties of undamped systems. [1] The
natural frequency and damping ratio of these systems will give an indication of
their behaviour when ‘excited’. Furthermore, an analysis of the mathematical
model as compared to actual road conditions must be completed and equipment
suggested for further studies of the trailer. [2]
[1] Purpose
[2] Aim; part of a
major report.
Requires an outline
of the steps you will
take
(Excerpt from UNSW Learning Centre – Academic skills resources – Report writing)
Read the introduction of this style guide and identify the components listed above.
8.2
Discussion section (or Main Body of Report)
The discussion sections of the report expand and develop the material that has been
researched. This information needs to be presented in a logical sequence and cover:

What you have investigated (and well supported with evidence that is
correctly referenced)

What you found

What interpretations

What judgements you have made
(UNSW Learning Centre Academic Skills Resources)
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The headings and subheadings should divide the report into well defined sections.
While ‘Introduction’, ‘Conclusion’ and ‘Recommendations’ are appropriate headings,
‘Main body’ or ‘Discussion sections’ should never be used as headings. The addition
of visual aids such as figures or tables can be used to provide clear and concise
information and communication. The following questions may help in determining
the adequacy of the main sections of the report.

Does the report achieve appropriate depth in research?

Are the findings reasonable and logical? If not, why not?

Does the report adequately analyse the information and reach solutions about
the issue?
8.3
Conclusion
The conclusion should summarise for the reader the main findings of the report and
show that the topic has been covered and should:

restate the purpose/aim and scope

review of the main discussion

reiterate the principal/significant points or findings

affirm the validity of argument or judgement
Read the conclusion of this style guide and identify the components listed above.
8.4
Recommendations
What do you recommend as a course of action following your conclusion?
Recommendations should flow logically and be presented in clearly listed numbered
or bullet points. Recommendations should be:

based on the conclusions

practical

specific

well organised, with the most important first
Read the recommendations of this style guide and identify the components listed
above.
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9
Final sections
The final sections of a long report contain the References and possibly the
Appendices.
9.1
Reference list
The reference list should appear on a separate page at the end of the report. All
sources referred to in the report should be included. The format of the reference list
should follow the Harvard system of referencing as outlined in section 4 of this style
guide. Refer to the References of this style guide for an example.
9.2
Appendices
Appendices are supplements to the text of the report and may include matter which is
incidental to the report, supportive of the report, or too long or technical to place in
the text. They may include maps, diagrams, letters, questionnaires, etc. Each separate
appendix should be lettered Appendix A, Appendix B, Appendix C, etc. (Winckel &
Hart 1996, p 13)
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10
Effective writing techniques
Writing effectively is a critical factor in producing a successful report. Good
structure, grammar, vocabulary and punctuation are important elements that should
not be overlooked. Both audience and purpose need to be carefully considered when
planning and writing a report. Winckel & Hart (1996, p 26) point out:
When beginning a report, students may find it helpful to plan and write
the main sections first. The abstract or summary should be written last as
should the conclusion, as these provide an overview of the entire report.
It can also be useful to write the Introduction later as it includes an
outline of the structure of the whole report.
Some further aspects of good technical writing:

Make sure the argument is logical and the information is ordered in a logical
way for the reader

If there is any doubt about facts or conclusions use words like ‘probably’,
‘possibly’, ‘usually’, ‘tends to’, ‘appears to’ and so on

Keep sentences clear and relatively simple - complex sentences may contain
more grammatical errors

The aim of the report is more important than the personality of the writer, so
to ensure that the style and tone remain impersonal avoid the use of ‘you’ and
‘I’ – instead of saying ‘I am writing this report to…..’ say ‘The purpose of this
report is to…..’ (Le Rossignol 1999, p 156)

The aim of the report is more important than the feelings or beliefs of the
writer, so opinions expressed need to be solidly supported by facts

Visual impact is important, so presentation should be clear and uncluttered
with clearly identified headings and sections

Use gender neutral language to include both women and men equally

Avoid jargon (specialised or pretentious language) and slang

Ensure careful editing

Check for consistency in presentation

Proofread carefully to check errors in spelling, punctuation and numbering
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11
Conclusion
This purpose of this style guide is to enable TAFE SA Business Services Students to
produce professional, well organised reports. However, it is not designed to be a rigid
set of rules but rather a document that guides students in relation to formatting,
referencing and using effective writing techniques.
It is important that consistency is maintained throughout a report, especially with
numbering and headings and students should use this style guide as a reference to
ensure that consistency. Students should always check the specific requirements of
each report in order to comply with any preferred in-house style of a workplace
organisation, or a particular lecturer.
Developing the necessary skills for effective report writing is an important asset for
students to attain. With careful planning, writing and editing, students will be able to
produce logically structured reports with good visual impact, that successfully
communicate accurate, correctly referenced information to the reader.
12
Recommendations
In light of the above conclusions and in order for students to produce reports of a high
quality that meet the requirements of TAFE SA Business Services, it is recommended
that students:

Use this style guide as template for producing future reports

Aim for good visual impact and readability

Always check with employer or lecturer about specific report requirements

Maintain consistency throughout a report

Acknowledge all sources using the Harvard system of referencing

Vigilantly proofread and edit all work

‘Students should remember that excellent content in a report needs to be
supported by high quality presentation and an accurate use of technical
language.’ (Winckel & Hart 1996, p 32)
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13
References
Allen, J. 1998, Writing in the workplace Allyn & Bacon, Boston USA.
Brougham, B.L. & Barrett, S. (ed.) 1996 & 1999, Turning the key: effective learning
in business and management studies University of South Australia, Underdale SA.
Cielens, M. & Aquino, M. 1999, The business of communicating 4th ed, McGraw Hill,
Rosehill NSW.
Dwyer, J. 2000, The business communication handbook 5th ed, Prentice Hall, Frenchs
Forest NSW.
Fuss, E. 1999, Writing better reports TAFESA Institute SA.
LeRossignol, K. 1999, Communication skills for the workplace Eastern House,
Croydon Vic.
Winckel, A & Hart, B 1996, Report writing style guide for engineering students 3rd
ed, Faculty of Engineering and the Flexible Learning Centre, University of South
Australia, The Levels SA.
University of South Australia 2000, Referencing using the Harvard System (authordate) Learning Connection, University of South Australia.
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Appendix A
Research Databases
1.
Guide for Searching Australia/New Zealand
Reference Centre
2.
Emerald Full text
3.
Oxford Reference Online
TAFE SA Library
Tea Tree Gully Campus
Ph
8207 8149
Fax
8207 2739
Email: tafettglib@tafesa.edu.au
www.tafe.sa.edu.au
Research Database Information Sheets
We encourage students to make use of these databases as they cover a wide range
of topics taught on this campus as well as general interest areas.
The licences taken out by the TAN Libraries allow us to provide access to staff and
students of TAN only. Demonstrations of these databases can be arranged with
library staff.
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Guide for Searching Australia/New Zealand Reference Centre
This resource contains complete articles from newspapers, magazines,
company information, and reference works – mainly from an A & NZ .
Getting Started
1. Enter these details:
http://search.epnet.com/login.aspx?authtype=cpid&custid=ns016729
Password = your 7 digit Student or Staff ID number
2. Click LOGIN
3. Conditions of Use: This resource can only be used for study purposes by
TAFE SA – Tea Tree Gully Campus students and staff. You may
download and/or print materials only for personal, non-commercial use.
Please do not give ID and Password details to anyone else.
Taking Control
1. Combine Keywords
The database searches keywords as a phrase unless Boolean searches
are performed.
1a. Boolean searches –

combine keywords by using AND, OR, NOT

put keywords into brackets ( ) to show alternatives

put inverted commas “ “ around keywords to show an exact phrase – that
is, the keywords must be in exactly that order, spelled exactly that way
Examples:





(child or infant) and development
accountancy and Australia and (standards or principles)
cats not dogs
"children's literature" and "role model"
“customer service” and retail*
1b. Wildcards and Truncation –

? is a wildcard, which causes this database to search for variations on the
internal spelling of a keyword
Example: wom?n  articles with the keywords woman, women

* is a truncation symbol, which causes this database to search for
variations on the endings of a keyword
Examples: comput*  computer, computers, computerise,
computerize, computing
retail*  retail, retailing, retailer
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2. Limit (decrease) Your Search
On the Basic Search and the Advanced Search pages,

select Full Text (brings you the complete article – every word, rather than
a summary)
Note: this is a bit hit-and-miss; sometimes you’ll still get just a
summary/abstract

select Published Date from the drop-down menus – enter the Yr as either
2 or 4 digits
Examples: 05 or 2005

too many hits?  In your Results List, click the type of publication you
prefer
Examples: AU/NZ Magazines – or – International Newspapers

to search a particular publication, click the Publications tab (top of the
screen) > Browse Publications > type in the publication you want OR use
the alphabet list
Note: you can add more than 1 publication at the same time

to search a particular author, click the Indexes tab (top of the screen) >
Browse an Index > Author > type in the author’s last name
Note: you can add more than 1 author at the same time
3. Expand (increase) Your Search
On the Basic Search and the Advanced Search pages,

select Also Search for Related Words (looks for keywords which mean
much the same as the keywords you type into the search box)

select Also Search within the Full Text of the Articles (looks for your
keywords in every part of an article)

select Automatically “And” Search Terms
Note: This is a bit hit-and-miss! If you don’t get any results, put the
word AND between your keywords and try the search again.
4. Select Keywords
To ensure that your keywords match those favoured by this database,

in the top menu bar, select Indexes tab > Browse an Index > Subject
Terms

enter a keyword in the Browse box, then click Browse
Example: occupational health

put a √ in the box next to 1 or more terms > ADD

when the selected terms appear in the Find box, either
 hit Search
OR
 add other search terms > hit Search
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Find Images
To search for photos, drawings, etc.,

select Images tab in the top menu bar

enter your keywords

select type of image
Examples: Photos of People, Maps
If the type of image you need is not in Images,

work through Basic or Advanced Search

from the results list, select items labelled PDF Full Text or Full Page
Image.
NOTE: due to copyright restrictions, there may be few images from
newspapers
Saving and Sending
1. Use a Folder
At any time, you can select the Folder icon and add an article or image to your
personal folder within this database. You can then choose to save, print, or email that item.
2. Open an Item
From the results list, click the hyperlinked title or medium
Examples: PDF full text, HTML full text
3. Print, Save, e-Mail
Use the icons to do these tasks. Remember!
 give credit-where-credit-is-due by making a bibliography for your
assignments
Example: www.tafe.sa.edu.au > Libraries > LILI (select Evaluate and
Cite Your Sources > “Giving Credit”)
 use the material in ANZ Reference Centre only for study purposes
Guide: www.copyright.org.au/ Australian Copyright Council Website
(Publications > Information Sheets > “Research or Study”)
Logging Off
Select Exit button on the top menu bar.
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Emerald Full text
http://www.emeraldinsight.com
Username: tafesanorth
Password: libraries
TAFESA Libraries have subscribed to the Emerald Full Text database.
Students and staff of the Adelaide North Libraries can access the database at
no cost.
Emerald Full Text provides:

42,000 searchable articles from more than 100 Emerald journals

Subjects covered include Management, Human Resource
Management, Marketing, Information Science, Mechanical
Engineering, Electronic and Electrical Engineering

Online archive back to 1989

Key journals include: European Journal of marketing, Management
Decision, International Journal of Operations & Production
Management
To access Emerald Full Text:

Go to: www.emeraldinsight.com

Click on: Login (top left hand corner of the screen)

Log in as: Username: tafesanorth
Password: libraries

TAFESA Regency Campus name will appear under the Login tab.

