Referencing

Referencing is the practice of acknowledging the sources used to produce a work. It serves to give credit, enable verification, and point readers to supporting materials. It encompasses various elements such as in-text citations, footnotes and endnotes, and bibliographic lists.

In-text citations appear within the body of the text and briefly identify a source; full details appear in a reference list or bibliography. Footnotes or endnotes can hold additional comments or full bibliographic entries. A reference list or bibliography at the end provides complete publication information so readers can locate sources.

Common citation styles include APA, MLA, and Chicago. APA emphasizes author and year in-text citations with a separate reference list; MLA uses author-page in-text citations with Works Cited; Chicago offers either author-date or notes-and-bibliography systems. Styles prescribe the order and format of elements such as author, title, date, publisher, volume, issue, and DOI or URL.

Proper referencing strengthens scholarly integrity and reduces plagiarism. It requires accuracy and completeness, including author names, correct titles, publication years, and persistent identifiers like DOIs. For online materials, URLs and access dates may be required. Researchers should use reliable sources and follow institutional or publisher guidelines, using reference management tools to organize citations.