Western Sydney University

REFERENCING
Referencing acknowledges the sources that you used to write your essay or assignment paper. Please see
the section of this guide regarding intellectual honesty and plagiarism.
VANCOUVER REFERENCING STYLE GUIDE
In-text citations are used throughout your writing to acknowledge the sources of your information. The
full references for the citations are then listed at the end of your assignment paper in the list.  Proceedings of meetings and
 Referencing symposiums, conference
It is important to first consult your unit outline, lecturer or tutor for the preferred citation style for each
papers
unit you undertake  Academic Honesty and
Plagiarism  Systematic reviews
ACADEMIC HONESTY AND PLAGIARISM  About the Vancouver style
 Government report (online)
 In-text citation:
At Western Sydney University plagiarism falls within the framework of the Student Misconduct Rule and  Lecture (unpublished) /
Referencing sources within
its associated guidelines personal communication
the text
Further information about the importance of academic honesty is available on the Library website  Reference list  Thesis
 Web page
 Electronic items
ABOUT THE VANCOUVER STYLE  Referencing secondary
sources
The Vancouver style is a widely used numbered system of referencing or bibliographic citation. The
citation style was originally based on the rules proposed by the International Committee of Medical
Journal Editors; they are now maintained by the US National Library of Medicine.  Single author
 Two to six authors
This guide covers basic explanations and examples for the most common types of citations used by
 Seven or more authors
students. It is based on Citing Medicine: The NLM Style Guide for Authors, Editors, and Publishers (online)
 No author
and the American Medical Association Manual of Style, which are available from the library. If you are
 Edited book
unable to find the referencing example you require in this guide, more detailed information and examples
 Chapter or article in book
can be found in the above publications. Also see the websites:
 Chapter or article in an edited
The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (http://www.icmje.org/) book
The National Library of Medicine (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/bsd/uniform_requirements.html).  E-book

For further support, please contact the library:

o Phone 02 98525353  Journal article (print version)

 Journal article (full-text from
o Email
electronic database)
 Non-English journal article
o Online Librarian
translated into English
 Newspaper article (available in
print)
 Newspaper article (from
electronic database)
 Article (from the Internet, not
available in print version)

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REFERENCE LIST IN-TEXT CITATION: REFERENCING SOURCES WITHIN THE TEXT

A reference list includes details of the sources cited in your paper. It starts on a separate page at the end Throughout the text of your paper you need to acknowledge the sources used in your writing. Whenever
of your assignment paper and is titled Each item cited in the reference list must have been you present a statement of evidence such as a quote, or when you use someone else's ideas, opinions or
cited in your paper. All sources appearing in the reference list are listed in the theories in your own words (paraphrasing), you must acknowledge your sources.
(not alphabetically).
The reference list is a numbered list and should be with each The Vancouver citation style is a numbered system whereby the authorship is acknowledged using a

entry. number to represent the reference, which the reader can find under the corresponding number in the
reference list. This number is static, meaning that the same number is used every time you wish to cite a
in the Vancouver style is very specific. The following general rules apply:
particular reference at any point in your document.
Book titles - capitalise the first letter of the first word of the title, and the first letter of the first word after It should be noted that the numbers are inserted to the right of commas and full stops, and to the left of
a colon. colons and semi-colons. You can insert numbers as superscript e.g. 1 or in parentheses
e.g. (1). If you wish to cite two or more references together, place a comma between the numbers, e.g. 1, 2 or
e.g. Ageing and aged care in Australia.
(1, 2). If you wish to cite a series of consecutive references use a dash, e.g. 2-5 or (2-5). Page numbers can be
Brave new brain: Conquering mental illness in the era of the genome.
given in parentheses after the reference number e.g. 2(p34) or 3(pp4,6).
Journal and newspaper titles - capitalise first letter of each word use the appropriate abbreviation for Below are some examples of how to cite sources within the text of your paper.
journal names (see section on journal articles in this guide). If you use the name of the author(s) in your writing, place the number of the reference after the name e.g.

e.g. J Educ Psychol.

Mullan1 described narration as…
Article, chapter or section titles - capitalise only the first letter of the first word, and the first letter of the
first word after a colon. If you refer to a work in the text of your paper, place the reference number at the end of the sentence e.g.

