Referencing in Research Papers, Dissertations and Theses

Citation Style	In-Text Citation	Bibliography/Reference List	Typical Academic Fields
APA (7th Edition)	(Gardner et al., 2016)	Gardner, B. S., Biswas, B., & Majeed, A. (2016). Land use land cover of Agra tehsil: A comparative study from 2002 to 2015. In Scholars Research Library Archives of Applied Science Research (Vol. 8, Issue 12). https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8159898	Social Sciences, Environment, Geography
MLA (8th Edition)	Gardner et al. (2016)	Gardner, Bob Stanley, Brototi Biswas, and Praveen Andrew Majeed. “Land use land cover of Agra tehsil: A comparative study from 2002 to 2015.” Scholars Research Library Archives of Applied Science Research, vol. 8, no. 12, 2016, pp. 1500-1513, https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8159898.	Humanities, Literature, Languages, Arts
Chicago/Turabian (Author-Date)	Gardner et al. 2016	Gardner, Bob Stanley, Brototi Biswas, and Praveen Andrew Majeed. 2016. “Land use land cover of Agra tehsil: A comparative study from 2002 to 2015.” Scholars Research Library Archives of Applied Science Research 8(12): 1500-1513. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8159898.	Humanities, History, Religious Studies, Law
Vancouver	Gardner et al 2016	Gardner BS, Biswas B, Majeed PA. Land use land cover of Agra tehsil: A comparative study from 2002 to 2015. Sch Res Libr Arch Appl Sci Res. 2016;8(12):1500-1513. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8159898.	Medicine, Science, Healthcare
American Physical Society (APS)	Gardner et al., 2016	Gardner, B. S., Biswas, B., & Majeed, A. (2016). Land use land cover of Agra tehsil: A comparative study from 2002 to 2015. In Scholars Research Library Archives of Applied Science Research (Vol. 8, Issue 12). https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8159898.	Physics, Engineering
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)	[1]	Gardner, B. S., Biswas, B., & Majeed, A. (2016). Land use land cover of Agra tehsil: A comparative study from 2002 to 2015. In Scholars Research Library Archives of Applied Science Research (Vol. 8, Issue 12), pp. 1500-1513. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8159898.

Referencing is a crucial aspect of academic writing, allowing you to acknowledge the work of others and demonstrate the foundation of your research. However, the specific style and format for referencing can vary depending on the discipline and publication guidelines. Here’s an overview of referencing in research papers, dissertations, and theses:

Purpose of referencing

1. Demonstrating Scholarship: References indicate that you have thoroughly researched your topic, understand the relevant literature, and know how your work fits within the broader academic conversation.
2. Supporting Claims: By citing sources, you provide evidence for the arguments and claims you make in your paper, which strengthens your work’s credibility.
3. Acknowledging Others’ Work: Proper referencing gives credit to the original authors and respects intellectual property rights, acknowledging the contributions of others to your field of study.
4. Avoiding Plagiarism: Accurate citation of sources is essential for avoiding plagiarism, a serious academic offence. It shows that you are using others’ ideas with integrity.
5. Facilitating Research: Well-documented references help other researchers locate sources quickly for their own research, fostering academic collaboration.

The process of referencing involves two main components: in-text citations and the bibliography or reference list.

• In-text citations are brief references within the body of your document that direct the reader to the more detailed citations in your bibliography or reference list. The format of in-text citations varies depending on the citation style you are using (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago).
• The bibliography or reference list appears at the end of your document and provides full details of each source you cited. It should be organized alphabetically by author’s last name or by the order in which the sources appear in your text, depending on the citation style.

Different academic fields often prefer specific citation styles. For example, the American Psychological Association (APA) style is commonly used in the social sciences, while the Modern Language Association (MLA) style is preferred in the humanities. The Chicago Manual of Style is widely used in history and some other fields. Each style has specific rules for formatting citations and organizing your reference list, so it’s important to consult the relevant style guide.

For further reading, you might consider “Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association” for APA style, “MLA Handbook” for MLA style, and “The Chicago Manual of Style” for Chicago style. Additionally, many universities provide specific guidelines for dissertations and theses, which can be found on their library or department websites.

How to reference?

Example:

In their comprehensive study, Gardner et al. (2016) provide a detailed analysis of the land use and land cover changes in Agra tehsil from 2002 to 2015. Utilizing remote sensing and GIS techniques, they offer insights into the significant impact of human activities on the region’s environment. This research is particularly valuable for understanding the dynamic relationship between socio-economic factors and environmental changes.

Bibliography
Gardner, B. S., Biswas, B., & Majeed, A. (2016). Land use land cover of Agra tehsil: A comparative study from 2002 to 2015. In Scholars Research Library Archives of Applied Science Research (Vol. 8, Issue 12). https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8159898

Creating a citation requires gathering different pieces of information depending on the specific source you’re referencing and the chosen citation style. Here’s a general overview of what you need:

For all sources:

• Author(s): This can be an individual, organization, or even a website depending on the source. Make sure you capture the correct and complete author information according to the style guide.
• Title of the source: This could be a book title, article title, website name, or other relevant identifier. Follow the style guide for capitalization and punctuation.
• Publication date: For printed materials, this is the year of publication. For online resources, look for the date of publication, creation, or last update.
• Publisher/Website: This is the publishing company or organization for printed materials or the website domain for online sources.

Depending on the source type:

• For books:
• Edition number (if applicable)
• City and state of publication
• Page numbers for specific references (quotes, etc.)
• For journal articles:
• Journal title (italicized, according to most styles)
• Volume and issue number
• Page range for the entire article
• For websites:
• URL (web address)
• Specific webpage title (if not the website name)
• Accessed date (optional, sometimes required by style guide)

Citing Sources in APA Style (7th Edition)

APA style, used widely in social sciences, psychology, and education, employs the author-date method for in-text citations and a detailed reference list at the end of your paper. Here’s a breakdown of how to reference in APA:

In-Text Citations:

• Single author: Include the author’s last name and year of publication within parentheses (Author, Year). Example: (Gardner, 2016).
• Two authors: Include both last names separated by a comma and an ampersand (&) within parentheses (Authors, Year). Example: (Gardner & Biswas, 2016).
• Three to five authors: List all authors’ last names in the first citation, followed by “et al.” in subsequent citations within the same paragraph. Example: (Gardner et al., 2016).
• Six or more authors: Use “et al.” after the first author’s last name in all citations.
• Multiple works by the same author(s) in the same year: Differentiate works by adding lowercase letters after the year (e.g., 2016a, 2016b).
• Direct quotes: Include page number(s) after the year within the parentheses (Author, Year, p. page number).
• Paraphrased or summarized material: No page number is needed, but include “(Author, Year)” at the end of the sentence.

Bibliography or Reference List:

Here are some specific examples of APA reference list entries:

• Book with one author: Gardner, B. S. (2016). Land use land cover of Agra tehsil: A comparative study from 2002 to 2015. In Scholars Research Library Archives of Applied Science Research (Vol. 8, Issue 12).
• Article in a journal with DOI: Gardner, B. S., and Biswas, B. (2016). Land use land cover of Agra tehsil: A comparative study from 2002 to 2015. In Scholars Research Library Archives of Applied Science Research (Vol. 8, Issue 12). https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8159898
• Website: Agra City – Mapping Around. (2024, January 23). Mapping Around. https://mappingaround.in/agra-city/