Ignore the second login prompt after seeing Regency Campus name
appear.

Click on either: Quick Search or Advanced Search
o Search for: (eg. Change management)

Advanced Search will allow you to refine and limit your searching
o Tick the Phrase box
o Search in Article title
o Tick Within my subscribed Content
o Limit your search to: Items Published between (eg. 2004 and
2005)

Select from your search results to view either an abstract or full text
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Oxford Reference Online
http://www.oxfordreference.com/pub/views/home.html
Looking for a treasure chest of free resources?
Visit Oxford Reference Online!
This site is user-friendly, because:
 you can access it from any computer –
any where – at any time
 it’s easy to navigate.
Oxford Ref includes these resources:

Timelines

World Flags

Encyclopaedia

Maps & Illustrations

Quotations

Bilingual Dictionaries

English Language Reference

Oxford Companion to Australian History.
All at your fingertips – via Quick Search box, Advanced Search box, Subject
Reference list, and topic tabs.
User ID = tafeorp
Password = reference
NOTE: Due to TAFE SA’s licensing agreements with copyright holders,
please do not give ID and Password details to persons not enrolled with or
employed by a TAFE SA campus. All material in Oxford Ref is copyright 
use for study purposes only.
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Appendix B
Referencing using the Harvard System
(author-date)
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Learning Connection—Learning Guide
Referencing using the Harvard style
(author-date system)

What is referencing?



Why should you reference?
Which referencing system should
you use?
References in the text of your
assignment
Examples of in-text references
Reference lists
Keeping bibliographic details










How do you arrange the list
alphabetically?
What is a bibliography?
Examples for a reference list
Should you paraphrase or use
quotations?
An essay extract
Further reading
More on referencing
What is referencing?
When you write an assignment at university, you are usually required to refer to the work of
other authors. Each time you do so, it is necessary to identify their work by making reference
to it—both in the text of your assignment (called ‘in-text’ referencing) and in a list at the end
of your assignment (called a ‘Reference List’ or ‘end-text’ referencing). This practice of
acknowledging authors is known as ‘referencing’.
References must be provided whenever you use someone else’s opinions, theories, data or
organisation of material. You need to reference information from books, articles, videos,
computers and other print or electronic sources. A reference is required if you:

paraphrase (use their idea in your own words)

summarise (use a brief account of their ideas)

quote (use someone else’s exact words)

copy (use their figures, tables or structure)
Why should you reference?
References enhance your writing and assist your reader by:

showing the breadth of your research

strengthening your academic argument

showing the reader the source of your information

allowing the reader to consult your sources independently

allowing the reader to verify your data.
By using references appropriately, you will avoid plagiarism, which is wrongfully claiming
someone else’s words or ideas as your own. Visit the UniSA website for more information on
plagiarism <http://www.unisanet.unisa.edu.au/plagiarism/>.
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Which referencing style should you use?
There are a number of different referencing styles used in academic writing. The two most
common types are:
1
author-date styles, such as the Harvard style or the APA (American Psychological
Association) style
2
numerical styles, such as the Chicago or Turabian style, footnotes or endnote style.
It is important that you choose only one referencing style for an assignment and maintain
consistency with all the details required by the style.
If your course requires the use of a particular style (for instance, psychology students may be
required to use the APA referencing style, and some engineering students may have to use
endnotes), you should follow the style specified for your course. Check any specific
requirements in the course handout materials or with your lecturer.
What is provided here is the Harvard style based on the 2002 Style Manual 6th edn (in press).
There are two parts to the Harvard style of referencing:
1
the author and date in the text/main body
2
all the details in the reference list at the end.
In-text referencing: References in the text of your assignment
When you cite (identify) references in the text of your assignment—regardless of whether you
paraphrase, summarise, quote or copy —you should include:

the author’s surname (family name) (or name of editor or organisation responsible)

the year of publication (latest edition or when site was last reviewed)

