How to reference
Referencing is an essential component of academic work. Learn how to include accurate citations in your writing and format reference lists and bibliographies correctly in the style required by your department, as well as how to avoid plagiarism.
Getting started with referencing
Referencing is a core part of university level study. Referencing enables you to acknowledge the work of others, building your own analysis on existing knowledge. It also enables you to attribute sources by creating citations and generating accurate bibliographies.
These skills will help you to manage information and avoid plagiarism. Developing your understanding of referencing will contribute to your understanding of the legal and ethical context of information.
Why reference?
Watch the video below to find out more about why referencing is important and how to get started.
Watch Why reference? in Kaltura
Referencing: the essentials
Referencing is an essential component of academic writing and research. It enables you to acknowledge the work of others when developing your own perspective.
The tutorial below will give you an understanding of referencing and how you should use it in your academic work.
Start the online tutorial - Referencing: the essentials
Understanding plagiarism
Understand plagiarism, the difference between collaboration and collusion, and identify ways to avoid plagiarism through appropriate note taking, reference management, and time management.
Start the online tutorial - Understanding plagiarism
View the tutorial as a DOCX (156 KB)
Referencing and preventing plagiarism workshop
You can book onto a workshop run by the Library which introduces the purpose of referencing, the concept of plagiarism and how it can be avoided, and gives you an opportunity to practice referencing in your departmental style.
Book a place - Referencing and preventing plagiarism workshop
Book a writing advisory service appointment to receive advice and feedback on your paraphrasing, summarising, synthesis of sources and referencing within your academic work.
Book an appointment (student login required)
Further support for referencing and attribution
Plagiarism and referencing quiz
Test your knowledge and understanding of plagiarism and the importance of referencing with a self help quiz.
Start the quiz - Plagiarism and referencing quiz
Using other people’s images in your work
Learn how to attribute images used in your work to give fair credit to those whose work you use, and how this differs in digital and print forms.
Guidance for taught course students inserting images and figures into university work
Using reference management software
Reference management software can be useful for keeping track of your references if you are dealing with a large number of sources, for example when writing a dissertation or final year project. The Library runs a workshop where you can learn how to use reference management software to manage and edit your references to avoid plagiarism and reference correctly. You can also find out more about reference management software on the Library’s dedicated webpage.
Book a place - Using reference management software: an introduction workshop
Referencing style guides
Different academic disciplines use different styles of referencing and the University Library maintains guides to all the referencing styles in use at the University of Sheffield.
The style guides below adhere to the appropriate published standard, with interpretations of rules where required (such as an item type where no published guidance exists) made in a standard University style.
If you want to check the style used by your subject check the departmental referencing styles.
Depending on your course or assignment, you may be asked to use different styles to those listed. If in doubt, check with your tutors.
Harvard
This guide is based on the advice given in the Cite Them Right (2016) 10th rev. and expanded edition, with interpretations of rules where required made in a standard University style.
View Harvard referencing guide
Download guide as a DOCX (238KB)
View our QuickStart Harvard guide (DOCX, 150KB) for a shortened, easy to print version of the most frequently referenced items in the style guide.
AIP
This guide is based on guidance from the American Institute of Physics, with interpretations of rules where required made in a standard University style.
Download guide as a DOCX (379KB)
View our QuickStart AIP guide (DOCX, 364KB) for a shortened, easy to print version of the most frequently referenced items in the style guide.
APA
This guide adheres to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association 7th edition, with interpretations of rules where required made in a standard University style.
Download guide as a DOCX (244KB)
View our QuickStart APA 7th edition guide (DOCX, 152KB) for a shortened, easy to print version of the most frequently referenced items in the style guide.
IEEE
This guide adheres to the Publication Manual of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, with interpretations of rules where required made in a standard University style.
Download guide as a DOCX (187KB)
View ouR QuickStart IEEE guide (DOCX, 149KB) for a shortened, easy to print version of the most frequently referenced items in the style guide.
MHRA Author-Date
This guide adheres to the Modern Humanities Research Association Style Guide: Third edition, with interpretations of rules where required made in a standard University style.
View MHRA Author-Date referencing guide
Download guide as a DOCX (210KB)
View our QuickStart MHRA Author-Date guide (DOCX, 148KB) for a shortened, easy to print version of the most frequently referenced items in the style guide.
MHRA Footnotes
This guide adheres to the Modern Humanities Research Association Style Guide: Third edition, with interpretations of rules where required made in a standard University style.
View MHRA Footnotes referencing guide
Download guide as a DOCX (216KB)
View our QuickStart MHRA Footnotes guide (DOCX, 148KB) for a shortened, easy to print version of the most frequently referenced items in the style guide.
OSCOLA
The Oxford University System for the Citation of Legal Authorities or OSCOLA referencing style is designed by Oxford University to accurately reference authorities, legislation, and a variety of legal materials.
It is widely used by Law Schools and legal researchers in the UK. This resource is from Cardiff University.
Vancouver
This guide adheres to the National Library of Medicine's Citing Medicine Style Guide, with interpretations of rules where required made in a standard University style.
View Vancouver referencing guide
Download guide as a DOCX (397KB)
View our QuickStart Vancouver guide (DOCX, 364KB) for a shortened, easy to print version of the most frequently referenced items in the style guide.
Next steps
Further Resources
mySkills
Use your mySkills portfolio to discover your skillset, reflect on your development, and record your progress.