The narration of works can be divided into two.1

e.g. Personal resilience as a strategy for surviving and thriving in the face of workplace adversity: A
literature review.
Note: When you summarise the general idea of a source in your own words, you must cite the author or
Pronouns, acronyms and abbreviations that are normally capitalised should be capitalised in the body responsible for the work.
reference list and citations. For further information on capitalisation see examples on the following pages
If you directly quote fewer than four lines of a quote, enclose the quotation by quotation marks
for each reference type.
within the text. The page number(s) should be provided following the reference number e.g.
Also note that bibliographic elements within each entry are separated by a full stop, and parts of these Mullan1(p215) explained that tone should be “anti-solemn”.
elements are separated by commas, colons and semi-colons See examples on the following pages for each
reference type If the quotation is greater than 4 lines it should be displayed in a block, in a reduced font size without
quotation marks.
Sources that are not readily retrievable should be listed in the References list, but should be cited
within the text of your paper. These sources include personal communications (oral, written and Mullan1(p41) stated that:
electronic) and unpublished/yet to be published works. James is making an argument about a singular novel, but that last phrase is evidence
enough of his disdain for the form in general. He expresses this elsewhere in his criticism
and correspondence, notably in an extraordinary letter to H. G. Wells. In 1911 Wells had
sent James a copy of his latest novel, The New Machiavelli (1911), which is narrated in the
first person.

Sources that you cite in your writing are listed in detail at the end of your document in a reference list.

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ELECTRONIC ITEMS

When referencing electronic resources it is necessary to give details of where an item is . This
1. Andreasen NC. Brave new brain: Conquering mental illness in the era of the genome. Oxford:
may be a URL or a database name. e.g. Oxford University Press; 2001.

2. Schneider Z, Whitehead D, Elliott D. Nursing and midwifery research: Methods and appraisal for
Atkin M Bermagui forest disputed turf. The Hack Half Hour 2008 November 13 cited 2009 April evidence-based practice. 3rd ed. Marrickville, NSW: Elsevier Australia; 2007.
2]. Available from: http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/hack/notes/
3. Davis M, Charles L, Curry MJ, et al. Challenging spatial norms. London: Routledge; 2003.

Cited dates are required for sources accessed online where the material is subject to change. See examples
4. Merriam-Webster’s collegiate dictionary. 10th ed. Springfield, MA: Merriam Webster; 1993.
below and the publications listed above for more information.
5. Craven I, editor. Australian cinema in the 1990s. London: Frank Cass; 2001.

REFERENCING SECONDARY SOURCES 6. Knowles MS. Independent study. In: Using learning contracts. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass; 1986:
73-90.

7. Ferres K. Idiot box: Television, urban myths and ethical scenarios. In: Craven I, editor. Australian
The American Medical Association Manual of Style advises that authors should always consult the primary cinema in the 1990s. London: Frank Cass; 2001:175-188.
source of information and should not cite through a secondary source unless the primary source is not
readily available. Although not preferable, you may sometimes need to quote or paraphrase a source (A) 8. Storey KB. Functional metabolism regulation and adaptation [e-book]. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley &
Sons; 2004 [cited 2009 April 2]. Available from: NetLibrary database.
that is referred to within another source (B). The original source rather than the secondary source should
be given in the text of your paper. 9. Younger P. Using the internet to conduct a literature search. Nurs Stand. 2004;19(6);
45-51.
For example, the book you are using is written by Smith who quotes another author called Jones. In your
essay you wish to use Jones’ idea. In-text you should acknowledge Jones as follows:
10. Jackson D, Firtko A, Edenborough M. Personal resilience as a strategy for surviving and thriving in
the face of workplace adversity: A literature review. J Adv Nurs [serial online]. 2007;60(1):1-9. DOI:
10.1111/j.1365-2648.2007.04412.x
Jones1 agreed that the experiment failed to confirm this hypothesis.
or 11. Von Der Luhe I. I without guarantees: Ingeborg Bachmann's Frankfurt lectures on poetics [in
German]. Trans Kraus MT. New Ger Crit. 1982;8(27):31-56.
The experiment failed to confirm this hypothesis.1
12. Berkovic N. Handouts may not be sent: Tax office seeks quick resolution of High Court challenge.
The Australian. 2009 March 31;5.
Provide the details of the primary source (as given by the secondary source) and the secondary source in
your reference list: 13. Wentworth WC. Why we need a permanent base on the moon [Internet]. The Sydney Morning
Herald. 1984 January 24;11. Available from: Sydney Morning Herald Archive.

