An introduction to referencing using the UCT Author-date method

1. Referencing
An introduction

2. What is referencing?
• A standardised way of acknowledging sources
of information and ideas that you have used
in your assignment
• Helps avoid plagiarism (stealing of other's
ideas) - Turnitin
• Enables readers to follow-up and read more
fully the cited author’s arguments
• Shows you have done research

3. UCT Author-date referencing style
• Examples given here follow the UCT Author-
date: Reference Guide

4. Basic structure of UCT Author-date reference
includes:
• Author(s) of publication– Surname & initial
• Date of publication– Year of publication
• Title of publication
• Publication details – Place and name of
publisher for books or volume, issue and page
numbers for journals and URL for an Internet
resource

5. Two stages of referencing
• In-text citation
– Put brief details in round brackets () within the
body of an essay to indicate every instance that
you have borrowed words or ideas
• Reference list
– Put the full details of all sources used in your work
at the end of your paper

6. Two ways to cite sources:
• Direct quotation – use someone else’s work
word for word
• Put the words used in “quotation marks”
• Use sparingly
• Paraphrasing – put someone else’s ideas in
your own words

7. In-text citation - Details to include (1)
If author’s name is not included in the sentence put:
(Author’s surname, year of publication:page number)
In an analysis of equity and efficiency in public education, it was found
that South Africa has elements of both a first world country, and a
third world country (Crouch, 1996:134).
The study found that “South African society embodies both First
World and Third World living standards” (Crouch, 1996:134).
NB: List all authors to a maximum of three separated by a comma but the last
separated by an ampersand &. If more than 3 authors, list the first author followed by
“et al.”

8. In-text citation - Details to include (2)
If author’s name is included in the sentence put:
(Year of publication:page number)
In his analysis of equity and efficiency in public education, Crouch
(1996:134) noted that South Africa has elements of both a first world
country, and a third world country.
Crouch (1996:134) states that “South African society embodies both
First World and Third World living standards”.

9. In-text citation - Details to include (3)
If there is no author, use the first significant words of the
title. Usually, three words are enough for in-text citations.
Use ellipses for longer titles to indicate the omission of
words:
(“First significant words of title …”, year of publication)
There was a significant increase in foreign arrivals between November
and December (“Number of foreigners visiting …”, 2016).
“Number of foreigners visiting …” (2016) noted an increase in foreign
arrivals “from 1.3-million in November to 1.5-million in December”.

10. Reference list
• Full details of all the sources mentioned in
your work have to be listed at the end of the
paper.
• Details included in a reference are dependent
on the source type i.e. book, article, website
etc.

11. Referencing - Book
Author(s) – surname & initial Glimcher, P. W.
Date – year of publication 2011.
Title – italicised Foundations of neuroeconomic analysis.
Place of publication – town of publication New York:
Publisher – name of publisher Oxford University Press.
Glimcher, P. W. 2011. Foundations of neuroeconomic analysis.
New York: Oxford University Press.
Note: The names of all authors should appear in the reference list to a maximum of
eight. Add “et al.” after the eighth name when there are more than eight authors.

12. Referencing – Chapter in a book
Author(s) of chapter – surname & initial Johansson, A.C.
Date – year of publication 2012.
Title of chapter Financial repression and China’s economic imbalances.
Title of book – italicised & preceded by the word In In Rebalancing and
sustaining growth in China.
Editor(s) of book – initial & surname followed by Ed(s). H. McKay & L.
Song, Eds.
Place of publication – town of publication Canberra:
Publisher – name of publisher ANU E Press.
Page numbers - for chapter 45-64.
Johansson, A.C. 2012. Financial repression and China’s economic
imbalances. In Rebalancing and sustaining growth in China. H. McKay & L.
Song, Eds. Canberra: ANU E Press. 45-64.

13. Referencing – Print journal article
Author(s) – surname & initial Fuchs, V.R.
Date – year of publication 2000.
Title of article The future of health economics.
Title of journal – italicised & capitalised (except articles &
prepositions) Journal of Health Economics.
Journal volume and issue number as well as page number or the
beginning and end pages if it covers more than one page
19(2):141-157.
Fuchs, V. R. 2000. The future of health economics.
Journal of Health Economics. 19(2):141-157.

14. Referencing – Electronic journal with DOI
A DOI is a unique number that identifies electronic documents. It is guaranteed
never to change, so you can use it to link permanently to electronic documents.

15. Referencing – Electronic journal with DOI
Author(s) - Surname & initial Pons-Vignon, N. & Anseeuw, W.
Date – Year of publication 2009.
Title of article – Great expectations: working conditions in South Africa since
the end of apartheid.
Title of journal – italicised & capitalised (except articles & prepositions)
Journal of Southern African Studies.
Journal volume and issue number as well as page number or the beginning
and end pages if it covers more than one page 35(4):883-899.
DOI - DOI: 10.1080/03057070903313236.
Pons-Vignon, N. & Anseeuw, W. 2009. Great expectations: working conditions
in South Africa since the end of apartheid. Journal of Southern African
Studies. 35(4):883-899. DOI: 10.1080/03057070903313236.

