Frequently asked questions
FAQs
First, you might find it useful to check out some of our 'frequently asked questions'. If you can't find the answer to your question here, then get in touch with us by emailing asc@contacts.bham.ac.uk .
Q: When should I cite?
A: Whenever you use information from a source i.e. quote or paraphrase, you need to say where that information has come from. You identify the sources you have used in text (an in-text citation) and give a full reference at the end of your essay.
Q: What is the difference between a citation and a reference?
A: A citation is an abbreviated indication of the source(s) you have used in text. Example, (Smith, 2010) or (1)
A reference gives the full details of the brief citation you have referred to in text and is shown at the end of your essay. A reference will include authors, titles, editions, publisher details or journal details.
The way you cite in text and list the full references at the end of your essay depends on the referencing system you use.
Q: What is the difference between a bibliography and a reference list?
A: 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.
Q: Do I need to include the page number in my in-text citations?
A: You should include a page number in an in-text citation if you are quoting directly, or if you are discussing a very specific part of that author's work, such as a table or some figures.
Q: How do I cite a source quoted in another work (secondary referencing)?
A: If possible, you should try to track down the original source and read it for yourself and then reference it as normal. However, if you are not able to track down the original source, because it is unavailable, or out of print, you should reference the source as a secondary reference.
Example
If the source directly quotes from the original work, use 'quoted in':
- The model of Mitchell (1996, quoted in Parry and Carter, 2003, p.160) simulates the suppressing effects of sulphate aerosols on the magnitude of global warming.
If the source summarises from the original work, use 'cited in':
- The model of Mitchell (1996, cited in Parry and Carter, 2003) simulates the suppressing effects of sulphate aerosols on the magnitude of global warming.
NOTE: If you have not been able to track down Mitchell's work and read it for yourself you do not include Mitchell's work in the reference list, only the work by Parry and Carter, which you have read, would appear in the reference list.
Q: How do I cite unusual types of sources such as lecture hand-outs, television programmes, or social media?
A: This varies according to the referencing system you are using. You need to find a full style guide for your system and look through it carefully to find how to reference different types of sources. See Cite them right online Links to an external site. from Bloomsbury Publishing (developed from Cite them right Links to an external site. by Pears and Shields) for information and examples, as well as the Library's iCite Guide Links to an external site. pages. Login to Cite them right online Links to an external site. as 'University of Birmingham' if prompted.
Q: What if I can't find an author or a date?
A: No Author. Again, you should double-check the style guide of the referencing system you are using, or check with your departmental guidance. Generally, if there seems to be no individual author, particularly for a webpage, you can use a corporate author - for example the BBC, NHS or Amazon. If there is no author at all to attribute the website to, use the website's title as though it were the author.
A: No Date. Where there is no date available, most referencing systems (for example Harvard) suggest you use n.d. in place of a date, to indicate No Date. However, always check the guidelines.
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