Study skills
Study support
The author–date referencing system is customary in the physical, natural and social sciences as well as in the humanities. It is a widely used referencing style at Deakin.
This resource explains some of the more common applications of the author–date system. It is based on the Style manual for authors, editors and printers, 6th edn, 2002. Page numbers are provided so that you can check the information yourself or read further.A word of warning – you should always check your unit guide and/or with your academic staff (unit chair, lecturer or tutor) to make sure that this is the correct system for your unit. Also, because people may interpret the author–date system differently, you should check exactly what’s required for your assignment.
You must reference all material you use from all sources and acknowledge your source each time you use an idea or finding from someone’s work. Sources such as books, journals, reports, newspapers, interviews, radio and television and information from the Internet must be cited in the body of your paper. Information from Deakin study guides and readers must also be acknowledged. A reference list should be provided at the end of your paper giving details of the sources you cited in the body of the paper.
It is necessary to reference your sources each time you:
The author–date system consists of two elements:
The author–date system is so named because in the body of the writer’s text, citations consist of two elements:
Page numbers are included if appropriate, that is, for quotations, and if the ideas or data you have used are from a specific page or pages of a work.
The family name of the author or authors and date can be in parentheses.
| Reading widely is the best way to improve vocabulary and also to develop a sense of what academic writing in a particular discipline involves (Hay, Bochner & Dungey 1997). | |
| (Hay, Bochner & Dungey 1997) | in–text citation |
| Hay, Bochner and Dungey (1997) explain that reading is the best way to improve vocabulary and also to develop a sense of what academic writing in a particular discipline involves. | |
| Hay, Bochner & Dungey (1997) | in–text citation |
Note that ‘and’ is used when the family names are part of your sentence, but an ampersand (&)
when the names are in parentheses.
The page number must be included if you incorporate a quotation.
| Hay, Bochner and Dungey (1997, p. 110) comment, ‘Good writers are necessarily good readers’. | |
| Hay, Bochner & Dungey (1997, p. 110) | in–text citation |
| Ellis et al. (2004) explain that learning will improve if students are made aware of how discussions can help them achieve the learning objectives of various units and if they are shown how to best take part in both online and face–to–face discussions. |
Or
| Learning will improve if students are made aware of how discussions can help them achieve the learning objectives of various units and if they are shown how to best take part in both online and face–to–face discussions (Ellis et al. 2004). |
In the example below you have read Cotterall and Cohen, who refer to Donato,
but you have not read Donato yourself.
| Donato (cited in Cotterall & Cohen 2003) explains the concept of scaffolding, which supports learners as they extend their competence and skills. |
The reference list entry should give details of the work by Cotterall and Cohen. (See the sample reference list provided later in this resource.)
| English for academic purposes (1987) provides authentic texts for students to practise study skills for higher education. |
A work that is referred to by title in text is listed under that title in the reference list. (See the sample reference list provided later in this resource.)
In-text citations provide only brief facts about sources. It is therefore necessary to have a method for identifying sources in full. This is the function of the reference list. It should appear at the end of the paper and provide the full bibliographic information about the sources cited in text. The in–text citation should lead the reader to its full description in the reference list. Thus, it is essential that the in–text citation and the related entry in the reference list should match in regard to the family name of the author or authors and the year of publication.
Take note of the following points with regard to compiling a reference list:
|
Hay, I, Bochner, D & Dungey, C 1997, Making the grade: a guide to successful communication and study, Oxford University Press, Melbourne. |
|
|
Hay, I, Bochner, D & Dungey, C
|
family names and initials of authors |
|
1997
|
year |
|
Making the grade: a guide to successful communication and study
|
title and subtitle in italics
|
|
Oxford University Press
|
publisher |
|
Melbourne
|
city of publication |
|
Warschauer, M 2002, ‘Networking into academic discourse’, Journal
of English for Academic Purposes, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 45–58.
|
|
|
Warschauer, M
|
family name and initials of author |
|
2002
|
year |
|
‘Networking into academic discourse’
|
title of article within quotation marks |
|
Journal of English for Academic Purposes
|
journal title in italics
|
|
vol. 1
|
volume number |
|
no. 1
|
issue number |
|
pp. 45–58
|
page numbers |
|
Chang, YY & Swales, JM 1991, ‘Informal elements in academic writing:
threats and opportunities for advanced non–native speakers’, in C
Candlin & K Hyland (eds), Writing: texts, processes and practices, Longman,
London, pp. 145–64.
|
|
|
Chang, YY & Swales,
JM
|
family names and initials of authors of work cited |
|
1991
|
year |
|
‘Informal elements in academic writing: threats and opportunities
for advanced non-native speakers’
|
title of work cited in quotation marks
|
|
in
|
‘in’ introduces publication in which work appears |
|
C Candlin & K Hyland (eds)
|
initials and family names of editors |
|
Writing: texts, processes and practices
|
title of publication in which work appears in italics |
|
Longman
|
publisher |
|
London
|
city |
|
pp. 145-64
|
page numbers |
References
Cotterall, S & Cohen, R 2003, ‘Scaffolding for second language writers: producing an academic essay’, ELT Journal, vol. 57, no. 2, pp. 158–66.
Ellis, RA, Calvo, R, Levy, D & Tan, K 2004, ‘Learning through discussions’, Higher Education Research and Development, vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 73–93.
English for academic purposes 1987, Warrnambool Institute for Advanced Education, Warrnambool, Vic.
Germov, J 2000, Get great marks for your essays, 2nd edn, Allen & Unwin, St Leonards, NSW.
Lea, MR & Street, BV 2000, ‘Student writing and staff feedback in higher education: an academic literacies approach’, in MR Lea & B Stierer (eds), Student writing in higher education: new contexts, The Society for Research into Higher Education & Open University Press, Buckingham, pp. 32-46.
Richardson, JS 2004, ‘Content area literacy lessons go high tech’, Reading Online, vol. 8, no. 1, retrieved 1 August 2004, <www.readingonline.org/articles/ art_index.asp?HREF=/articles/Richardson>.
(Note regarding the article by Richardson above: To conform with agreed Deakin style principles, the word ‘retrieved’ is used in preference to the word ‘viewed’, which is favoured by the Style manual.)
The above explanations and examples provide a general introduction to the author–date style of referencing. You also need to consult your unit outline and assignment description for specific requirements. Some faculties and schools at Deakin have produced their own style guides and you will need to follow these when undertaking units they offer. Be aware that there are slight, and acceptable, variations in the author–date style (in regard to punctuation and capitalisation) that may be used by faculties and schools.
You do not need to memorise the details for setting out a reference list. However, you do need to be consistent and to have a source you can refer to for checking details. Use the Style manual, details provided below.Style manual for authors, editors and printers, 6th edn, 2002, rev. Snooks & Co., John Wiley & Sons, Milton, Qld.
You can also undertake the library Smart Searcher tutorial on referencing using the author-date system and test your knowledge by doing the quiz.
