Other sources

Oxford explained Books Journal articles Web and video Other sources

Different units at Deakin use different referencing styles. Always check your unit assessment information to find which style you are required to use.

Note: There are a number of interpretations of the Oxford style referencing used by different publishers and universities. Check with your teacher, supervisor or publisher whether you are required to follow a variant of Oxford that differs from the advice presented in this guide.

Deakin guide to Oxford (PDF, 639.5 KB)

Last updated: 6 March 2024

ABS
Artificial intelligence
Conference paper
Course materials
Dictionary or encyclopaedia
Government sources
Media release
News article
Personal communication
Thesis

ABS

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) web pages, reports and publications are cited much the same way as other web pages or documents, but with the addition of an ABS catalogue number, where available.
Always cite the full URL.

Footnotes

Australian Bureau of Statistics, Title of Publication, catalogue number (day month year), URL, accessed date.

^1. Australian Bureau of Statistics, Industrial Disputes, Australia, June 2013, cat. no. 6321.0.55.001 (5 Sep. 2013), https://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/6321.0.55.001Main+Features1Jun%202013, accessed 8 Oct. 2019.

Bibliography

Australian Bureau of Statistics, Industrial Disputes, Australia, June 2013, cat. no. 6321.0.55.001 (5 Sep. 2013), https://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/6321.0.55.001Main+Features1Jun%202013, accessed 8 Oct. 2019.

Artificial intelligence

When using generative artificial intelligence, you need to ensure that your final submitted assessment is your own work, creation, and analysis.

Where you have used generative AI in developing your assessment (for example, in the development of ideas, problem solving, data analysis, significant writing feedback) you should acknowledge your use of it.

It is also essential that you provide details about where and how you have used it.

First, read assessment instructions in your unit site or check with your Unit Chair whether you are allowed to use generative AI and how you are allowed to use it.
Understand the limitations and the risks.
Critically evaluate any output.
Document how you used the tool and acknowledge this in your final submission.

Your acknowledgement should include:

the name of the generative AI tool (you can also include the version, if known)
the month and year you accessed it
(where relevant) details of your prompts, the output, and precisely where in your assessment you have used generative AI. Discuss unit requirements with your Unit Chair.

This can go in an ‘Acknowledgements’ section and further details can be provided in an Appendix.

This paper was edited with the assistance of Name of generative AI tool (accessed Month Year). I have critically assessed and validated any generated feedback. The final version of the paper is my own creation.

I acknowledge the use of Name of generative AI tool (accessed Month Year) and Name of generative AI tool (accessed Month Year) in developing some of my ideas and writing for this assessment. All AI-generated output was critically reviewed. Examples of prompts, outputs and my responses are provided in Appendix B. The final content, conclusions and assertions in this paper are my own.

This assessment was completed with the assistance of Name of generative AI tool (accessed Month Year). With the permission of my Unit Chair, I have used these tools to develop the fictional case studies that provide the background for Section 2 of the assessment. See Appendix A for further details. All other writing and analysis in this assessment is my own.

Examples adapted from: Bozkurt, A. (2024). GenAI et al.: Cocreation, authorship, ownership, academic ethics and integrity in a time of generative AI. Open Praxis, 16(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.55982/ openpraxis.16.1.654

Can I cite generative AI?

In most cases, citing AI-generated content as a primary source of information for an assessment is not acceptable. You will need to discuss unit rules and requirements with your Unit Chair.

All sources of information for assessment need to be evaluated for credibility. Cite recommended journal articles, books, websites and other reliable and credible sources.

If you have concluded that generative AI is an appropriate source to cite for your task, then it needs to be cited appropriately.

In all cases, you must acknowledge the use of generative AI as outlined above. In addition, you can cite as follows.

When acknowledging or citing the use of generative AI, do not humanise the tool. ChatGPT does not “discuss”, “report”, or “allege” as a human author does. Instead, simply acknowledge your use of the tool, when you used it and details of how you used it.

