Referencing and Style Guide

2024-25

Harvard Referencing
adapted from Cite Them Right, 12th edition

For more detailed information and referencing examples, visit Cite

Them Right Online using your UCB login:
 Key Points about Referencing at UCB
Harvard style: This guide follows Harvard referencing according to
the 12th edition of Cite Them Right (2022), copies of which can be
found in the library. Students can also access Cite Them Right
Online via the QR code on the front page of this guide.
Word count: In-text citations are included in your assignment
word count. Your reference list is not included in your word count.
Referencing generators: UCB recommends writing your
references yourself. Students may use referencing generators, but
it is the student’s responsibility to check the formatting and
accuracy of all references before submitting work.
Academic Librarians: Students can meet with an Academic
Librarian (AL) to receive advice about referencing. ALs will read a
sample of a reference list and provide advice about how to
improve. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure all references
are correct before submitting work.
Guide Updates for 2024-25
This guide has been updated to include referencing examples for:
• Theses/dissertations found online
• Conference papers found online
• Generative AI tools.
***Important: Using generative AI tools is not permitted for
all assignments. Any use of AI must align with UCB’s AI
guidance, available here:

1
 Table of Contents
Referencing at UCB ............................................................................................................... 4
How to Use This Guide .......................................................................................................... 5
How to Reference .................................................................................................................. 6
Punctuation Guide ................................................................................................................. 7
For in-text citations: ....................................................................................................................... 7
For references: .............................................................................................................................. 7
Section 1: In-Text Citations ................................................................................................ 8
Citation Examples ......................................................................................................................... 9
No Author .................................................................................................................................... 10
Acronyms .................................................................................................................................... 10
Two or Three Authors.................................................................................................................. 11
Four or More Authors (et al.) ....................................................................................................... 11
Multiple Works by the Same Author ............................................................................................ 12
Using Multiple Sources to Support One Idea ............................................................................... 12
Missing Information ..................................................................................................................... 13
Secondary Referencing (‘Cited in’) .............................................................................................. 13
Direct Quotes .............................................................................................................................. 14
Numerical Citations for Poster Assignments/Presentations ................................................. 15
Section 2: References ....................................................................................................... 16
Books and ebooks ....................................................................................................................... 16
Chapter in an edited book ........................................................................................................... 17
Journal articles ............................................................................................................................ 18
Websites ..................................................................................................................................... 19
Reports ....................................................................................................................................... 20
Acts of parliament (legislation) .................................................................................................... 21
Photographs from own collection................................................................................................. 22
Photographs from the internet ..................................................................................................... 22
Photographs from the internet with no creator ............................................................................. 23
Figures, diagrams and tables from a book................................................................................... 23
Newspaper articles accessed online ........................................................................................... 24
Canvas material .......................................................................................................................... 24
Social media posts ...................................................................................................................... 25
Personal communication (email, video call, etc.) ......................................................................... 26
YouTube videos .......................................................................................................................... 26

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 Blogs ........................................................................................................................................... 27
Theses and dissertations............................................................................................................. 27
Conference papers published online ........................................................................................... 28
Generative AI – Important Note ................................................................................................... 28
Generative AI – Chat Conversations ........................................................................................... 29
Generative AI – Photos and art ................................................................................................... 29
Reference Lists .................................................................................................................... 30
Further Referencing Resources ........................................................................................... 30
Example Reference List....................................................................................................... 31
Section 3: Presentation of Submitted Work .................................................................... 33
Essays ........................................................................................................................................ 33
Reports ....................................................................................................................................... 35
Business and Finance Reports .................................................................................................... 37
Presentations .............................................................................................................................. 37
The Academic Skills Centre .............................................................................................. 38

3
 Referencing at UCB
Harvard referencing is the official style of most courses at University
College Birmingham. It is important that students follow the
guidelines outlined in this document to reference assignments.
For 1-1 advice about referencing, book an appointment with an
Academic Librarian (AL). ALs will not read entire reference lists and
they will not point out all errors. ALs will read a sample of a
reference list and provide advice about how to improve. It is the
student’s responsibility to correct all errors before submission.