page numbers if appropriate and where available.
There are two ways of citing references. One way of citing references gives prominence to the
information, with all the required referencing details in parentheses:
It has been argued that the relative seriousness of the two kinds of errors
differs from situation to situation (Smith 2001, p. 45).
The other way of citing gives prominence to the author by using the author’s name as part of
your sentence, with the date and page number in parentheses (round brackets):
Smith (2001, p. 45) has argued that the relative seriousness of the two
kinds of errors differs from situation to situation.
You need to check to see if page numbers are necessary. Page numbers are necessary when
you paraphrase or summarise an idea from a particular page, when you directly quote a
passage, or when you copy tables or figures:
A recent study (Jones & Chan 1996, p. 2) has shown that more students
stay in school if unemployment increases.
Page numbers are not necessary when you paraphrase or summarise ideas which come from a
larger portion of an author’s work:
A recent study (Jones & Chan 1996) has shown a series of outcomes which
result from economic hardship in the community.
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Examples of in-text references
The following examples show how to reference different sorts of publications in your text.
Two or three
authors
Multiple authors,
first in-text
reference
Multiple authors,
subsequent in-text
reference
Several sources
Different authors,
same surname
Author cited in
another work
Multiple works by
same author
Multiple works by
same author in
same year
Author for a web
site
No author, but
sponsoring body
No author, but
newspaper article
Editor is significant
No date of
publication or
unpublished work
Personal
communication
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A recent study (Lim, Thompson & King 1998, p. 27) found ...
or ... Lim, Thompson and King (1998) found ...
[use an ampersand (&) within the parentheses; use ‘and’ in your
sentence]
A recent study (Boyd, Tan, Goers & Matthews 2001) has indicated ...
or ... Boyd, Tan, Goers and Matthews (2001) have indicated ...
A recent study (Boyd et al. 2001) has indicated ...
or ... Boyd et al. (2001) have indicated ...
[‘et al.’ is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase ‘et alii’ and means ‘and
others’]
Jones and Chan (1997), Kuwelesky (2000) and Lim (1996) all agree ...
or ... Recent studies (Jones & Chan 1997; Kuwelesky 2000; Lim 1996)
agree ...
[names of first authors are in alphabetical order separated by commas
when in your sentence; but separated by semicolons when in parentheses]
The theory was first suggested in 1970 (Jones, CL 1971), but since then
many researchers, including AG Jones (1993), have rejected the idea.
[differentiate between authors with the same surname by using initials]
Marini (Tan 2001, p. 71) stated that ...
or ... Marini’s study in 1975 (cited in Tan 2001, p. 71) stated that ...
or ... Tan (2001, p. 71), in reporting Marini’s study, states ...
[Marini is the primary reference contained in a book by Tan]
University research (Smith 1992, 1998) has indicated ...
In recent reports (Nguyen 1998, 1999a, 1999b) ...
or ... Ideas by Nguyen (1999b) were implemented ...
[add a, b, c etc. to differentiate between works by the same author in the
same year]
Thomas (1997) summarises principles of …
The CSIRO (2002)website <**** > provides details of the program ...
A recent study (The Advertiser 24 Jan. 2000, p. 5) ...
or ... A recent study (Population Projections 2000) shows ...
[cite the newspaper or the title]
Current articles (ed. Harris 2000) all point to ...
or ... Current essays edited by Harris (2000) suggest ...
Lewis (n.d.) began the study ...
or ... The study was pursued (Lewis n.d.) ...
or ... James (unpub.) argues...
[‘n.d.’ means ‘no date’; ‘unpub.’ means ‘unpublished’]
In a telephone conversation on 17 July 2001, Dr Lim ...
or... Evidence given (Lim, H 2001, pers. comm., 17 July) ...
or ... In an email communication on 3 May 2000, Kate Jones ...
[note that personal communications are not usually included in the
reference list]
36
Reference lists
The reference list is arranged alphabetically and placed at the end of your assignment. It
includes full details of all the sources (except for personal communications) which you cited
in the text of your assignment. The reference list is usually titled ‘References’.
Note that while this Learning Guide gives examples of referencing under headings according
to the type of publication, the reference list does not do this. It simply lists—in alphabetical
order—all the references.
One purpose of the reference list is to enable your reader to consult your sources, so you need
to include all the information needed for someone else to locate that item. Remember to be
consistent with the elements included, the order of the details and the punctuation (e.g. use
capitals letters for key words in title of a book or a journal). The order of elements in books,
journal articles and electronic sources are listed below to demonstrate appropriate
punctuation.
For a book, the following elements should be presented in this order:

author’s surname(s) and initials (or the full given name)

year of publication

title of book (in italics or underlined)

publisher

place of publication.
Escritt, S 2000, Art Nouveau, Phaidon, London.
For a journal article, the following elements should be presented in this order:

author’s surname(s) and initials (or full given name)

year of publication

title of article (in single quotation marks)

title of journal or periodical (in italics or underlined)

volume number (if applicable)

issue number or other identifier (if applicable)

page number(s).
Hilton, GM, Ruxton, GD, Furness, RW & Houston, DC 2000, ‘Optimal
digestion strategies in seabirds: A modelling approach’, Evolutionary
Ecology Research, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 207-230.
For an electronic source, the following elements may be presented (note: the order and
elements vary according to the type of source):

author – the person or organisation responsible for the source

date of publication

title

type of medium (e.g. [online] or [CD-ROM], except for Internet source)

edition

place of publication

publisher
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
date of update/revision

date of viewing

location (may include: a host document; availability and access number)