Footnotes

There is no official guidance yet on how to cite AI-generated content in Oxford style so until we have that advice, cite in the same way as personal communications.

You can provide further details of the prompts and output in an appendix.

1. Name of tool, Publisher of tool, description of communication, Day Month Year.

1. ChatGPT, OpenAI. Prompt: “Controversies surrounding Chomsky’s theory of grammar.” 15 February 2023. See Appendix B.

Bibliography

Do not provide a bibliography entry.

Conference paper

Cite conference papers according to the format in which they are published, e.g. book chapter, web page or web document.

Here is an example of a conference paper published as a web document (note: URL is to a landing page where document can be accessed):

Footnotes

A. Author, ‘Title of Paper', paper presented to Name of Conference, Place (Dates of conference), page, URL, accessed date.

^22. A. Fenton, 'Using a Strengths Approach in Collaborative Education', paper presented to the ACEN National Conference, Deakin University, Geelong (29 Oct. – 2 Nov. 2012), 75–6, http://acen.edu.au/resource-type/conference-proceedings/, accessed 23 Dec. 2019.

Bibliography

Author, A. ‘Title of Paper', paper presented to Name of Conference, Place (Dates of conference), page range, URL, accessed date.

Fenton, A., 'Using a Strengths Approach in Collaborative Education', paper presented to the ACEN National Conference, Deakin University, Geelong (29 Oct. – 2 Nov. 2012), 71-6, http://acen.edu.au/resource-type/conference-proceedings/, accessed 23 Dec. 2019.

Course materials

Please note: in some units it is not acceptable to cite course materials (e.g. class presentations and slides). Cite only if you have been given permission to do so.

Cite in a footnote only; do not provide an entry in the bibliography.

A. Lecturer, Descriptive Title including Course Code and Title, University [class lecture/slides/notes], day month year.

^5. L. Doolan, Week 2 Phenomenology PHP367, Deakin University [class slides], 13 Apr. 2018.

Dictionary or encyclopedia

Discuss with your unit staff whether is acceptable to cite a dictionary or encyclopaedia, and which sources they would recommend.

Please note: while Wikipedia can be a good starting point for gleaning general information before you begin your research, a site such as Wikipedia can be updated at any point and by multiple authors, so it cannot be relied on as a source for an academic assignment.

Consider whether your source is a book, e-book or website, and cite accordingly.
If there is no named author, begin with the title of the entry.

Here is an example of an online encyclopaedia entry with no named author:

Footnotes

'Title of Entry’, Title of Encyclopaedia (year), URL, date accessed.

^13. ‘Gunpowder Plot’, Encyclopaedia Britannica (2019), http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/249505/Gunpowder-Plot, accessed 5 Aug. 2020.

Bibliography

Title of Entry’, Title of Encyclopaedia (year), URL, date accessed.

‘Gunpowder Plot’, Encyclopaedia Britannica (2019), http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/249505/Gunpowder-Plot, accessed 5 Aug. 2020.

Government sources

Consider whether your source is a book, website or web document and cite accordingly.
Include the jurisdiction (e.g. Commonwealth or State) after the name of the government department/ministry/commission, if this is not clear from other bibliographic details provided.
See also the topic Media release.

Footnotes

Government Commission (Jurisdiction), Title of Book (Place: Publisher, year), page.

6. Commission of Enquiry into Poverty (Commonwealth of Australia), Poverty in Australia, First Main Report (Canberra: AGPS, 1975), 13.

Government Department, ‘Title of Web Page’, Title of Website (Day Month year), URL, accessed date.

25. Australian Border Force, ‘Operation Sovereign Borders: Fact sheet: Operational update 20 June 2014’, ABF Newsroom (20 June 2014), https://newsroom.abf.gov.au/channels/Operation-Sovereign-Borders/releases/operational-update-20-june, accessed 5 Oct. 2020.

Bibliography

Australian Border Force, ‘Operation Sovereign Borders: Fact sheet: Operational update 20 June 2014’, ABF Newsroom (20 June 2014), https://newsroom.abf.gov.au/channels/Operation-Sovereign-Borders/releases/operational-update-20-june, accessed 5 Oct. 2020.