Use this QR code to book a referencing

appointment with an Academic Librarian.

Why is referencing so important?

Ethical grounds
• It helps you to avoid plagiarism.
• It gives the original author the credit they deserve.
Academic grounds
• It provides the required evidence for supporting your ideas and
arguments.
• It demonstrates the range of your reading to lecturers.
Practical grounds
• It enables lecturers to locate the sources you have used.
• It enables you to relocate the sources you have used.

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 How to Use This Guide
This guide provides an overview of how to reference in Harvard
style.
Section 1 of this guide provides guidance for and examples of in-
text citations.
Section 2 of this guide includes examples of the types of sources
you will be expected to use to research and write your assignments.
Each section looks like the example below.

1. This is the type of source.

2. This is a list of the information needed to correctly reference the
source, with advice about how to format that information.
3. This is what the reference for that source should look like. All
sources of the same type should be referenced the same way.
4. This is what the in-text citation for the source should look like.

Section 3 of this guides provides assignment formatting guidance.

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 How to Reference
Referencing is a way of acknowledging the sources you have used
in your assignments. Every time you refer to another person’s ideas
and works, you must indicate this by providing certain pieces of
information.
For every assignment, you must reference using two methods:
1. In-text citations to indicate where your information came from.
Citations are included in your overall word count.
• Correct referencing is key to producing high-quality
assignments (Smith, 2022, p. 15).

2. References that show the full publication information for your

sources. These should be formatted in an alphabetised
reference list at the end of your assignment. The reference list
is not included in your overall word count.
• Smith, J. (2022) The joy of referencing. 3rd edn. London:
Routledge.

Key points:
• Every citation must have a corresponding reference in the
reference list.
• Citations should include page numbers or paragraph numbers
indicating where the cited information came from. This is true
for direct quotes and paraphrased information.
• Do not put sources in the reference list which have not been
cited in the text of your assignment.
• References in reference lists must be arranged in alphabetical
order.

6
 Punctuation Guide
For in-text citations:
In-text citations should sit naturally within the text of your
assignments. Ensure that all sentences are punctuated correctly.
See the examples of correct punctuation below.

Incorrect punctuation placement could lose you marks on

your assignments.

According to Khan et al. (2023, p. 34), the main challenge for new
restaurants is making a profit.

When restaurants fail, it is usually attributed to slow business

(Mitchell and Lowe, 2021, p. 2; Jameel, 2024, p. 143).

Marketing influences the success or failure of a new venture

(Beele et al., 2022, pp. 6-7). According to Fenway (2020, p. 16),
good marketing is the strongest factor in determining a
restaurant’s success.

For references:
All punctuation that is shown in the example references in this guide
should be included in your own references. Missing out a comma,
full stop, colon, etc. could lose you marks.
Almost all references should end with a full stop (there are a few
exceptions). See the Example Reference List in this guide to see
what your final reference list should look like.

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 Section 1: In-Text Citations
You must provide a citation every time you refer to information that
was created or discussed by someone else. This means that every
source you refer to in the text of your assignment, including books,
journal articles, websites, videos, etc., should be accompanied by an
in-text citation.

Citations include three key pieces of information: the author’s

surname, the year the work was published and the page number (or
paragraph number) where the specific information being cited can be
found in the original source.

Harvard referencing does not use ‘Ibid.’ to refer to previously cited

items. If you are citing the same source twice in a row, you must
write the full citation again.
Key points:

• You must include in-text citations for paraphrased

information and direct quotes.

• In-text citations should include the page numbers (or

paragraph numbers or timestamps) showing where that
information can be found in the original source.

• The only time you do not have to include page numbers in

your citations is when you are referring generally to a source.

• Each source you have cited in your work needs a

corresponding reference in your reference list. Even if you
have cited the same source multiple times, it only needs one
reference in your reference list.

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Citation Examples
A citation includes three pieces of information: the surname of the
author, the year of publication and the page number(s) where the
information can be found in the original source.
There are two ways of formatting in-text citations:
1. When you provide information from a source but do not name
the author in your writing, the citation should be placed in round
brackets at the end of the sentence:
• Referencing is an important factor in achieving good results
for assignments (Neville, 2021, p. 109).