1. Jones C. Hypotheses. 2008. Cited by: Smith J. Analysing Hypotheses. Penrith: University of
Western Sydney; 2009:2.

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NO AUTHOR BOOKS, BOOK CHAPTERS AND BROCHURES

Title. Edition number. Place of publication: Publisher; year.

Reference list 4. Merriam-Webster’s collegiate dictionary. 10th ed. Springfield, MA:

Merriam Webster; 1993. Author AA. Book Title: Subtitle. edition number. Location: Publisher; year:pages.
In-text citation The Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary4 defines… or
or Editor AA, editor. Book Title: Subtitle. edition number. Location: Publisher; year:pages.
This can be defined as…4p11
SINGLE AUTHOR
Reference list 1. Andreasen NC. Brave new brain: Conquering mental illness in the era of the
EDITED BOOK genome. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2001.

Reference list 5. Craven I, editor. Australian cinema in the 1990s. London: Frank Cass; In-text citation Andreasen1 stated that…
2001. or
In-text citation Craven5 discussed the successful… It is suggested that…1
or

The film starred actors…5 TWO TO SIX AUTHORS

Reference list 2. Schneider Z, Whitehead D, Elliott D. Nursing and midwifery research:
Methods and appraisal for evidence-based practice. 3rd ed. Marrickville,
CHAPTER OR ARTICLE IN BOOK NSW: Elsevier Australia; 2007.

Reference list 6. Knowles MS. Independent study. In: Using learning contracts. San Note: Where there are six authors, list all six. Do not use ‘and’ or ‘&’ .
Francisco: Jossey-Bass; 1986:73-90.
In-text citation Knowles6 demonstrated that… In-text citation …is demonstrated.2
or or
6
This independent study showed… …as stated by Schneider et al.2

Note: List only the first author in the text, followed by et al.
CHAPTER OR ARTICLE IN AN EDITED BOOK
Reference list 7. Ferres K. Idiot box: Television, urban myths and ethical scenarios. In:
SEVEN OR MORE AUTHORS
Craven I, editor. Australian cinema in the 1990s London: Frank Cass;
2001:175-188. Reference list 3. Davis M, Charles L, Curry MJ, et al. Challenging spatial norms. London:
In-text citation Ferres7 discussed the television episode… Routledge; 2003.
or Note: If a book has seven authors or more, list the first three and abbreviate the
The television episode…7. remaining authors to et al. (meaning: "and others").

In-text citation This finding indicated…3

E-BOOK or
Reference list Davis et al3 found…..
8. Storey KB. Functional metabolism regulation and adaptation [Internet].
Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons; 2004 [cited 2009 April 2]. Available Note: List only the first author in the text, followed by et al.
from: NetLibrary database.

In-text citation Storey8 stated that…

or

Functional metabolism is…8

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NON-ENGLISH JOURNAL ARTICLE TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH JOURNAL ARTICLES, NEWSPAPER ARTICLES AND CONFERENCE
Reference list 11. Von Der Luhe I. I without guarantees: Ingeborg Bachmann's Frankfurt PAPERS
lectures on poetics [in German]. Trans Kraus MT. New Ger Crit. 1982;
8(27):31-56.
The titles of journals should be abbreviated. A search can be carried out to locate the details and
11
abbreviations of journal titles at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db-journals
In-text citation Von Der Luhe concludes that both states are essential
The format for more than one author is the same for all sources including journal articles, therefore, refer
or
to the examples for books in this guide.
…that both states are essential.11

Author AA, Author BB, Author CC. Article title. Journal/Periodical Abbreviation. Year;volume;pages.
NEWSPAPER ARTICLE (AVAILABLE IN PRINT)
Reference list 12. Berkovic N. Handouts may not be sent: Tax office seeks quick resolution
of High Court challenge. The Australian. 2009 March 31;
JOURNAL ARTICLE (PRINT VERSION)
Reference list 9. Younger P. Using the internet to conduct a literature search. Nurs Stand.
In-text citation Berkovic12 explained that handouts…. 2004;19(6);45-51.
or Note: Only give issue number for special/theme issues, or where the pagination
does not continue throughout the volume i.e. starts from 1 in each issue. Month or
It was suggested that handouts may not be sent.12 issue date is preferred over issue number.

