Author – Date Referencing Examples Single author
Single author
Two or three authors
Four or more authors
Citing several sources at once
Multiple works by the same author
Chapter in an edited book
Article in a journal
Author unknown
Authors with the same surname
Separate Works
Work other than a first edition
Secondary reference
Personal communication
Pamphlet / Brochure
A work with no publication date
A work with an approximate publication date
Newspaper article - Specified author
Newspaper article – Unspecified author
Motion pictures and videos
Television programs
Government Publications
Single Author
A work with only one authorIn text reference:
The idea of progress is much overrated (Addington 1994:32-33)Addington (1994:32-33) states that…
In reference list:
Addington, H. 1994, Cultural Cringe: A Study of Change, Routledge, London.Two or three authors
Use ‘and’ between authors when in your sentence, but and ampersand (&) when in brackets. Use an ampersand in the reference list.In text reference:
King, Hunt and Lee (1992:23) claim…Climate change remains controversial (King, Hunt & Lee 1992:23)
In reference list:
King, T., Hunt, E. & Lee, L.J. 1992, Weather Matters, Harvard Press, Boston.Four or more authors
Cite only the first author’s surname, followed by et al. Record all the authors’ names in the reference list.In text reference:
Peters et al. (1995) base their study on the economic model.In reference list:
Peters, C., Suzuki, T., Corrigan, Y.T., Najar, P. & Thomas, E. 1995, New Economies for New Times, University of Chicago Press, Chicago.Citing several sources at once
In text, authors’ names are presented alphabetically and each reference is separated by a semicolon (;).In text reference:
Policy makers argue that the connection between science and business should not be viewed critically (Branscomb 1997; Noble 1993; Stokes 1997)In reference list:
Branscomb, I. 1997, Investing in Innovation, Routledge, New York.Noble, B. 1993, America by Design, Knopf, New York.
Stokes, D. 1997, Pasteur’s Quadrant, Brookings Institutional Press, Washington, DC.
Multiple works by the same author
Use a, b, c… to differentiate between works written in the same year.In text reference:
In her first study Sheldon (1996) supports the theory, but her two later studies (1999a, 1999b) modify this claim.In reference list:
Sheldon, S. 1996, Language Limits, Duckworth London.Sheldon, S. 1999a, ‘Morphemic resonance: A new dimension’, Discourse Studies, vol. 23, no. 4, pp. 67-72.
Sheldon, S. 1999b, ‘Rules and tools’, Journal of Semantics, vol. 43, Spring, pp. 23-45.
Chapter in an edited book
Two entries are requiredIn text reference:
Stories are an essential aspect of therapy (Phillips 1994:14).In reference list:
Phillips, J. 1999, ‘The psychodynamic narrative’, in Healing Stories: Narrative in Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, eds G. Roberts & J. Holmes, Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp. 7-15.Roberts, G. & Holmes, J. (eds) 1999, Healing Stories: Narrative in Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Article in a journal
In text reference:
Reid and Sand (1987:26) argue that …An earlier study (Reid & Sand 1987) suggests that …
In reference list:
Reid, J. & Sand, R. 1987, ‘The wood and the grove’, Journal of Mythology, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 23-34.Author unknown
Cite the name of the organisation that produced the work. If none, then use the title of the work.In text reference:
The NSW Board of Studies (2000:35) insists that literacy skills must be developed through all Key Learning Areas.Reducing friction is essential (‘Pressure care’ 2000:3).
In reference list:
NSW Board of Studies 2000, Revised Literacy Statement, NSW Board of Studies, North Sydney.‘Pressure care’ 2000, New Health Press, Perth.
Authors with the same surname
Co-authors of a workIn text reference:
Excellent advice is provided by de Leeuw and de Leeuw (1965) in their book …In reference list:
de Leeuw, M. & de Leeuw, E. 1965, Read Better, Read Faster, Penguin, Harmondsworth.Separate Works
In text, where it is necessary to distinguish one author from the other, use the authors’ initials. Place after the surname when in brackets, and before the surname when in a sentence.In text reference:
A recent report (Jones, R.W. 1991) indicated … but D.J. Jones (1993) has refuted the findings.In reference list:
Jones, D.J. 1993, Review of the Social Needs in the North West Region, FACS, Lismore, NSW.Jones, R.W. 1991, Report to the CARE Centre, DOCS Armidale, NSW
Work other than a first edition
Place the edition number after the title of the work.In text reference:
Poverty was the shaping factor (Sharpe 1997:22)In reference list:
Sharpe, J.A. 1997, Early Modern England: A Social History 1550-1760, 2nd edn, Arnold, LondonSecondary reference
To acknowledge the work of one author that you have found in the work of another. Record only the work that you have read in the reference list.In text reference:
Both are and nature are needs of the mind (Gombrich 1983 cited in Norrington 1989:22)[Name the author of the idea (and date if known), and give author, date and page number of the work where you read it.]
Use ‘quoted’ instead of ‘cited’ if the idea is directly quoted in your source.
In reference list:
Norrington, F.G. 1989, New Aesthetics: Life in Art, Faber, London.Personal communication
Information privately obtained by interview, letter, lecture, email etc.In text reference:
In a lecture on 12 May 1999, John McCarthy pointed out …The Client’s needs come first (J. Giddings, lecture 16 May 2002).
In an email communication on 3 May 1991, Peter Darnell explained …
Doubts were cast on the statistical methods used (P. Darnell 1991, pers. comm. 3 May).
In reference list:
[Personal communications are not listed in the reference list.]Pamphlet / Brochure
Cite the name of the organisation that produced the work. If none, then use the title of the work.In text reference:
Two legal services are available (Queensland Council of Social Reform 1999).The Queensland Council of Social Reform (1999) released the information …
In reference list:
Queensland Council of Social Reform 1999, Resources for Families in Crisis, Neasden Press, Brisbane.A work with no publication date
‘n.d.’ means ‘no date’In text reference:
Shaw (n.d.) found that …One study (Shaw n.d.) suggests …
In reference list:
Shaw, O. (n.d.), Reflective Learning, Faber, London.A work with an approximate publication date
Use the abbreviation ‘c.’ (circa = about).In text reference:
Giles (c. 1889) showed …(Giles c. 1889)
In reference list:
Giles, E. c. 1889, Australia Twice Traversed, vol. 2, Macarthur Press, Sydney.Newspaper article - Specified author
In text reference:
Target funding is not being met (Leech 1993:13).Leech (1993:13) suggests that …
In reference list:
Leech, G. 1993, ‘Call for research shake-up’, Australian, 11 August, p. 13.Newspaper article – Unspecified author
The initial article the is not included in the paper title and therefore is not italicised.In text reference:
Debt levels have fallen (Sydney Morning Herald 7 July 1977:3).The Sydney Morning Herald (28 Jan. 1992:7) featured …
In reference list:
‘Computer industry blamed’, Sydney Morning Herald, 7 July 1997, p. 3.Sydney Morning Herald, 28 Jan. 1992, p. 7.
Motion pictures and videos
In text, refer to the title and date of production as well as the format. In the reference list, include title, format, date and place of recording, publisher and any special credits.In text reference:
In The Third Man (motion picture 1949) …Australia’s Geological History (video recording 1986) explored …
In reference list:
The Third Man (motion picture) 1949, Great Britain, London Films, Producer Alexander Korda.Australia’s Geological History (video recording) 1986, Sydney, Outback Films.