2. When you do name the author in your writing, the date and
page number should be placed in brackets directly after the
author’s name:
• Neville (2021, p. 24) states that referencing is necessary for
academic success.

If you have cited from multiple pages, use pp. instead of p. and list
all page numbers used:
• Correct referencing has been proven to improve grades (Neville,
2021, pp. 68-69).

If page details are not clear, then you can use chapter numbers and
paragraph numbers or %:
• (Ali, 2022, p. 10) or (Ali, 2022, ch. 2, para. 9) or (Ali, 2022, 14%)

If you are referring generally to a work, you do not need to include a

page number:

• Two of the largest studies were conducted in Scotland (Kemper,

2021; Priti et al., 2024).

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No Author

When there is no author named, the name of the organisation or

website that produced the information should be given instead:

• The Department for Education (2022, p. 12) states that

observation of children is key to assessing their development.

Acronyms

It is acceptable to use acronyms to shorten the names of

organisations, but it must be done following the guidelines below
unless the acronym is widely used and understood (like the NHS).

On first mention, the name must be written out in full. You should
include the acronym in round brackets directly after:

• The birth rate in the UK has remained steady over the past year
(Office for National Statistics (ONS), 2024, para. 3).
• The Office for National Statistics (ONS) (2024, para. 5) reports
that the UK’s population has increased since 2020.

On second mention, and on every mention after, you may use only
the acronym:

• The number of people immigrating to the UK has also increased

(ONS, 2024, para. 8).
• The ONS (2024, para. 7) confirms that the UK population is
projected to increase further in the next five years.

In your reference list, you should write out the full name of the
organisation. It is your choice whether to include the acronym in your
reference list as well.

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Two or Three Authors
Where there are multiple authors but fewer than four, all names
should be given in both the in-text citation and the reference list:

• It is important to minimise distractions when studying (Bedford

and Wilson, 2021, p. 134).

• It is suggested that a quiet workspace can improve focus (Irons,

Patel and Stone, 2019, para. 14).

See Section 2 of this guide for examples of two or three authors in a

reference list.

Four or More Authors (et al.)

If there are four or more authors, only the first author listed (this is
not necessarily the first author alphabetically) should be referred to
in citations and in the reference list, followed by et al.
Et al. is a Latin abbreviation meaning ‘and others’.
The phrase et al. should always be presented in italics in both
citations and the reference list:

• Moore et al. (2023, p. 492) assert that it is important to check the

credibility of sources when conducting research.
• Keeping track of one’s sources is a key part of organising
research (Danes et al., 2020, pp. 34-35).

See Section 2 of this guide for examples of et al. in a reference list.

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Multiple Works by the Same Author
If an author has produced multiple works within a single year, you
can differentiate between them by placing ‘a’, ‘b’, ‘c’, etc. after the
year in both citations and references. The source you cited first in
your assignment is given the letter ‘a’, the second is given ‘b’ and so
on.
Citations:
(Smith, 2022a, p. 45), (Smith, 2022b, p. 185), etc.
Reference list:
Smith, C. (2022a) Rubens and his art. London: Killinton Press.
Smith, C. (2022b) Flemish masters. Basingstoke: Phaidon Press.

Multiple works by the same author but published in different years

should be listed chronologically in the reference list with the earliest
first.

Huang, W. (2023) Wound care. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Huang, W. (2024) Emergency care for trauma patients. London:
Palgrave Macmillan.

Using Multiple Sources to Support One Idea

If you wish to show that you have read multiple sources that discuss
the same topic or support the same point, then you should put the
sources into chronological order (earliest first) and separate them
with a semi-colon.

This format should also be used if you create a table or chart using
information from different sources.
• (Adams and Birch, 2018, p. 14; Jones, 2021, pp. 1-2; Smith et al.,
2023, p. 162)
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Missing Information
It is extremely rare, but it is possible that you may come across an
academic source that does not provide the information you need to
write a full citation.
If no publication date is available, put ‘no date’ in brackets where
you would normally place the year. You must make every effort to
track down the date first.
• (Smith, no date, p. 245)

It is very rare, but if no author or author organization can be found,

use the title of the work. Do not use ‘Anon.’ or ‘Anonymous’.
• This was proven in a recent case study (Ecotourism, 2022).