In-text citation Younger9(p46) stated that the …

NEWSPAPER ARTICLE (FROM ELECTRONIC DATABASE)
or
Reference list 13. Wentworth WC. Why we need a permanent base on the moon [Internet].
The Internet can be used to conduct a literature search.9
The Sydney Morning Herald. 1984 January 24;11. Available from: Sydney
Morning Herald Archive.

In-text citation Wentworth13 stated that… JOURNAL ARTICLE (FULL-TEXT FROM ELECTRONIC DATABASE)
or Reference list When a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) number is available for the journal article
include this in the reference as follows:
….the engineered apple.13
10. Jackson D, Firtko A, Edenborough M. Personal resilience as a strategy for
surviving and thriving in the face of workplace adversity: A literature
ARTICLE (FROM THE INTERNET, NOT AVAILABLE IN PRINT VERSION) review. J Adv Nurs [serial online]. 2007;60(1):1-9. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-
2648.2007.04412.x
Reference list 14. Cooper D. Native ant may stop toad in its tracks. ABC Science [Internet].
2009 March 31 [cited 2009 April 2]. Available from: When no DOI number is available give the database name:
http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2009/03/31/2530686.htm
?site=science&topic=latest 1. Jackson D, Firtko A, Edenborough M. Personal resilience as a strategy
In-text citation Cooper14 stated that a ferocious ant… for surviving and thriving in the face of workplace adversity: A literature
review. J Adv Nurs [serial online]. 2007;60(1):1-9. Available from: Wiley
or InterScience.
…that meat ants may be able to help control toad numbers.14
Note: If the journal article is from a publicly accessible database online, give the
URL. e.g. Available from: http://www...

If an article is subject to change (i.e. pre-print version), give the date cited after the
year e.g. … 2007 [cited 2009 June 6];60(1):1-9.

In-text citation Jackson et al.10 found that…..

or
…was therefore conclusive.10

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THESIS PROCEEDINGS OF MEETINGS AND SYMPOSIUMS, CONFERENCE PAPERS

Reference list 27. Fayadh KH. The legal regulation of assisted reproductive technology in Reference list 15. Chang, SS, Liaw, L, Ruppenhofer, J editors. Proceedings of the Twenty-
Iraq: Lessons from the Australian approach [unpublished PhD thesis on Fifth Annual Meeting of the Berkeley Linguistics Society, February 12-15,
the Internet]. Penrith: Western Sydney University; 2015 [cited 2015 1999: General Session and Parasession on Loan Word Phenomena.
November 24]. Available from: http://handle.uws.edu.au: Berkeley: Berkeley Linguistics Soc.; 2000.
8081/1959.7/uws:32383
In-text citation Chang15 stated that…
In-text citation Fayadh27 showed that… or
or It has been found that…15
27
It was found...
SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS
Reference list 16. Osborn DA, Sinn JKH. Soy formula for prevention of allergy and food
WEB PAGE
intolerance in infants. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2006,
Reference list Issue 4. Art. No.: CD003741. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD003741.pub4.

In-text citation Osborne and Sinn stated that… 16

28. Este J, Warren C, Connor L, Brown M, Pollard R, O’Connor T. Life in the
clickstream: The future of journalism [document on the Internet]. Media or
Entertainment and Arts Alliance; 2008 [cited 2009 May 27]. Available It has been found that…16
from: http://www.alliance.org.au/documents/foj_report_
final.pdf

OTHER MATERIALS

GOVERNMENT REPORT (ONLINE)

33. Developing an argument [document on the Internet]. Princeton Writing
Center; no date [cited 2009 March 30]. Available from: http://web. Reference list 16. Department of Health and Ageing. Ageing and aged care in Australia
princeton.edu/sites/writing/Writing_Center/WCWritingResources.htm [Internet]. 2008 [cited 2008 November 10]. Available from: http://
www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/ageing
In-text citation Este et al.28 suggest that…
In-text citation The National Department of Health and Ageing17 reported that…
or
…is necessary to develop an argument.33 or

…was shown in the report.17

For further assistance with referencing please contact the library on 9852 5353.
LECTURE (UNPUBLISHED) / PERSONAL COMMUNICATION
Reference list Note: When you cite information spoken about in a lecture that has gone
unpublished it is treated as a personal communication and you do not need to
provide a reference list entry. All details are provided in the text e.g.

In-text citation … H. Dwyer stated that “neutrons are dangerous” (H0379 Lecture, Western
Sydney University, 2016 January 10).

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