Subject referencing styles
Find out which referencing styles are used by which departments at the University.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U
Use the alphabetical list above to find and view the referencing guide/s available for your subject. Note that you should check any queries about referencing with your lecturer.
A
Aerospace Engineering
The Faculty of Engineering uses the IEEE and Harvard styles of referencing. Refer to your module handbook to determine the style of referencing to follow. Be consistent and follow the same style throughout your assignment.
Animal and Plant Sciences
Animal and Plant Sciences uses the Harvard style of referencing:
Archaeology
Archaeology uses the Harvard style of referencing:
Architecture
Architecture uses either the Harvard or MHRA Footnotes style of referencing. You can choose which style to use, but you must be consistent and use the same style throughout your assignment.
MHRA Footnotes referencing guide
Automatic Control and Systems Engineering
The Faculty of Engineering uses the IEEE and Harvard styles of referencing. Refer to your module handbook to determine the style of referencing to follow. Be consistent and follow the same style throughout your assignment.
B
Biomedical Science
Biomedical Science uses the Harvard style of referencing:
Bioengineering
The Faculty of Engineering uses the IEEE and Harvard styles of referencing. Refer to your module handbook to determine the style of referencing to follow. Be consistent and follow the same style throughout your assignment.
Biosciences
Biosciences uses the Harvard style of referencing:
C
Chemical and Biological Engineering
Chemical and Biological Engineering uses the Harvard style of referencing.
Chemistry
Chemistry uses the Royal Society of Chemistry referencing style:
Royal Society of Chemistry referencing guide
Civil and Structural Engineering
Civil and Structural Engineering uses the Harvard style of referencing.
Chinese Studies
East Asian Studies uses the Harvard Style Referencing. The department requires you to use the guidance developed by the University of Sheffield.
Computer Science
The Faculty of Engineering uses the IEEE and Harvard styles of referencing. Refer to your module handbook to determine the style of referencing to follow. Be consistent and follow the same style throughout your assignment.
D
Dentistry
Dentistry uses the Harvard style of referencing.
Digital Humanities Institute
The Digital Humanities Institute recommends that you use either the MHRA Footnotes style of referencing, or Harvard.
However, you will not be penalised if you prefer to use a different style of referencing. You can choose which style to use, but you must be consistent and use the same style throughout your assignment.
MHRA Footnotes referencing guide
E
East Asian Studies
East Asian Studies uses the Harvard Style Referencing. The department requires you to use the guidance developed by the University of Sheffield.
Economics
Economics uses the Harvard style of referencing:
Education
The School of Education recommends an author-date referencing system. Two examples of acceptable author-date styles are the TUOS Harvard referencing guide and the TUOS APA referencing guide. There may be variations between styles, so whichever one you choose you must use this consistently throughout your work.
APA referencing 7th edition guide
Electronic and Electrical Engineering
Electronic and Electrical Engineering uses the IEEE style of referencing
English and Theatre
English and Theatre uses either the MHRA Footnotes style of referencing, or Harvard. You can choose which style to use, but you must be consistent and use the same style throughout your assignment.
MHRA Footnotes referencing guide
English Language and Linguistics
English Language and Linguistics uses the MHRA Author-Date style of referencing.
MHRA Author-Date referencing guide
English Literature
English Literature uses either the MHRA Footnotes style of referencing, or Harvard. You can choose which style to use, but you must be consistent and use the same style throughout your assignment.
MHRA Footnotes referencing guide
F
Film Studies
Film Studies uses the MHRA style of referencing.
MHRA Footnotes referencing guide
French
See School of Languages and Cultures.
G
Geography
Geography uses the Harvard style of referencing:
Germanic Studies
See School of Languages and Cultures.
H
History
History uses the MHRA referencing style. The style guide required by the department is available on the History Student Hub at the bottom of the Assessment section.
History Student Hub – Assessment
MHRA Footnotes referencing guide
Hispanic Studies
See School of Languages and Cultures.
Human Communication Sciences
Human Communication Sciences uses the APA style of referencing.
APA 7th edition referencing guide
Human Nutrition
Human Nutrition uses the Vancouver style of referencing.
Vancouver referencing for Medicine
I
Information School
The Information School uses the APA style of referencing.