Reference: Ecotourism (2022) Available at:

http://worldecotourism/guam/ (Accessed: 23 August 2025).

Secondary Referencing (‘Cited in’)

This technique may be used when a source you cannot access has
been referred to in a source you have accessed. Whenever
possible, you should access the original source of any
information you intend to use in your work. If you have made
every attempt but cannot locate the original source, you must
indicate this in the text of your assignment:
• Hughes (2010, cited in Andrews, 2023, p. 34) indicates that
during heuristic play children can show intense concentration.

• Jang (2018, quoted in Lewis, 2022, p. 86) states, “prices fell 30%”.

In your reference list, only include the sources you accessed. In the
examples above, these would be Andrews and Lewis.

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Direct Quotes

When quoting an author’s exact words, you must present their words
within double quotation marks and provide a page number or
paragraph number in your in-text citation to indicate where the
information can be found in the source.
If you choose to omit any part of the quotation, use three dots …
(these are called ellipses) to indicate this. If there are any spelling or
grammatical errors in the quote, do not correct them; instead, use
[sic] to point them out.

• Hands-on learning has been proven to be “beneficial for child

development…inside and outside of the classroom” (Carr et al.,
2023, p. 112).
• Jackson (2019, p. 19) claims that “many children miss out on
learning within the classroom because they cannot here [sic]
clearly”.

Long quotations should be indented and separated from the rest of

the text. Quotation marks are not required:

Marmot (2021, p. 16) states,

The foundations for virtually every aspect of human

development – physical, intellectual and emotional – are
laid in early childhood. What happens during these early
years has lifelong effects on many aspects of health and
well-being, from obesity, heart disease and mental health
to educational achievement and economic status.

The lasting effects of adverse experiences means that affected

children require special care (Cho, 2024, p. 132).

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 Numerical Citations for Poster
Assignments/Presentations
When completing a poster assignment, lecturers may allow students
to use a numerical citation style to save space.

Instead of citing the author’s surname and year of publication,

students can cite with a number which corresponds to a full
reference in the reference list.

For example, the first citation in the poster looks like this:

• A company that manufactures drills, Grunnings, had a managing

director named Vernon Dursley (1, p. 12).

The fourth citation looks like this:

• District 12 is surrounded by an electric chained link fence, with

barbed wire on the top (4, p. 3).

The reference list should be in the usual Harvard format, with the
only exception being that the references are not alphabetised;
instead, they are ordered by number. The first and fourth citations
from the examples above would be laid out as follows:

1: Rowling, J.K. (1997) Harry Potter and the philosopher’s stone. London:
Bloomsbury.

2:

3:

4: Collins, S. (2008) The hunger games. New York, NY: Scholastic.

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 Section 2: References
See below for a list of the most frequently used sources, guidance
on how to reference them, and examples of how to format
references and in-text citations for each source type.
All references should include up to three authors. See Section 1 of
this guide for information about multiple authors.

Books and ebooks

Both formats should be cited and referenced identically. No URL is
required for ebooks.
• Author (surname, first initials)
• Year of publication (in round brackets)
• Title (in italics)
• Edition (leave blank if first edition)
• Place of publication: Publisher

Reference for a book or ebook:

Acton, J. (2020) Understanding child development: Linking theory and
practice. 2nd edn. London: Hodder Education.

In-text citation:
(Acton, 2020, p. 24)

Reference for an ebook with no page numbers:

Pink, D.H. (2022) Drive: The surprising truth behind what motivates us.
Available at: http://www.amazon.co.uk/kindle-ebooks (Accessed: 22
February 2025).

In-text citation:
(Pink, 2022, ch. 4, para. 12)

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Chapter in an edited book
Some books have an editor’s name on the cover and each chapter is
written by a different author. When using a chapter from an edited
book, include the chapter author’s name in your in-text citation.
Include both the chapter author’s name and the name of the editor in
your reference.

