Download Numeric Style: In-text citations crib sheet

Numeric Style: In-text citations
crib sheet
A citation should appear in the text of your assignment wherever you use a quote or incorporate an
idea you have taken from another source. In the Numeric style, the citation is a number that refers
the reader to a corresponding reference in your reference list. The first source cited in your work is
allocated number 1; the second is allocated number 2, and so on. This crib sheet provides advice
on how to set out citations in a number of different scenarios. You can either look through the
whole document or use the contents list to go straight to the type of citation you want to use.
Part 1: Citing in your text
1. Inserting your first citation
2. Adding further citations
3. Multiple references to the same source
4. Citing multiple items
5. Citing an item referred to by another author
6. Page numbers
Part 2: Citing different items
1. Citing images, tables and diagrams,
2. Films, videos and broadcasts
1. Inserting your first citation
In the Numeric style, the citation is indicated by a number. You should insert the citation number directly after a source
is referred to in your text, even if this is in the middle of sentence. It is acceptable to place a citation number at the end
of a paragraph, if the entire paragraph is referring to the same source. Every citation should be labelled within your text
by using a number in brackets (1).
Examples:
Aitchison (1) suggests that language change is inevitable, but not a bad thing.
One leading expert suggests that language change is inevitable, but is not a bad thing (1).
2. Adding further citations
The first item you cite is allocated number 1, the second item is allocated number 2, and so on throughout your piece of
work.
Example:
According to a recent Mintel report (1, p.5), climate change is a high priority for the government
as well as being a concern for the general public. Wigley (2, p.26) identifies increasing
emissions of so-called greenhouse gases as the major contributing factor towards climate
change.
3. Multiple references to the same item
Once an item has been allocated a number, this number is used again if you refer to the same source at a later point in
your work.
Example:
According to the Environment Agency (1, p.10), road transport accounts for 25% of the UK’s
total carbon dioxide emissions, which are seen as a contributing factor to climate change. A
recent Mintel report (2, p.5) highlighted climate change as a high priority for the government as
well as the general public. With road transport set to grow by 33% over the next 20 years (1,
p.11), it is important for governments, businesses and individuals to act now to reduce the
impact that transport is having on the global environment.
The number (1) appears more than once as both statistics came from the same Environment agency report.
4. Citing multiple items
If you refer to two or more sources at the same time, these can be cited together. The numbers of the sources are
placed inside one pair of brackets, separated by commas.
Example:
With road transport set to grow by 33% over the next 20 years (2,3), it is important for
governments, businesses and individuals to act now to reduce the impact that transport is
having on the global environment (7, 12, 35).
If you refer to three or more different sources at the same time and they have consecutive citation numbers, e.g. 3, 4
and 5, a dash can be used to abbreviate this.
Example:
With road transport set to grow by 33% over the next 20 years (3-5)...
The dash indicates that number 4 is also being cited.
5. Citing an item referred to by another author
You should always try to track down the original work but, if this is not possible and you intend to cite the ideas of one
author that you have found in the work of another, your text must refer 1) to the original author of the idea you are
using, and 2) to the source in which you actually found the idea.
Example:
If you were quoting Brown, as cited in a work by Matthews:
Matthews (5, p.17) cites Brown, who emphasises that citations in a text must be consistent.
Please note: Your reference list should only give details of the source in which you actually found the idea, in this case
the work by Matthews.
6. Page numbers
You should include page numbers when you quote directly from the text, paraphrase specific ideas or explanations, or
use an image, diagram, table, etc from a source.
Example:
"It was emphasised that citations in a text should be consistent" (1, p.24)
If you are citing a source that has no page numbers, use (no pagination) in the in-text citation.
Example:
"It was emphasised that citations in a text should be consistent" (1, no pagination).
When referencing a single page you should use p. and for a range of pages use pp.
Example:
p.7 or pp.20-29.
Part 2: Citing different items
1. Citing images, tables and diagrams
You should provide an in-text citation for any photographs, images, tables, diagrams, graphs, figures or illustrations
that you reproduce in your work, and provide a full reference as with any other type of work.
They should be treated as direct quotes in that the relevant page number should be included after the reference
number.
Example:
Figure 1, A four pointed star (8, p.22)
If you use a table/graph, etc. from a source and then adapt it to use in your own assignment, you must make that clear
in your reference.
We would suggest:
Figure 1, Title, based on 8, p.22
2. Films, videos and broadcasts
If you refer to a film, video or broadcast you should insert a number citation as you would with any other source but
in your reference list you would put the title as the first element of your reference rather than an individual author.
Example:
Citizen Kane. [Film]. Orson Welles. dir. USA: RKO Radio Pictures, 1941