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Workshops indexTask B: Citing authorities in your text
Summary
Scientific writing at UNE uses the APA referencing system, where the author’s surname and date of publication are inserted in the text. UNE referencing explains how to reference using this style. Other people’s ideas, words, figures or tables in your writing must be referenced in the text of your assignment. This task introduces you to some basic in-text referencing conventions.
What will I learn?
Using in-text references
The person who marks your assignment should be able to find and check all your sources of information in your writing. Providing details about your sources of information in your writing is called in-text referencing.
You must use in-text references for direct quotations, paraphrases/summaries (indirect quotations), and secondary references. You also need to understand how to use author orientation.
Direct quotations
You are using direct quotations when you copy the exact words of the author. There are two types of direct quotations:
- Short quotations are less than three lines or 30 words. The conventions you must follow for using short quotations are:
- use single quotation marks
- flow with the text of the sentence.
- Long/block quotations are more than 40 words. The conventions you must follow for using long quotations are:
- right indent
- use single spacing, where the rest of your essay may be double spaced
- introduce with a colon (other options may apply)
- begin with a capital letter (other options may apply).
For example:
It has been found that "in many grassland plants
seed size is inversely related to seed production rates" (Brown & Kristiansen,
1998, p. 76).
Note: You do not use quotation marks for block quotations.
For example:
The implications of gametic imprinting were discussed by Ruvinsky (1999, p. 235):
Gametic imprinting reveals that the expression of some alleles can be different depending on the paternal or maternal germ line pathway used for the allele to enter the zygote. Growth and development are among the traits affected by gametic imprinting.
[NB: The following full reference would not be included in-text; it is reproduced here to avoid plagiarism. Ruvinsky, A. (1999), Basics of gametic imprinting, Journal of Animal Science, 77, 228-237.]
Paraphrases and summaries (indirect quotations)
You are paraphrasing and summarising when you use your own words to express the ideas and opinions of other writers. Paraphrases and summaries must be referenced using the UNE referencing system.
Note: When paraphrasing, only the name of the author/s and year of publication are cited.
Secondary references
You are using secondary references when you refer to the work of an author you have NOT read who has been cited in the work of another author you HAVE read (e.g. authors referred to in your textbooks). As you have not read the author's work, you must acknowledge this by using a secondary reference. You need to add 'cited in' to your reference.
For example:
(Simpson, 2001. as cited in Fielding & Jones, 2005)
Author orientation
When you write an in-text reference you must give the name of the author(s). There are two ways you can place the name of the author(s) in your writing:
- Strong author orientation is when you put the name of the author(s) at the beginning of your information, followed by an appropriate verb.
For example:
Brown and Kristiansen (1998) found that seed production rates are inversely related to seed size in many grassland plants.
- Weak author orientation is when you give prominence
to the information by including the author's name in the brackets of
your reference.
For example:
Seed production rates have been found to be inversely related to seed size in many grassland plants (Brown & Kristiansen, 1998).
Note: The principles of author orientation apply to direct quotations, paraphrases and secondary quotations.
This activity gives you practice with in-text referencing.
Activity
The following paragraph is taken from an article in a first-year unit handbook.
As the primary producers of energy in virtually all animal and plant cells, mitochondria are crucially important to proper growth and function. In addition mitochondria are also the major producers of potentially injurious free radicals and a major source of apoptosis-inducing agents, so that they also play fundamental roles in numerous pathological conditions when they become dysfunctional.
[Source: Dykens, J.A., Davis, R.E., & Moos, W.H. (1999), Introduction to mitochondrial function and genomics, Drug Development Research, 46, 2-13.]
Following are 4 different ways of using information from the above excerpt in your writing. Select the type of in-text reference that has been used in each example.
Example 1
Mitochondria are the cell's essential energy producers and are imperative to the cell's viability. If mitochondrial function is abnormal, cell disruption and disease are likely to occur (Dykens, Davis & Moos, 1999).