notes
Thomas, S 1997, ‘Guide to Personal Efficiency’, Adelaide University, viewed 14 Nov. 2001,
<http://library.adelaide.edu.au/~sthomas/papers/ perseff.html >.
Keeping bibliographic details
As you find information and consult references, write down all appropriate details needed to
locate that source. It is well worth getting into the habit of jotting down these details as having
to backtrack for bibliographic information is time consuming, especially when deadlines are
looming. Recording the necessary details can be made easier by setting up a form, similar to
the suggestion in Figure 1. You may want to set up such a form on A4 which you can then
photocopy in bulk or create an electronic template, so you can record the details as you work.
Author’s name and Initials (or
name of editor or institution)
Year of
publication
Title
Edition
Chapter or article title
Volume and Number (for journals)
Publisher
Place of Publication
Page numbers
Location of item (eg, local or Uni
library, Internet)
Catalogue/call number
Key words
Summary of contents
Comments
Figure 1 A suggested form to record bibliographic details
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How do you arrange the list alphabetically?
The reference list is arranged in alphabetical order of authors’ surnames. Do not separate
references by type of publication.
If a reference has no author, list it alphabetically according to the title (ignoring the words ‘A’
and ‘The’ at the beginning of a title), if the source has been sponsored by an institution or
organisation, list the sponsoring body. If there are two or more references by the same author
then list them in order of publication date with the oldest work first. If references by the same
author have been published in the same year, then list them alphabetically by title and add the
letter ‘a’ after the first date, ‘b’ after the second date and so on (e.g. 1993a, 1993b).
What is a bibliography?
The reference list only includes sources cited in the text of your assignment. You may also be
required to complete a bibliography. A bibliography uses the same format as a reference list
but it includes all material used in the preparation of your assignment. In other words, a
bibliography will repeat everything in your reference list and include all other sources which
you read or consulted but did not cite. Beware, because some lecturers may use the terms
‘bibliography’ and ‘reference list’ interchangeably. Make sure you are clear about what is
required.
Examples for referencing list
The following list provides examples of various publications and how each type would appear
in a reference list or bibliography. In some cases acceptable variants of a reference are given
together. When you compile your reference list, remember to arrange all items
alphabetically—do not sort them by type of publication.
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Books
Single author
Multiple authors
No author, 2nd
or later edition
Edited work,
editor’s role not
paramount
Edited work,
editor’s role
significant
Chapter in an
edited book
One volume of
multi-volume
work
Work sponsored
by institution,
corporation or
other
organisation
Document1
Derham, F 2001, Art for the child under seven, 7th edn, Australian Early Childhood
Association, Watson, ACT.
Escritt, S 2000, Art nouveau, Phaidon, London.
Abiteboul, S, Buneman, D & Suciu, D 1999, Data on the web: from relations to
semistructured data and XML, Morgan Kaufmann, San Francisco.
Bierwirth, PN & Walsh, WD 2000, Delineation of recharge beds in the Great
Artesian Basin using airborne gamma-radiometrics and satellite remote
sensing, Bureau of Rural Sciences, Kingston, ACT.
Guelich, S, Gundavaram, S & Birznieks, G 2000, 2nd edn, CGI programming with
Perl, O'Reilly, Cambridge.
Networking essentials plus, 2000, 3rd edn, Microsoft Press, Redmond, Washington.
Population and environment in arid regions 2001, eds. J Clarke & D Noin, Parthenon,
Paris.
Singapore 2001, ed. G Rodan, Ashgate, Aldershot.
Walpole, M & Evans, C (eds) 2001, Tax administration in the 21st century, Prospect
Media, St Leonards, NSW.
Weiss, RE, Knowlton, BW & Speck, BW (eds) 2000, Principles of effective teaching
in the online classroom, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco.
Brookfield, S 1996, ‘Through the lens of learning: how experiencing difficult learning
challenges and changes assumptions about teaching’ in To Improve the
Academy, vol. 15, ed. L Richlin, New Forums Press, Stillwater, pp. 3-15.
Sugden, P 2001, ‘Trade marks and domain names’ in Electronic commerce and the
law, eds. J Forder, & P Quirk, John Wiley and Sons, Milton, Qld., pp.198-226.
Einax, J (ed) 1995, Chemometrics in environmental chemistry : applications, vol. 2,
Handbook of environmental chemistry, Springer, Berlin.
Limburg, KE & Swaney, D 2001, ‘River ecosystems’ vol.5, Encyclopedia of
biodiversity, ed. SA Levin, Academic Press, San Diego, California.
Deni Green Consulting Services, 2001, Capital idea: realising value from
environmental and social performance, Deni Greene Consulting Services,
North Carlton, Victoria.
Graduate Careers Council of Australia, 2000, Graduate opportunities, Trotman
Australia, Sydney.
40
Journal articles
Single author
O'Hara, MJ 2000, ‘Flood basalts, basalt floods or topless bushvelds? Lunar
petrogenesis revisited’, Journal of Petrology, vol. 41, no. 11, pp. 1545-1651.
Wood, R 2000, ‘Novel paleoecology of a postextinction reef: Famennian (Late
Devonian) of the Canning Basin northwestern Australia’, Geology, vol. 28,
no. 11, pp. 987-990.
No author
‘Building human resources instead of landfills’, 2000, Biocycle, vol. 41, no. 12,
pp. 28-29.
Multiple authors
Hilton, GM, Ruxton, GD, Furness, RW & Houston, DC 2000, ‘Optimal digestion
strategies in seabirds: A modelling approach’, Evolutionary Ecology
Research, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 207-230.
Mercier, F, Cormier, F, Fichelle, JM, Duarte, F & Cormier, JM 2000, ‘Iliac venous
obstruction: surgical reconstruction’, Phlebology, vol. 15, no. 3-4, pp. 144148.
From a book of
Readings
provided by the
University
No volume or
number
Watson, I 1993, ‘Has Mabo turned the tide for justice?’, Social Alternatives, vol. 12,
no. 2, pp. 5-8, in Contemporary Aboriginal Issues Readings, University of
South Australia, Adelaide.
German AL & Bartolo AM 2001, ‘'Science and information literacy on the Internet:
Using the standards created by the Association of College and Research
Libraries and Project 2001 to create a science web page evaluation tool’,
Crossing the Divide, Nov., pp. 33-44.
Specialised sources
Hills, QG 2000, ‘Relative timing of deformation, metamorphism and
Conference paper
mineralisation within the Willyama Complex, New South Wales’ in
Proceedings of the 14th Victorian Universities Earth Sciences
Conference, Geological Society of Australia, Melbourne, pp. 38-42.
Government
periodical
Government report
(common title can
also be added)
Standards
Patent
Newspaper article
Document1
Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2001, Catalogue of publications and products,
ABS, Canberra.
Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, 1997, Bringing them home:
report of the National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander Children from their Families, (R. Wilson,
Commissioner), Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission,