16. Referencing – Electronic journal with stable URL/permalink

17. Referencing – Electronic journal with stable URL/permalink
Author(s) - Surname & initial Siebert, W.S.
Date – Year of publication 1987.
Title of article – Black trade unions and the wage gap in South Africa.
Title of journal – italicised & capitalised (except articles & prepositions)
Managerial and Decision Economics.
Journal volume and issue number as well as page number or the beginning
and end pages if it covers more than one page 8(1):55-65.
Stable URL or permalink - preceded by the word Available: Available:
http://www.jstor.org/stable/2560525
Date retrieved [2015, November 25].
Siebert, W.S. 1987. Black trade unions and the wage gap in South Africa.
Managerial and Decision Economics. 8(1):55-65. Available:
http://www.jstor.org/stable/2560525 [2015, November 25].

18. Electronic journal, neither DOI nor stable URL
Author(s) – surname & initial e.g. Moll, P.
Date – year of publication e.g. 1996.
Title of article e.g. Compulsory centralization of collective bargaining in
South Africa.
Title of journal – italicised & capitalised (except articles & prepositions) e.g.
American Economic Review.
Journal volume and issue number and page number or the beginning and
end pages if it covers more than one page e.g. 86(2):326-329.
Database – preceded by the word Available e.g. Available: Business
Source Premier
Date retrieved e.g. [2013, March 12].
Moll, P. 1996. Compulsory centralization of collective bargaining in South
Africa. American Economic Review. 86(2):326-329. Available: Business
Source Premier [2013, March 12].

19. Referencing – Print newspaper article
Author(s) - Surname & initial Byforde-Jones, C.
Date – Year of publication 2003.
Title of article Hitches over mixed farming wages.
Title of newspaper – italicised & capitalised (except articles &
prepositions) Natal Witness.
Date – day of publication including pages number 2 May:11.
Byforde-Jones, C. 2003. Hitches over mixed farming wages. Natal
Witness. 2 May:11.

20. Referencing – Online Newspaper article
Author(s) - Surname & initial Maswanganyi, N.
Date – Year of publication 2016.
Title of article SA can avoid a rating downgrade to junk status.
Title of newspaper – italicised & capitalised (except articles & prepositions)
Business Day.
Date – day of publication 9 February.
URL – preceded by the word Available:
Date retrieved [2016, February 11].
Maswanganyi, N. 2016. SA can avoid a rating downgrade to junk
status. Business Day. 9 February. Available:
http://www.bdlive.co.za/economy/2016/02/09/sa-can-avoid-a-rating-
downgrade-to-junk-status [2016, February 11].

21. Referencing – Online Newspaper (No author)
Title of article Number of foreigners visiting SA rose sharply in
December.
Date – Year of publication 2016.
Title of newspaper – italicised & capitalised (except articles & prepositions)
Business Day.
Date – day of publication 10 February.
URL – preceded by the word Available:
Date retrieved [2016, February 15].
Number of foreigners visiting SA rose sharply in December. 2016.
Business Day. 10 February. Available:
http://www.bdlive.co.za/business/transport/2016/02/10/number-of-
foreigners-visiting-sa-rose-sharply-in-december [2016, February 15].

22. Referencing – Online Newspaper from an electronic database
Author(s) - Surname & initial Paton, C.
Date – Year of publication 2012.
Title of article New farming wage model to be sought.
Title of newspaper – italicised & capitalised (except articles & prepositions)
Business Day.
Date – day of publication 23 November.
Database – preceded by the word Available: Available: LexisNexis
Academic
Date retrieved [2016, February 5].
Paton, C. 2012. New farming wage model to be sought. Business Day.
23 November. Available: LexisNexis Academic [2016, February 5].

23. Referencing - Website (personal authors)
Author(s) - Surname & initial Dreschler, D. & Hallam, D.
Date – Year resource was produced or last updated
2009.
Title of resource - italicised Buying land in developing
nations: challenges and promises.
URL – preceded by the word Available:
Date retrieved - date resource was accessed [2015,
March 16].
Dreschler, D. & Hallam, D. 2009. Buying land in developing
nations: challenges and promises. Available:
http://www.voxeu.org/article/buying-land-developing-
nations [2015, March 16].

24. Referencing - Website (group or corporate author)
Author(s) - Name of organisation Organisation for
Economic Co-operation and Development.
Date – Year resource was produced or last updated 2015.
Title of resource -italicised Health care quality indicators -
primary care.
URL – preceded by the word Available:
Date retrieved - date resource was accessed [2017,
February 9].
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
2015. Health care quality indicators - primary care.
Available: http://www.oecd.org/els/health-systems/hcqi-
primary-care.htm [2017, February 9].

25. UCT Author-Date Reference Guide
• More examples of referencing other sources
available in the UCT Author-date: Reference
Guide
• The guide is available from Libraries’ website

26. Go to: www.lib.uct.ac.za
Hover your mouse on
Research Help

27. Click on Referencing help

28. UCT Author-date Reference Guide

29. Reference guide

30. Reference examples

31. Need more help?
maureen.chiware@uct.ac.za