APA 7th edition referencing guide
J
Japanese Studies
East Asian Studies uses the Harvard Style Referencing. The department requires you to use the guidance developed by the University of Sheffield.
Journalism
Journalism uses the Harvard style of referencing.
K
Korean Studies
East Asian Studies used the Harvard style of referencing. The department requires you to use the guidance developed by the University of Sheffield.
L
Landscape
Landscape uses either the Harvard style of referencing, or MHRA. You can choose which style to use, but you must be consistent and use the same style throughout your assignment.
MHRA Footnotes referencing guide
School of Languages and Cultures
The School of Languages and Cultures uses either the Harvard style of referencing, MHRA Footnotes, or MHRA Author-Date. It doesn’t matter which referencing system you use, as long as you are consistent throughout. Conventionally, we would use MHRA for literary and cultural topics; and Harvard for linguistics, and political or social topics.
Harvard referencing guide (for linguistics essays)
MHRA Footnotes referencing guide (for cultural studies essays)
MHRA Author-Date referencing guide
Law
Law generally uses the OSCOLA or Harvard Styles of Referencing.
You should follow any guidance on the preparation of assessed work given by the academic setting the assignment. Be consistent and use the same style throughout your assignment.
Linguistics
English Language and Linguistics uses the MHRA Author-Date style of referencing.
MHRA Author-Date referencing guide
M
Management
The Management School uses the Harvard referencing style
Students on the MSc Occupational Psychology and MSc Work Psychology programmes should use the APA referencing style.
APA 7th edition referencing guide
Materials Science and Engineering
The Faculty of Engineering uses the IEEE and Harvard styles of referencing. Refer to your module handbook to determine the style of referencing to follow. Be consistent and follow the same style throughout your assignment.
Mathematics and Statistics
Mathematics and Statistics uses the Harvard style of referencing:
Mechanical Engineering
The Faculty of Engineering uses the IEEE and Harvard styles of referencing. Refer to your module handbook to determine the style of referencing to follow. Be consistent and follow the same style throughout your assignment.
Medicine
Medicine uses the Vancouver style of referencing.
Music
Music uses three different referencing styles: the APA style of referencing, Chicago Manual of Style (CMS) Notes and Bibliography style and Chicago Manual of Style (CMS) Author-Date style.
The referencing style you use will depend on which pathway you are on:
-
For modules in Composition, Music Technology, Music Psychology, and Music Industries use the APA style.
-
For modules in Musicology and Performance use the CMS Notes and Bibliography style.
-
For modules in Ethnomusicology use the CMS Author-Date style.
CMS Notes and Bibliography style guide
N
Neuroscience
Neuroscience uses the Harvard style of referencing:
Nursing and Midwifery
Nursing and Midwifery uses the Harvard style of referencing:
O
Orthoptics
Orthoptics uses the Harvard style of referencing.
P
Philosophy
Philosophy uses the MHRA Author-Date style of referencing.
MHRA Author-Date referencing guide
Physics and Astronomy
Physics and Astronomy use two referencing styles. Use the AIP referencing style for Physics reports. Use the Harvard referencing style for Astronomy reports and essays.
For longer projects you can choose the most appropriate style - if in doubt seek advice from your tutor.
Politics
Politics uses either the Harvard style of referencing (author-date), or MHRA (footnotes). You can choose which style to use, but you must be consistent and use the same style throughout your assignment.
MHRA Footnotes referencing guide
Psychology
Psychology uses the APA style of referencing:
APA 7th edition referencing guide
R
Religion, Theology and the Bible
Religion, Theology and the Bible uses the MHRA footnotes style of referencing.
MHRA Footnotes referencing guide
Russian and Slavonic Studies
See School of Languages and Cultures.
S
ScHARR
ScHARR uses the Harvard style of referencing.
School of Languages and Cultures
See School of Languages and Cultures.
Sheffield Methods Institute
The Sheffield Methods Institute uses the Harvard style of referencing:
Sociological Studies
Sociological Studies uses the Harvard style of referencing.
T
Theatre
English and Theatre uses either the MHRA Footnotes style of referencing, or Harvard. You can choose which style to use, but you must be consistent and use the same style throughout your assignment.
MHRA Footnotes referencing guide
U
Urban Studies and Planning
Urban Studies and Planning uses the Harvard style of referencing:
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Applications are open for existing offer holders for programmes starting in autumn 2025.