Sydney.
Stolen children report. See Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
1997.
East Timor in transition 1998-2000: an Australian policy challenge, 2001,
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Canberra.
Australia New Zealand Food Authority, 2001, Safe food Australia: a guide to the
food safety standards, 2nd edn, Australia New Zealand Food Authority,
Canberra.
Standards Association of Australia, 1996, Colour Standards for general purposes
– Chocolate (AS 2700S-1996 (X64)), Standards Australia, North Sydney.
Tadayuki, O, Kazuhisa, Y & Atsushi, N 1999, Hard butter composition and its
production, Japanese Patent 99-78710.
Yoshinori, M, Takuya, I, Shuji, W & Yasuyoshi, K (Morinaga and Co., Japan),
2001, Chocolate chips containing mixed triglycerides for bakery
products, Japanese Patent 2001269121.
Advertiser 23 Oct. 2001, ‘Federal Election: New Chipp in politics’, p. 10.
Chamberlain, P 2001, ‘The politics of law’, Herald Sun, 23 Oct., p. 34.
41
Pamphlet
Video, television
recording
Microfiche
Audio cassette
Personal
communications
Online resources, publications, training, 2001, Australian Copyright Council,
Sep., Redfern NSW.
Graduate Qualities, 2001, Flexible Learning Centre, University of South
Australia, Adelaide.
ABC for kids: Bumper collection (video recording), 1999, Australian
Broadcasting Corporation, Sydney.
Selling Australia (video recording), 2001, Film Australia, Sydney.
They did it their way (video recording), 1998, BBC for The Open University.
Ball, K, Lee, YH, Phan, O & Ra, YS 2001, Adult Retraining and Reskilling in
Australia and South Korea, National Centre for Vocational Education
Research, Leabrook (Australia) & Korea Research Institute for Vocational
Education and Training (Seoul), ERIC microfiche ED451368.
Topping, K 2001, Peer and Parent-Assisted Learning in Maths, Science and ICT,
Scottish Council for Research in Education, Edinburgh, ERIC
microfiche, ED452092.
War Of The Worlds 1999, Mercury Theatre On The Air, Audio CD (Oct. 12,
1999) Radio Spirits; ASIN: B00002R145
Personal communications, such as conversations, letters and personal email
messages, are not usually included in a reference list.
Unpublished material (Note: No quotation marks are used
for the title.)
Brand, D 2000, Tourism planning for the Encounter Coast, B. Regional and Urban
Thesis
Planning, Hons thesis, University of South Australia.
Pope, JJ 1996, The nature and origin of magnetite-rich zones in the Mount Fort
Constantine Volcanics, adjacent to the Ernest Henry Cu-Au-Co deposit, NW
Queensland, MSc thesis, University of Leicester.
Son, M 2000, Design and fabrication of a miniaturised flow injection analysis system
- and its application to the analysis of glucose and other analytes, PhD
thesis, University of South Australia.
Unpublished
report
Unpublished
conference
paper
Document1
Janz, JK 1993, Orroroo bedrock drilling 1993, South Australian Department of Mines
& Energy, Unpublished Report RB 93/042.
Griffith, JK 1999, The Scleractinian Corals Collected During October 1998 at the
Dampier Archipelago, Museum of WA, Unpublished report.
Sinclair, Knight & Merz, 1999, Video Transect Analysis of Subtidal Habitats in the
Dampier Archipelago, Museum of WA, Unpublished report.
Bundy, Alan 2001, Better library services for Australians won't just happen, paper
presented at Alia SEQ Public Librarians advocacy seminar, Brisbane,
24 Oct.
Wolff, L 2000, Corporate Compliance and Human Rights in Japan, paper delivered at
the Australasian Law Teachers' Association Conference, University of
Canberra, 2-5 Jul.
42
Electronic materials
Journal article on Carpenter, VL & Feroz, EH 2001, ‘Institutional theory and accounting rule choice: an
analysis of four US state governments' decisions to adopt generally accepted
electronic
accounting principles’, Accounting, Organizations and Society, vol. 26, no.
7-8, pp. 565-596, viewed 26 Nov. 2001, Available from Science Direct.
database
Oss, ME & Mackie, JJ 2001, ‘Technology for Market Survival’, Behavioural Health
Management, vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 20-5, viewed 26 Nov. 2001, Academic
Search Elite: EBSCOhost. AN 4158374.
Sagheer, U, Kielmann, AA, Mumtaz, Z & Shahab, S 2000, ‘Cost of establishing and
maintaining a bed in a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan’, Leadership in
Health Services, vol. 13, no. 2, pp. i-vi, viewed 26 Oct. 2001, Available
from Emerald Fulltext.
Journal article
from an
electronic journal
Document on
World Wide Web
(Internet)
Electronic book
(ebook)
Sharma, S, Rafailovich, MH, Peiffer, D & Sokolov, J 2001, ‘Control of Dewetting
Dynamics by Adding Nanoparticle Fillers’, Nano Letters, vol 1, no. 10,
pp. 511-514, viewed 14 Nov. 2001, American Chemical Society,
Available from Internet <http://pubs.acs.org/journals/nalefd/index.html>.
desJardins, M 1998, ‘How to Succeed in Postgraduate Study’, Applied Ecology
Research Group, University of Canberra, viewed 26 April 2001,
<http://aerg.canberra.edu.au/jardins/t.htm>.
Thomas, S 1997, ‘Guide to Personal Efficiency’, Adelaide University, viewed 14 Nov.
2001, <http://library.adelaide.edu.au/~sthomas/papers/ perseff.html >.
Fisher, S 1995, Nursing Wounds, Rutgers University Press, New Brunswick, viewed 9
Nov. 2001, Available from NetLibrary
<http://www.netlibrary.com/library_home_page.asp.>.
Trochim, WM 2000, The Research Methods Knowledge Base, 2nd edn., updated 2
Aug. 2000, viewed 14 Nov. 2001, Available from Internet
<http://trochim.human.cornell.edu/kb/index.htm>.
Discussion lists,
newsgroups
Harnad, S 1992, ‘Post-Gutenberg galaxy: The fourth revolution in the means of
production of knowledge’, in Directory of Electronic Journals, Newsletters
and Academic Discussion Lists, 2nd edn. [online], viewed 27 Dec. 1995,
Available email: LISTSERV@UOTTAWA Message: Get EJOURNL1
DIRECTORY.
Alcohol and Drug Studies, 1998, [online], viewed 15 Sept. 1999, Available email:
ALCO-L@LMUACAU.BITNET.
Journal article on
CD-ROM
Computer
program
Girotti, TB, Tweed, NB & Houser, NR 1990, ‘Realtime var control by SCADA’,
IEEE Transactions on Power Systems [CD-ROM] vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 61-64.
Available: UMI File: IPO (IEEE/IEE Publications Ondisc), Item: 3631953.
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MathWorks, 2001, MATLAB [CD-ROM], ver. 6, rel 12, [Computer program].
Available Distributor: The MathWorks Inc., 24 Prime Park Way, Natick,
MA, 01760-1500, USA.
43
Should you paraphrase or use quotations?
No matter whether you use quotations or paraphrase another’s words, you will always need to
give references—both in the text and in the reference list. It is preferable that you paraphrase
(putting ideas in your own words) as too many quotations (using the exact words) can lead to
a poorly written assignment stringing together a series of quotations taken out of context.
If you do use quotations, use them sparingly, select them carefully, use them in context,
integrate them into your text and reproduce them exactly (including the words, spelling
punctuation, capitalisation and paragraphing). The word ‘sic’ (meaning ‘so’ or ‘thus’) can be
inserted in square brackets after a spelling mistake or sexist language to indicate that it is the
original mistake of the author (eg ‘This was a comonly [sic] held view’).
Use of a quotation is justified if:

misinterpretation would result from a change to the words

a major argument needs to be recorded as evidence

it is important to comment on, refute or analyse the ideas expressed

you need to make use of a particularly elegant or forceful phrase.
Short quotations (shorter than 30 words or two lines) should be incorporated into your
sentence ‘without disrupting the flow of your paragraph’ (Winckel 1995, p. 7). Use single
quotation marks, and put the full stop outside the reference.
Long quotations (more than 30 words or two lines) should be introduced in your own words,
begin on a new line and be fully indented from the left margin. A smaller type size is also
often used.
Quotation marks are not used for longer quotes, as the indentation already
shows that it is a quote. A smaller type size may be used. The full stop will
be after the last sentence of the quotation and before the author-date
reference. (Winckel 1995, p. 8)
See the following essay extract for examples of usage.
An essay extract
(from an essay in response to a question about Australian values)*
... A recent study (Mackay 1993) has found that Australians are suffering
from widespread feelings of angst in the 1990s. Mackay (1993, p. 17)
argues that this so-called 'Big Angst' is the result of the fact that Australians
are living in an 'Age of Redefinition'. Everything from personal
relationships to economic realities is in a state of change, unprecedented in
the history of Australia. Angst can be defined as: 'anxiety; feeling of guilt
or remorse' (The Australian Concise Oxford Dictionary 1987, p. 36). It has
been suggested that in an attempt to overcome their anxiety, Australians
have developed:
an emerging interest in values, vision, meaning and
purpose [ which] is the common characteristic of
societi es facing the end of a chronological era ... each
new decade is approached as if it holds som e new
promis e. (Mackay 1993, p. 231)
The National Government's recent Cultural Policy also associates the
attention given to shared values with the level of stress in the country. The
preamble to the policy states that Australia is at a critical moment of history
where traditional values are in flux, and where Australians are 'engaged in
cultural activities that are helping to re-invent the national identity'
(Commonwealth of Australia 1994).
Half a century ago during the second world war, Vance Palmer (cited in
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When paraphrasing: always
identify author and date
When quoting: identify the
author, date and page no.
(p.=page; pp.=pages)
No author: use title instead
Long quotations are indented
Square brackets: show a
word(s) has been added
Ellipsis (…) shows a word has
been omitted
Internet documents: have no
page numbers
Primary reference (Palmer)
Horne 1964, p. 240) questioned whether Australians had any common
sense of purpose. More recent sociological studies have tried to identify the
common values which exist in Australian society (Horne 1964; Mackay
1993, 1995b; Overduin & Fleming 1980). It is interesting to note that these
studies also identify the stresses facing the nation. Overduin and Fleming
(1980, p. 11) describe the 1970s as 'a decade of considerable social change',
as do Horne (1964) and Mackay (1993) for the 1960s and 1980s
respectively. These findings are not surprising if one assumes that change
will be a major feature of any period of history. Mackay (1995a) has gone
on to suggest that the rate of change in the last decade has caused young
people to be reluctant about making commitments ...
read about in a secondary
reference (Horne)
Several sources cited at once
Two authors of one book
References
No author
The Australian Concise Oxford Dictionary 1987, ed. G. W. Turner, Oxford
University Press, Melbourne.
Commonwealth of Australia 1994, Creative Nation: Commonwealth
Cultural Policy, October 1994 [Online], viewed 15 Jan. 1996,
<http://www.nla.gov.au/creative.nation/preamble.html>
Horne, D 1964, The Lucky Country: Australia in the Sixties, Penguin
Books, Ringwood, Victoria.
Mackay, H 1993, Reinventing Australia: The Mind and Mood of Australia
in the 90s, Angus and Robertson, Sydney.
Mackay, H 1995a, 'My generation', Weekend Australian, 5–6 Aug.,
Weekend Review, pp. 1–2.
Mackay, H 1995b, 'Poll position in reverse', Weekend Australian, 18–19
Mar., Weekend Review, p. 4.
Overduin, D & Fleming, J 1980, Wake Up, Lucky Country! Lutheran
Publishing House, Adelaide.