Commission of Enquiry into Poverty (Commonwealth of Australia), Poverty in Australia, First Main Report (Canberra: AGPS, 1975).

Media release

Include the jurisdiction (e.g. Commonwealth or State) after the name of a government department/ministry/commission, if this is not clear from other bibliographic details provided.
Include the medium as [media release] after the title.

Footnotes

Author, Title [media release] (Day Month Year), URL, accessed date.

^34. National Archives of Australia, Digital Countdown to Save the Things We Want to Keep [media release] (6 Nov. 2019), https://www.naa.gov.au/about-us/media-and-publications/media-releases/digital-countdown-save-things-we-want-keep, accessed 3 Aug. 2020.

Government Department (Jurisdiction), Title [media release] (Day Month Year), paragraph, URL, accessed date.

^33. Department of Education (Commonwealth of Australia), National School Chaplaincy and Student Welfare Program High Court Judgment [media release] (19 June 2014), para. 3, http://education.gov.au/news/national-school-chaplaincy-and-student-welfare-program-high-court-judgment, accessed 20 June 2020.

Bibliography

Department of Education (Commonwealth of Australia), National School Chaplaincy and Student Welfare Program High Court Judgment [media release] (19 June 2014), http://education.gov.au/news/national-school-chaplaincy-and-student-welfare-program-high-court-judgment, accessed 20 June 2020.

National Archives of Australia, Digital Countdown to Save the Things We Want to Keep [media release] (6 Nov. 2019), https://www.naa.gov.au/about-us/media-and-publications/media-releases/digital-countdown-save-things-we-want-keep, accessed 3 Aug. 2020.

News article

If the author is not known, begin with the title.
Include the publication day, month and year.

Footnotes

Online news article

Provide paragraph references for long articles with no page numbers.

A. Author, ‘Title of Article’, Title of News Site (Day Month Year), paragraph, URL, accessed date.

^4. M. Smith, ‘Museums Should Become Known as Sites of Cultural Revival, Not Scientific Racism’, The Guardian (31 Oct. 2019), para. 7, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/oct/31/museums-should-become-known-as-sites-of-cultural-revival-not-scientific-racism, accessed 14 May 2020.

^5. N. Klein, ‘Screen New Deal’, The Intercept (9 May 2020), para. 12, https://theintercept.com/2020/05/08/andrew-cuomo-eric-schmidt-coronavirus-tech-shock-doctrine/, accessed 12 May 2020.

Archived newspaper article

For archived sources, include the name of the repository and any further details that will help your reader locate the source.

‘Title of Article’, Title of Newspaper (Day Month Year), page number, Name of repository, URL, accessed date.

^7. ‘The Unfairness of the Advocates of the Plebiscite’, The Argus (10 Jan. 1880), 9, Trove, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/title/13, accessed 23 June 2020.

Bibliography

Klein, N., ‘Screen New Deal’, The Intercept (9 May 2020), https://theintercept.com/2020/05/08/andrew-cuomo-eric-schmidt-coronavirus-tech-shock-doctrine/, accessed 12 May 2020.

Smith, M., ‘Museums Should Become Known as Sites of Cultural Revival, Not Scientific Racism’, The Guardian (31 Oct. 2019), https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/oct/31/museums-should-become-known-as-sites-of-cultural-revival-not-scientific-racism, accessed 14 May 2020.

‘The Unfairness of the Advocates of the Plebiscite’, The Argus (10 Jan. 1880), Trove, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/title/13, accessed 23 June 2020.

Personal communication

Personal communications include interviews or discussions that you have conducted in your research.

Details about personal communications are included in-text, but are not included in the bibliography.
It is important to first obtain permission from the person you will be citing.
You might also provide further details of the communication in an appendix. A reference to the appendix can be provided in text or in a footnote.

Footnotes

A. Interviewee, description of communication, Day Month Year.

^2. J. Robinson, interview with author, 11 May 2019.

