Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Introduction to citing and referencing
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Citing and referencing are essential to the academic integrity of your research and writing. When you reference, you:
- demonstrate that you have read widely and understood your topic
- enable readers to verify your sources and find out more
- avoid plagiarism by acknowledging when you have used the ideas and words of others.
Getting good at referencing early will benefit you all through your studies and research career. Find out more about the importance of citing and referencing on the academic integrity website.
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Referencing is a crucial aspect of academic writing that acknowledges the sources you've used in your work by recording their details and presenting them in a standardised style. There are a few different referencing styles used at Unimelb. Your subject coordinator or subject Canvas site will let you know which style you should use.
Most referencing styles require in-text citations or footnotes throughout your writing and a reference list or bibliography at the end of your work.
Consistency is key; use the same style throughout your work and always check the Re:cite guidelines for the requirements of your chosen referencing style.
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You need to reference when you:
- express an author’s ideas in your own words (also known as paraphrasing)
- directly quote someone else's words
- use or refer to data and images found in your sources
You do not need to reference when you introduce, analyse, synthesise or conclude your ideas in your own words, or refer to common knowledge in your area of study.
For more information, have a look at the Academic Skills Incorporating Sources page.
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You will usually get marked on your referencing. This means you’ll lose marks if you don't reference, or if you don't reference properly.
However, referencing is important whether or not it will impact your marks. If you use information from someone else’s work and don’t reference it, it’s implied that those words or ideas are your own. This is a breach of academic integrity, and can have serious consequences.
This may also occur if you don’t reference properly. You should always reference sources correctly and consistently, according to the referencing style rules.
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Choosing a referencing style
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The referencing style you should use depends on your course requirements or your subject coordinator’s preference. In some cases, you will be permitted to choose your preferred style. The most popular styles are:
American Psychological Association (APA7)
APA7 is widely used in the social sciences, education, business, and engineering. It follows the author-date format for in-text citations and includes a reference list at the end of the document.
Chicago
The Chicago style is popular in the humanities and social sciences. It offers two citation styles: notes and bibliography, and author-date. The notes and bibliography style uses footnotes or endnotes for citations, while the author-date style is similar to the APA style.
The following styles are more discipline specific:
Modern Language Association (MLA)
MLA is used in literature, languages, and cultural studies. It uses in-text citations with the author's last name and page number, and a works cited list at the end.
Australian Guide to Legal Citation 4th Edition (AGLC4)
AGLC4 is a referencing style specifically used for legal citations and academic writing in the field of law in Australia. AGLC4 uses footnotes and a bibliography at the end of the document.
Vancouver (AMA)
Vancouver style is widely used in the fields of medicine, health sciences, and related disciplines and used numbered citations in-text and a reference list at the end of the document.
For more details about referencing style options, check the referencing styles guide in Re:cite.
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A reference list includes only the sources that were directly cited or referenced within the text.
A bibliography lists of all the sources used or consulted during the research process, whether cited directly or not.
Most referencing styles require a reference list (eg. APA7). The style guide for your chosen referencing style will specify the referencing requirements and include visual examples.
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In-text referencing styles use citations throughout the text, usually in brackets at the end of or within a sentence. They include the author's family name(s) and the year of publication, with a page number when directly quoting a source.
The full details of each source are included in a reference list at the end of the work.
A popular in-text referencing style is APA7. An APA in-text citation looks like this:
Many people like apples (Jones, 2025).
Other in-text styles include Chicago B (author-date) and MLA.
Each in-text referencing style is a bit different. Once you have selected your preferred reference style on Re:cite, we recommend checking the About section. This will help you to understand the requirements of the style.
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Footnote referencing styles use one superscript number at the end of a sentence. The number refers the reader to a footnote at the bottom of the page, which contains the details of the source(s) cited in that sentence.
Footnote styles include a bibliography at the end of the work. This includes the full details of everything cited in a footnote, plus any other works that were consulted but not cited.
A popular footnote referencing style is Chicago A (footnote). In Chicago A, a footnote number looks like this:
Many people like apples.1
The footnote with the details of the source is included at the bottom of the page. For example:
1Martha Jones, A Book About Apples (Publishing Company, 2025), 10.
Another footnote citation style is AGLC4, which is primarily used for law.
Each footnote referencing style is a bit different. Once you have selected your preferred reference style on Re:cite, we recommend checking the About section. This will help you to understand the requirements of the style.
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Numbered referencing styles use superscript numbers or numbers in brackets. Sources are assigned a number based on the order they appear in the text.
These numbers refer to a list at the end of the paper. This list provides the full details of each source, numbered and arranged in the order they first appear in the text.
A popular numbered referencing style is AMA style (Vancouver). In AMA style, a numbered in-text reference looks like this:
The case study1 indicated that many people like apples.
A reference list at the end of the paper would include the full details of the source, after the number 1.
Another numbered referencing style is IEEE, which is primarily used for engineering and information technology.
Each numbered referencing style is a bit different. Once you have selected your preferred reference style on Re:cite, we recommend checking the About section. This will help you to understand the requirements of the style.
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Reference management software and tools
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Using a citation generator or reference management software will make the process of creating references faster but it is not essential.
If you only need to reference a few sources, or you need to focus on writing an assignment, it could be more time efficient to create them manually. Have a look at the Options for managing references guide to determine which approach is right for you.
If you do decide you want to use a citation generator or reference management software, you can access all of the tools we support from the Reference management software page.