Original thought of writer
Second work by same author in
the same year
Online electronic document
Book with subtitle
Same author placed
chronologically
Newspaper article
Same author, same year
Book with two authors
This essay extract deliberately uses a large amount of referencing to show a range
of examples
Further reading
Lester, JD 1993, Writing Research Papers: A Complete Guide, 7th edn, Harper Collins, New
York.
Li, X & Crane, NB 1993, Electronic Style: A Guide to Citing Electronic Information,
Meckler, London.
Purchase, S 1998, The Little Book of Style, AusInfo, Department of Finance and
Administration, Canberra.
Style Manual for authors, editors and printers 2002 (in press), 6th edn, John Wiley & Sons
Australia, Brisbane.
Winckel, A & Hart, B 1996, Report Writing Style Guide for Engineering Students, 3rd edn,
University of South Australia, Adelaide.
More on referencing
For more detailed information about referencing including the requirements of different
styles, see the Referencing Resources website
<http://www.unisanet.unisa.edu.au/learningconnection/referencing/index.htm>.
Learning guides
This is one of a series of guides on aspects of learning at the University of South
Australia prepared by staff from Learning Connection. Other guides can be accessed at
http://www.unisanet.unisa.edu.au/learningconnection/learnres/lear
ng/index.htm
For further
information


Talk to your course coordinator or assigned tutor.
Visit Learning Connection on your campus or online at
www.unisanet.unisa.edu.au/learningconnection/students.htm
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Appendix C
TAFESA Tea Tree Gully Campus
Cheating & Plagiarism Policy
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Cheating and Plagiarism
What is Plagiarism?
Plagiarism is:
 Using any part of another person’s work without proper acknowledgement
(i.e. without referencing)
 Using key ideas without acknowledgement (i.e. without referencing) even if
you do not use the direct words of the original
Plagiarism can occur with both printed media (eg, books, newspapers,
magazines, brochures, etc) and electronic media (eg, the Internet, video,
audio tapes, etc). Plagiarism is one form of cheating.
What is Cheating?
In a study environment, cheating means to act dishonestly in any way so that
the assessor of the work accepts what you present as genuinely representing
your understanding of, and ability in, the subject concerned.
It is cheating to:








Use notes or other resources without permission during formal testing
Hand in someone else’s work as your own (with or without that person’s
permission)
Hand in a completely duplicated assignment.
Take work without the author’s knowledge.
Allow someone else to hand up your work as their own
Have several people write one computer program or exercise and hand up
multiple copies, all represented (implicitly or explicitly) as individual work
Use any part of someone else’s work without the proper acknowledgement
Steal an examination or solution from a lecturer.
It is not cheating to:






Discuss assignments with lecturers or other students to understand what is being
asked for
Hand in work done alone or with the help of staff
Get help to correct minor errors in spelling, grammar or syntax (sentence
construction)
Discuss assignment requirements and course materials so that you can better
understand the subject. This is, in fact, permitted and encouraged.
Submit one assignment from a group of students where this is explicitly permitted
or required
Use other people’s ideas where they are acknowledged in the appropriate way
(i.e., referenced by the use of footnotes, end notes or the Harvard system of
referencing)
Note that the integrity of a group project is the joint responsibility of all members of
the group. Therefore if cheating of any type is found in a group project, all members
of the group will be held responsible and will be subject to the disciplinary processes.
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What Penalties apply?
TAFESA will not condone cheating and plagiarism under any circumstances. Where
cheating is suspected, the lecturer will investigate to establish evidence to support
the suspicion. If there is no clear evidence available no further action will follow.
Where there is evidence to support the suspicion, the lecturer will notify the
Educational Manager and set out the concerns to the student in writing, requesting a
time to discuss the matter. The student will be provided an opportunity to counter the
allegations made. Once information from the student has been provided, the lecturer
may decide:
 That it is a minor or unintentional offence and require the student to undergo an
alternative form of assessment, eg a viva (a short oral assessment which may
involve talking about the work or questioning). The penalty in this case will be the
recording of the lowest level of competency or pass for all the learning outcomes
being assessed.
 That it is a serious offence. The penalty will be failure in the module. Repeated
offences of cheating – minor or serious – will result in failure of the module plus a
record on the student’s file, together with the reason. All penalties will be advised
to the student in writing.
What if I don’t agree with the decision?
In the event that a student is accused of cheating and a penalty imposed, any
student who believes that the accusation is unjust has the right to appeal against the
charge of cheating. This appeal must be lodged in writing with the Educational
Manager of the program, within one week of the imposition of the penalty. The
appeal may be lodged against any or all of the following:
 the process
 the decision
 the penalty
The appeal will be investigated and a decision will be advised to you within a week of
the appeal.
©TAFESA (Tea Tree Gully Campus) Plagiarism Policy
This information is correct at time of printing - January 2005
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