UTM LIBRARY

REFERENCING STYLES

Getting Started

Acknowledging Your Sources

In academic and professional writing, supporting your arguments with credible evidence is essential. Referring to the work of others—whether experts, researchers, or practitioners—strengthens your claims and demonstrates critical engagement with your topic. Regardless of the format (e.g., newspaper article, academic essay, non-fiction book, journal article, policy paper, or even a social media post), readers are more likely to be persuaded when the writer clearly shows:

    • Why they hold a particular view.
    • How they arrived at their conclusion.
    • Why their supporting evidence is credible and trustworthy.

Whenever you use someone else’s words, images, data, or ideas—whether through direct quotation, paraphrasing, or visual reproduction—you must always provide a reference to the original source.

Properly acknowledging your sources helps to:

    • Demonstrate a thorough understanding of your topic.
    • Show that you have read widely and engaged with relevant literature.
    • Allow readers to locate the sources of the ideas, evidence, or quotations you have used.
    • Avoid plagiarism and maintain academic integrity.

Understanding a Reference

To begin developing your academic writing and research skills, it is important to understand the elements that make up a reference. This knowledge will help you identify different types of materials and correctly cite them in your work.

Academic Integrity and Avoiding Plagiarism

Failing to acknowledge your sources properly can result in presenting someone else’s ideas as your own, which constitutes academic misconduct. Understanding what plagiarism is—and recognizing its various forms—is essential to maintaining honesty and integrity in your academic work.

Referencing Styles

Harvard Referencing

The Harvard referencing style uses in-text citations in an author–date format. This means that when you cite a source within your work, you should include:

The surname or family name of the author(s) or editor(s).

The year of publication.

Page number(s), where relevant (for example, when quoting directly).

A complete reference list must be provided at the end of your essay or assignment. This list should include the full details of every source cited in your work and be arranged alphabetically by the author’s surname.

Document type:

Vancouver Referencing

This site contains guidance on how to reference using the Vancouver style, which uses numbers in the text and a reference list.

In-text citation :
At every point in the text where a particular work is referred to by quoting or paraphrasing, include the number which identifies the reference used, in brackets. References are numbered consecutively in the order in which they are first cited in the text.

References are presented in numerical order by the order in which they appear in the document.

Document type:

APA Referencing

This site contains an introduction to the basic principles of referencing and citation using the seventh edition of APA.  

Document type:

Referencing Styles

There are various conventions or approaches to effective referencing, depending on the referencing style adopted. Broadly, these styles can be categorized into three main systems for citing sources:

    • Author–date system (e.g., Harvard)
    • Numeric system (e.g., Vancouver)
    • Notes and bibliography system (e.g., MHRA)

Each of these systems has several versions, some of which are specific to certain disciplines. For instance, APA is an author–date system commonly used in Psychology, while OSCOLA is a notes and bibliography system designed specifically for Law.

It is important to note that there are multiple variations of styles such as Harvard and Vancouver—there is no single “correct” version. If you consult more than one source for guidance (for example, for Harvard), you may encounter minor differences. To ensure accuracy and clarity, always follow one consistent source of guidance throughout your work.

    UTM Referencing Style

    UTM accepts three reference styles for use in the thesis: the Harvard system, the Vancouver system and The American Psychological Association. The style selected must be used consistently throughout the thesis. Students are advised to check for the latest versions of reference styles, as these styles are frequently updated.

    UTM Thesis formatting

    Go to https://sps.utm.my/thesis-formatting-2023/

    Managing and Organising Your References

    It is essential to keep an accurate record of any sources you may wish to cite later.

    Make sure to note:

    • The bibliographic details of each source — all the information required for proper citation.
    • The page numbers of any sections you plan to quote directly in your work.
    • The full text of articles, or a reliable link for accessing them.

    Using reference management software is highly recommended. These tools can help you save time, organize and track your references, store and annotate full-text documents, and collaborate effectively with study groups, supervisors, or fellow researchers.

    Official Guide to APA Style

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