Example 2
Dickens, Davis and Moos (1999, p. 8) state:
As the primary producers of energy in virtually all animal and plant cells, mitochondria are crucially important to proper growth and function. In addition mitochondria are also the major producers of potentially injurious free radicals and a major source of apoptosis-inducing agents, so that they also play fundamental roles in numerous pathological conditions when they become dysfunctional.
Example 3
Mitochondria are the cell’s essential energy producers and thus imperative to the cell’s viability. They are also a source of free radicals and cell destroying agents that can disrupt cell function. If mitochondria are abnormal, disease is likely to occur (Dykens, Davis & Moos, 1999, as cited in BIOL 110 Unit Handbook 2006).
Example 4
"As the primary producers of energy in virtually all animal and plant cells, mitochondria are crucially important to proper growth and function" (Dykens, Davis & Moos, 1999, p. 8).
Now select the type of author orientation that has been used in the following two examples.
Example 5
Dykens, Davis and Moos (1999) state that mitochondria are the cell's essential energy producers and imperative to the cell’s viability.
Example 6
If mitochondrial function is abnormal, cell disruption and disease are likely to occur (Dykens, Davis & Moos, 1999).
This activity tests whether you can recognise correct in-text referencing.
Activity
The following paragraph is taken from an article in a first-year unit handbook. Read the sentences that follow and decide which ones use correct in-text referencing conventions.
As the primary producers of energy in virtually all animal and plant cells, mitochondria are crucially important to proper growth and function. In addition mitochondria are also the major producers of potentially injurious free radicals and a major source of apoptosis-inducing agents, so that they also play fundamental roles in numerous pathological conditions when they become dysfunctional.
[Source: Dykens, J.A., Davis, R.E., & Moos, W.H. (1999), Introduction to mitochondrial function and genomics, Drug Development Research, 46, 2-13.]
Example 1
As the primary producers of energy in virtually all animal and plant cells, mitochondria are crucially important to proper growth and function.
Example 2
Mitochondria are considered vital organelles:
"As the primary producers of energy in virtually all animal and plant cells, mitochondria are crucially important to proper growth and function. They also play fundamental roles in numerous pathological conditions when they become dysfunctional."
Example 3
Mitochondria are considered vital organelles:
As the primary producers of energy in virtually all animal and plant cells, mitochondria are crucially important to proper growth and function. They also play fundamental roles in numerous pathological conditions when they become dysfunctional (Dykens, Davis, & Moos, 1999, p. 8).
Example 4
Dykens, Davis and Moos (1999, p. 8) state that:
as the primary producers of energy in virtually all animal and plant cells, mitochondria are crucially important to proper growth and function. In addition mitochondria are also the major producers of potentially injurious free radicals and a major source of apoptosis-inducing agents, so that they also play fundamental roles in numerous pathological conditions when they become dysfunctional.
More info
- UNE referencing
- APA referencing example (ASO fact sheet)
Citing tables and figures in your text
The sources of all tables and figures must be acknowledged unless they are entirely from your own research work. Tables and figures follow the APA referencing conventions.
- Use the same format as you would for an in-text reference. Give the surname of the author, the year of publication and the page number.
- If you have changed the figure or table in some way, or only used part of the information, begin the citation with 'adapted from'.
- The information is enclosed by brackets.
- Place the reference immediately after the title or caption.
Note: The title for a table goes ABOVE the table; the title for a figure goes BELOW the figure.
See FAQ No 6 about tables and diagrams in essays and reports for more information.
This activity tests your knowledge of referencing conventions for tables and figures.
Activity
In the following table, click on the parts of the title in the correct sequence.
Cumulative water loss (uL/cm2) |
||
|---|---|---|
Time (mins) |
Light |
Dark |
10 |
200 |
10 |
20 |
450 |
20 |
30 |
700 |
30 |
40 |
950 |
30 |
50 |
1250 |
40 |
60 |
1450 |
50 |
In the following figure, click on the parts of the title in the correct sequence.