^11. V. Grossi, interview with author, 3 Apr. 2020. See Appendix B.

Thesis

Include a URL if the thesis is available online.

Footnotes

A. Author, ‘Title’, Degree, Institution, Place, year, page, URL, date accessed.

^38. R. Lee, 'Mary De Garis: Progressivism, Early Feminism and Medical Reform', PhD thesis, Deakin University, Geelong, 2010, 93–4, https://dro.deakin.edu.au/view/DU:30033056, accessed 13 October 2020.

Bibliography

Author, A. ‘Title’, Degree, Institution, Place, year, URL, date accessed.

Lee, R., 'Mary De Garis: Progressivism, Early Feminism and Medical Reform', PhD thesis, Deakin University, Geelong, 2010, https://dro.deakin.edu.au/view/DU:30033056, accessed 13 October 2020.

ABS

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) web pages, reports and publications are cited much the same way as other web pages or documents, but with the addition of an ABS catalogue number, where available.
Always cite the full URL.

Footnotes

Australian Bureau of Statistics, Title of Publication, catalogue number (day month year), URL, accessed date.

Bibliography

Artificial intelligence

When using generative artificial intelligence, you need to ensure that your final submitted assessment is your own work, creation, and analysis.

It is also essential that you provide details about where and how you have used it.

First, read assessment instructions in your unit site or check with your Unit Chair whether you are allowed to use generative AI and how you are allowed to use it.
Understand the limitations and the risks.
Critically evaluate any output.
Document how you used the tool and acknowledge this in your final submission.

Your acknowledgement should include:

the name of the generative AI tool (you can also include the version, if known)
the month and year you accessed it
(where relevant) details of your prompts, the output, and precisely where in your assessment you have used generative AI. Discuss unit requirements with your Unit Chair.

This can go in an ‘Acknowledgements’ section and further details can be provided in an Appendix.

Can I cite generative AI?

In most cases, citing AI-generated content as a primary source of information for an assessment is not acceptable. You will need to discuss unit rules and requirements with your Unit Chair.

All sources of information for assessment need to be evaluated for credibility. Cite recommended journal articles, books, websites and other reliable and credible sources.

If you have concluded that generative AI is an appropriate source to cite for your task, then it needs to be cited appropriately.

In all cases, you must acknowledge the use of generative AI as outlined above. In addition, you can cite as follows.

Footnotes

There is no official guidance yet on how to cite AI-generated content in Oxford style so until we have that advice, cite in the same way as personal communications.

You can provide further details of the prompts and output in an appendix.

1. Name of tool, Publisher of tool, description of communication, Day Month Year.

1. ChatGPT, OpenAI. Prompt: “Controversies surrounding Chomsky’s theory of grammar.” 15 February 2023. See Appendix B.

Bibliography

Do not provide a bibliography entry.

Conference paper

Cite conference papers according to the format in which they are published, e.g. book chapter, web page or web document.

Here is an example of a conference paper published as a web document (note: URL is to a landing page where document can be accessed):

Footnotes

A. Author, ‘Title of Paper', paper presented to Name of Conference, Place (Dates of conference), page, URL, accessed date.

Bibliography

Author, A. ‘Title of Paper', paper presented to Name of Conference, Place (Dates of conference), page range, URL, accessed date.

Course materials

Please note: in some units it is not acceptable to cite course materials (e.g. class presentations and slides). Cite only if you have been given permission to do so.

Cite in a footnote only; do not provide an entry in the bibliography.

A. Lecturer, Descriptive Title including Course Code and Title, University [class lecture/slides/notes], day month year.

^5. L. Doolan, Week 2 Phenomenology PHP367, Deakin University [class slides], 13 Apr. 2018.

Dictionary or encyclopaedia

Dictionary or encyclopedia

Discuss with your unit staff whether is acceptable to cite a dictionary or encyclopaedia, and which sources they would recommend.

Consider whether your source is a book, e-book or website, and cite accordingly.
If there is no named author, begin with the title of the entry.

