Creating a list of references

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At the end of your essay you will need to list, in full, all the sources you have cited in text. 

What is the purpose of the reference list?

  • The brief citations in text are insufficient for anyone to go away and find the quoted material for themselves.  Therefore a more detailed description of the source is needed to allow the reader to find the quoted material for themselves.
  • The list of references is a way of demonstrating the breadth and depth of your research
  • It shows the sources you have used to develop your arguments and opinions

What is the difference between a reference list and a bibliography?

  • A reference list only contains the items you have used in your essay i.e. the material you have cited in text.
  • A bibliography is more comprehensive and includes works used in the preparation of your essay, such as background reading, but not cited in the text itself.

There are referencing styles available to help you reference the sources you have used in a consistent way.  The main styles can be categorised as follows -

  • Harvard (Author-Date)
    • Cite Them Right - a general Harvard referencing system
    • APA - a version of Harvard used by Psychology
    • Chicago, mainly used in the humanities and social sciences
    • MLA - Modern Language Association, used in the liberal arts and humanities
  • Vancouver (Numbering)
  • Footnotes
    • MHRA - Modern Humanities Research Association
    • OSCOLA - a specialist referencing system used by Law

 

 

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