References

As you collect information it is important to keep a record of all sources (books, videos, people, organisations, etc) from which you obtain information. You will need some of these details for your bibliography; also you may want to find and use the source again. Details you should keep on each type of source:

Books

• Author(s)/Editor(s)
• Title (including sub-title)
• Series
• Edition (if not first edition)
• Publisher
• Date of publication
• Classification/Dewey No.
• Location (e.g. school/public library, teacher)

Periodical/Journal/Magazine articles

• Author
• Title of article
• Periodical title
• Volume No
• Part No
• Date
• Page No(s)

Newspaper articles

• Author (if known)
• Title of article
• Name of newspaper
• Date

Government publications/Official reports

• Official group
• Report title
• Place of publication
• Publisher
• Date of publication

Audio/visual materials

(video/slides/poster/database/CD ROM, etc)

• Title
• Producer/publisher
• Date
• Format (video, CD ROM, etc)

People/Organisations

• Name of person
• Official capacity/position in organisation (if relevant)
• Name of organisation (if relevant)
• Date of interview/correspondence

Bibliography

How to compile a bibliography.

A reference sheet is a list of the sources (books, audiovisual, electronic resources, people, organisations) you have found useful in the course of your research:

• A reference sheet should be included, and is often required, at the end of your investigation / essay / project
• You can include items which you consulted and found useful but did not cite, if you put them under the heading 'Bibliography' or 'Works consulted'
• Sources should normally be listed alphabetically, by surname of the author, or if there is no author by the first word of the title (not 'the' or 'a' or 'an')
• Check with your teacher if a certain style is required

There is no set way for compiling references and many methods available. Above all, it is important to be consistent in the way in which you list your sources.

The following method is acceptable for compiling references:

Books

Authors surname, followed by forename or initial(s), title of the book (in italics or underlined). Edition (except when it is the first edition). Publisher, date of publication.

For example:

If there are more than two authors it is normal to list the first author followed by et al. - et al is the accepted abbreviation

for 'and others' (Latin 'et alia'):

If no personal authors or editors are indicated in a book you may list it under the name of the Society, Institution, Government department or similar body responsible for the work - see Government Publications. (Never use the name of a commercial publisher as the author)

If no personal authors or editors are indicated in a book you may list it under the name of the Society, Institution, Government department or similar body responsible for the work - see Government Publications. (Never use the name of a commercial publisher as the author)

Periodical/Journal/Magazine article

Author's surname, followed by forename or initials. Title of the article (inverted commas), title of the periodical (underlined or in italics), volume number, part number, date of publication, page number(s).

For example:

Newspaper Article

Author (if known), title of article (in inverted commas). Name of newspaper (underlined or in italics), date (plus page number(s) if known)

For example:

Government Publications/Official Reports

Official group. Report title (in italics or underlined). Place of publication: publisher, date of publication

For example:

Leaflets and Pamphlets

These often provide little bibliographical information and it is sometimes possible only to list very basic details, e.g. Title (underlined or in italics). Source, date, format (in brackets)

For example:

Audio/visual Materials

Title (underlined or in italics). Producer/publisher, date, format (in brackets)

For example:

Maps and Diagrams

The layout for maps and diagrams follows the same general format as that for books and periodicals. The scale of the map should be given.

People and Organisations – Correspondence and Interviews

These could be listed under "Other Sources". Give the name of the person, title or position, and the date of the interview or correspondence. List people in alphabetical order by surnames.

Web pages

Internet sources, like books etc, will need referencing in your essays. And, as with books, you should prepare for this as you read them, by writing down the details you will need. It is a good idea to record the following:

The web address
For example: http://www.worldwar1.com/

The title
This is usually at the top of the page.

The author
This is not always available. Look for it at the bottom of the page, or on the home page of the site. The author of the above page is Mike Hanlon.

The organisation
The page may be on the site of an organisation like a university, a company, or a society. This one is by the Great War Society.

Page date
Sometimes pages have the date that they were last updated on. It may be at the top or bottom. This page was last updated on 3 June 2004.

Access date
This is the date you looked at the page. Take a note of it marked "Access date".

Citing the entire source

Homepage title. Hp. Date (last update or copyright date, if available). Medium (Type of source used). Supplier (If mentioned). Available: URL. Access date.

For example:

Journal or magazine article

Author's name. "Title of article." Publication information. Medium. Available: URL. Access date.

For example:

Newspaper articles

Author's name. "Title of article." Publication information. Medium. Available: URL. Access date.