Introduction
One element of good practice at master’s level is ensuring that you are using the required referencing system. Whilst it’s possible in some situations that you may be free to choose whichever system you like, it’s far more likely that your School or tutors will require you to use a particular system dictated by the conventions of your discipline. Being able to recognise and follow the correct system is an important element of your professionalism as a taught master’s student.
In this page, we’ll look at the broad types of referencing system you may encounter, and help you begin to identify the specific system(s) used in your discipline area.
Types of referencing system
Referencing systems fall broadly into three different categories:
Type 1 – in-text
In-text citation systems are common in many disciplines, and usually involve a brief citation in brackets at the point in the text where you refer to the source, e.g. (Smith, 2020), and then a fuller reference at the end of your work in the Reference List or Bibliography.
Common examples of this type of referencing system include Harvard, APA (American Psychological Association), and MLA (Modern Languages Association).
Type 2- footnote
Footnote systems, as the name suggests, place a citation at the foot of the page, with a superscript number denoting the relevant point on the page to which the citation applies.
Footnote citations tend to be more detailed than in-text citations, so that the level of detail in the citation is often similar to that in the corresponding reference at the end of your work, although there will be some differences in format and content between the two.
Commonly used footnote systems include Chicago, MHRA (Modern Humanities Research Association) and OSCOLA (Oxford University Standard for the Citation of Legal Authorities).
Type 3 – numbered
Number systems are less common, but one widely used referencing system – Vancouver – does adopt this format.
Essentially, the citation is replaced by a number in the text, e.g. (4), with a full reference corresponding to that number in the reference list at the end of the work.
This means that a single source is associated with a particular number, so that the numbering within the body of the work may not be in sequence if that source is referred to at more than one point in the work.
Similarly, rather than being organised alphabetically by surname, as is the case in most other systems, in Vancouver the Reference List is organised numerically.
Establishing which system(s) you should use
Unfortunately there is no definitive list matching subjects to referencing systems.
Broadly speaking, some systems are more common in Science subjects (Vancouver, APA) and others in non-Science or Humanities subjects (MLA, MHRA, Chicago). The Harvard system is used widely across many different disciplines.
Some systems are closely associated with a particular subject, for example APA (Psychology) and OSCOLA (Law).
You should receive clear guidance from your School on the system(s) you are expected to use. This will probably be mentioned in your handbook and/or on My Dundee, and in some cases may be specified in the assessment brief. Never guess – if you can’t find the information in any of these places, ask.
You might also find it useful to check the relevant subject guides on the Library website. In most cases these have a section on Referencing, and in some cases this will point you to the appropriate system(s) in your area.
In some rare cases you may be free to choose whichever system you like. If you find yourself in that position, explore a few systems and decide which one you would find easiest to get right (Harvard is generally considered the most straightforward). The key thing in that situation is to be consistent and stick with whatever system you choose – never switch between systems in the same piece of work.
Referencing systems – summary and where to find more information
| System | Commonly used in | Guides |
| APA (American Psychology Association) | Psychology (sometimes used in other subjects) | APA Style Guide Cite Them Right |
| Chicago | Some non-science disciplines | The Chicago Manual of Style Cite Them Right |
| Harvard | Wide range of disciplines | Cite Them Right |
| MHRA (Modern Humanities Research Association) | Humanities | MHRA Style Guide Cite Them Right |
| MLA (Modern Languages Association) | Humanities | MLA Style Centre Cite Them Right |
| OSCOLA (Oxford University Standard for the Citation of Legal Authorities) | Law | OSCOLA 4th Edition and Quick Reference Guide Cite Them Right |
Summing Up
It’s important at master’s level that you show professionalism by following any required referencing systems accurately. Even where you have a choice of system, it’s important to choose carefully and be diligent in your application of that system.
Fortunately, there is plenty of help available. As a master’s student at the University of Dundee, you have access to Cite them Right, which offers a wealth of support in both the basics of referencing and in how to cite specific types of source. And many referencing systems also come with their own official guides.
So take some time to ensure that you are familiar with the system(s) commonly used in your discipline area and that you know where to find more guidance on those systems.