Here is an example of an online encyclopaedia entry with no named author:

Footnotes

'Title of Entry’, Title of Encyclopaedia (year), URL, date accessed.

^13. ‘Gunpowder Plot’, Encyclopaedia Britannica (2019), http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/249505/Gunpowder-Plot, accessed 5 Aug. 2020.

Bibliography

Title of Entry’, Title of Encyclopaedia (year), URL, date accessed.

‘Gunpowder Plot’, Encyclopaedia Britannica (2019), http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/249505/Gunpowder-Plot, accessed 5 Aug. 2020.

Government sources

Consider whether your source is a book, website or web document and cite accordingly.
Include the jurisdiction (e.g. Commonwealth or State) after the name of the government department/ministry/commission, if this is not clear from other bibliographic details provided.
See also the topic Media release.

Footnotes

Government Commission (Jurisdiction), Title of Book (Place: Publisher, year), page.

6. Commission of Enquiry into Poverty (Commonwealth of Australia), Poverty in Australia, First Main Report (Canberra: AGPS, 1975), 13.

Government Department, ‘Title of Web Page’, Title of Website (Day Month year), URL, accessed date.

Bibliography

Commission of Enquiry into Poverty (Commonwealth of Australia), Poverty in Australia, First Main Report (Canberra: AGPS, 1975).

Media release

Include the jurisdiction (e.g. Commonwealth or State) after the name of a government department/ministry/commission, if this is not clear from other bibliographic details provided.
Include the medium as [media release] after the title.

Footnotes

Author, Title [media release] (Day Month Year), URL, accessed date.

Government Department (Jurisdiction), Title [media release] (Day Month Year), paragraph, URL, accessed date.

Bibliography

News article

If the author is not known, begin with the title.
Include the publication day, month and year.

Footnotes

Online news article

Provide paragraph references for long articles with no page numbers.

A. Author, ‘Title of Article’, Title of News Site (Day Month Year), paragraph, URL, accessed date.

^5. N. Klein, ‘Screen New Deal’, The Intercept (9 May 2020), para. 12, https://theintercept.com/2020/05/08/andrew-cuomo-eric-schmidt-coronavirus-tech-shock-doctrine/, accessed 12 May 2020.

Archived newspaper article

For archived sources, include the name of the repository and any further details that will help your reader locate the source.

‘Title of Article’, Title of Newspaper (Day Month Year), page number, Name of repository, URL, accessed date.

^7. ‘The Unfairness of the Advocates of the Plebiscite’, The Argus (10 Jan. 1880), 9, Trove, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/title/13, accessed 23 June 2020.

Bibliography

Klein, N., ‘Screen New Deal’, The Intercept (9 May 2020), https://theintercept.com/2020/05/08/andrew-cuomo-eric-schmidt-coronavirus-tech-shock-doctrine/, accessed 12 May 2020.

‘The Unfairness of the Advocates of the Plebiscite’, The Argus (10 Jan. 1880), Trove, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/title/13, accessed 23 June 2020.

Personal communication

Personal communications include interviews or discussions that you have conducted in your research.

Details about personal communications are included in-text, but are not included in the bibliography.
It is important to first obtain permission from the person you will be citing.
You might also provide further details of the communication in an appendix. A reference to the appendix can be provided in text or in a footnote.

Footnotes

A. Interviewee, description of communication, Day Month Year.

^2. J. Robinson, interview with author, 11 May 2019.

^11. V. Grossi, interview with author, 3 Apr. 2020. See Appendix B.

Thesis

Include a URL if the thesis is available online.

Footnotes

A. Author, ‘Title’, Degree, Institution, Place, year, page, URL, date accessed.

Bibliography

Author, A. ‘Title’, Degree, Institution, Place, year, URL, date accessed.

Lee, R., 'Mary De Garis: Progressivism, Early Feminism and Medical Reform', PhD thesis, Deakin University, Geelong, 2010, https://dro.deakin.edu.au/view/DU:30033056, accessed 13 October 2020.