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Citation generators help you with the referencing process by generating references in your selected referencing style, which you can copy and paste into your bibliography or reference list.
It is important to understand the requirements of your style because citation generators are not always completely accurate.
You can find out more on our reference generators page.
ZoteroBib is a free and easy to use citation generator. Watch a short video about ZoteroBib to learn how to use it.
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Common referencing questions
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You may not always be able to find an exact example for the item you need to reference. However, it is possible, and okay, to piece together a reference by collecting information about your source, and by looking at a similar source type or combining a few in your selected style.
Most referencing styles use similar information to put together a reference. It can help to think about these questions for your item, but don’t worry if you can’t answer them all:
- Who is the author or creator?
- When was it created or updated? If relevant, when did you access it?
- What is the title?
- What is the format of the source? (this is important for some referencing styles if it’s an unusual source type, such as a podcast, lecture slides, brochure etc.)
- If you accessed it online, what is the URL (or DOI)?
- Is there any other information that would help someone find the item? (e.g. a publisher, or a series that the item is part of)
Once you have collected as much of this information as you can, look at the guidance for your preferred reference style on Re:cite. You may need to look at the About section, as well as one or more similar source types to create your reference. Pay attention to:
- The order of information, such as where the author, date and title are included in example references.
- Any punctuation and formatting, such as when to use commas, brackets and/or italics.
- Any special rules, such as what to do if you can’t find a publication date, or how to include information about the format of your source.
Replicating this for your source should allow you to create a citation that follows the requirements for your style.
If you need help, ask a librarian on Library Chat during library opening hours.
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There are several approaches to citation and acknowledgement practices when working with Indigenous Knowledges. When working closely with Indigenous knowledge holders, you should always recognise the expertise provided by those knowledge holders, including by listing them as co-researchers or co-authors in applications and publications.
The Indigenous Knowledges Research Guide includes advice on citation.
For citation examples and guidance on using Indigenous Knowledges, see the advice in APA7, Chicago A (footnote), and Chicago B (author-date).
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A DOI (Digital Object Identifier) is a unique alphanumeric string assigned to digital content, such as journal articles, books, book chapters or datasets. It serves as a permanent, persistent link to the content's location on the internet. DOIs are important for accurate referencing and linking to scholarly publications.
A typical DOI looks like this: 10.1080/14693062.2020.1798888
When citing or linking to content with a DOI, it's often presented in URL format:
https://doi.org/10.1080/14693062.2020.1798888
To find a DOI:
- Look on the first page of the article or on the online abstract page;
- Check the article's citation information;
- Search for the article on CrossRef using the title or other details.
Not all publications have DOIs, particularly older articles or those from smaller publishers. If there is no DOI, use the URL of the resource.
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Referencing a translated or non-English source will generally require additional information such as original and translated titles, the original language, and translator names. If you're unsure about the correct format, don't hesitate to ask your lecturer, tutor or a librarian for guidance. Have a look at the Referencing non-English language sources page on Re:cite for guidance.
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GenAI and referencing
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Before you use Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) for assessments you must check that your Subject Coordinator has authorised its use.
If you have used an AI tool or technology such as ChatGPT to generate an output which you either paraphrase or direct quote in your writing, you must cite and reference this output as a source in your reference list. Once you have selected your preferred reference style on Re:cite, check that style's guidance on how to cite GenAI content.
If you have used an AI tool or technology in any other way, check with your Subject Coordinator or check the subject guidelines for requirements to acknowledge its use. Follow this general guidance about acknowledging AI tools and technologies.
For more information about using GenAI, see the AI at Melbourne page.
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Before you use Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) for assessments you must check that your Subject Coordinator has authorised its use.
If you have used a source and ask a GenAI tool to create a reference for you, check Re:cite to make sure the reference contains all of the relevant information and that the formatting is correct.
Alternatively, you can use a reference generator such as ZoteroBib, which can create correctly formatted references. Reference generators are the most effective method for generating references.
If you use GenAI to generate your references, check with your Subject Coordinator or check the subject guidelines for requirements to acknowledge its use. Follow this general guidance about acknowledging AI tools and technologies.
For more information about using GenAI, see the AI at Melbourne page.
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Before you use Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) for assessments you must check that your Subject Coordinator has authorised its use.
While GenAI tools can suggest sources to reference, they are not always actual sources, correct in format, or the most relevant, high-quality sources for your topic. If an AI tool provides you with a reference, a first step is to check if the source actually exists. If it does exist, decide whether it is an appropriate source for your assignment, and then engage with the source yourself to develop an accurate understanding of its content. Also think carefully about how comprehensive and reliable the AI tool is at searching. Understanding the strengths and limitations of different search platforms and developing your search skills will help you to find the best sources to inform your research.
If you use GenAI to find sources or assist with your research or writing, check with your Subject Coordinator or check the subject guidelines for requirements to acknowledge its use. Follow this general guidance about acknowledging AI tools and technologies.
For more information about using GenAI, see the AI at Melbourne page.
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Further help
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You can find lots of resources and guides for citing and referencing in Re:cite.
Here's some suggestions:
- Watch a video to understand what citing and referencing actually is.
- Look at the getting started with referencing page for help with referencing and using sources in your writing.
- Check out all the major referencing styles used at the University of Melbourne, to help you choose which referencing style to use, and help with formatting your citations and references.
- Get started with using reference management software by watching a Zotero video or an Endnote video.
- Speak to an Academic Skills advisor for some one-on-one advice.
For general referencing help, ask a librarian through library chat or in person at our libraries.
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