Reference entry

Examples of references for the style guide.

Reference lists should be restricted to references that back a statement or are the source of cited statistics, not a mix of references, explanatory notes and resources.

• explanatory notes should be included in the text
• where signposting guidance, policies, strategies and resources, provide the full title in the text and embed the URL

References should be easy to understand by anyone, not just specialists. They should follow the style guide. When writing a reference:

• do not use italics
• use single quote marks around titles
• if the reference is available online, embed it is a link where possible.
• write out abbreviations in full: page not p, volume not vol.
• use plain English, for example use ‘and others’ not ‘et al’
• do not use full stops after initials or at the end of the reference

Example

Neville, C 2010, The complete guide to referencing and avoiding plagiarism, Open University Press, New York, page 4 to 6