If you use more than one chapter from the same edited book in your
assignment, include each chapter as a separate reference in your
reference list.

• Author of chapter (surname, first initials)

• Year of publication (in round brackets)
• Title of chapter (in single quotation marks)
• ‘in’ followed by the name(s) of the editor(s) followed by (ed) for
one editor or (eds) for two or more
• Title of book (in italics)
• Place of publication: Publisher
• First and last page numbers of the chapter

Reference for a chapter in an edited book:

Walker, S. (2021) ‘Labelling theory and life chances’, in R. Meighan
and C. Harber (eds) A sociology of education. 5th edn. New York, NY:
Continuum, pp. 367-374.

In-text citation:
(Walker, 2021, p. 367)

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Journal articles
• Author
• Year of publication (in round brackets)
• Title of article (in single quotation marks)
• Title of journal (in italics - capitalise first letter of each word,
except for linking words)
• Volume number (unbracketed) and issue number or
month/season (in round brackets)
• First and last page numbers of the article (find these in the PDF
version of the article, if one is available)
• Available at: DOI (no access date required) or URL and access
date

Reference for journal article with DOI:

Barke, M. et al. (2023) ‘Malaga: A resort for the twenty-first century’,
Journal of Tourism History, 2(3), pp. 187-212. Available at:
https://doi.org.10.1080/1755138X2010.53892

In-text citation:
(Barke et al., 2023, p. 187)

Reference for journal article with URL:

Davies, K. and Honeyman, G. (2023) ‘Living with a child whose
behaviour is described as challenging’, Advances in Mental Health and
Intellectual Disabilities, 7(2), pp. 117–123. Available at:
http://www.jstor.org/stable/44387899 (Accessed: 27 May 2024).

In-text citation:
(Davies and Honeyman, 2023, pp. 118-119)

18
Journal articles using article numbers
Some journals use article numbers rather than page numbers. In this
case, write your reference as shown below. Page numbers are not
required for references. If available, use the article’s PDF page
numbers in your in-text citations.
Reference for journal article with article number:
Cecchini, M., Siconolfi, D. and Trevisani, M. (2019) ‘Effects of
beeswax coating on long-ripened salami’, Journal of Food Quality,
21, article number 8089135. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.81088/2208-544515/41/64/42598

In-text citation:
(Cecchini, Siconolfi and Trevisani, 2019, p. 3)

Websites
• Author or publishing organisation
• Year page was published or last updated (in round brackets)
• Title of webpage (in italics)
• Available at: URL and access date

Reference for a website:

BBC News (2023) Special needs pupils in ‘fragmented’ system.
Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-34516202
(Accessed: 19 October 2024).
In-text citation:
(BBC News, 2023, para. 2)

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Reports
• Author or analyst name. If no author or analyst name is
available, list the publishing organisation or government
department as the author.
• Year of publication (in round brackets)
• Title of report (in italics)
• Available at: URL and access date

Reference for a report with an author or analyst:

Malone, M. (2024) Women’s facial skincare – UK – 2024. Available at:
https://reports-mintel.com.ucbirmingham.idm.oclc.org /display/11
58209 (Accessed: 18 April 2025).
In-text citation:
(Malone, 2024, p. 18)

Reference for a report with no author or analyst:

Mintel (2023) Fashion technology and innovation - UK – 2023.
Available at: https://reports-mintel-com.ucbirmingham.
idm.oclc.org/display/1046043/ (Accessed: 5 July 2024).
In-text citation:
(Mintel, 2023, para. 12)

Reference for a government report with no author:

Ministry of Justice (2022) Knife and offensive weapon sentencing
statistics: 2022. Available at: http://www.gov.uk/government/
statistics/knife-and-offensive-weapon-sentencing-statistics-july-to-
september-2022 (Accessed: 3 June 2024).
In-text citation:
(Ministry of Justice, 2022, pp. 4-5)

20
If you are using the name of the government department more than
once, you can use the acronym to reduce your word count, but only
after writing out the full name first. See Section 1 for more
information about using acronyms.
Reference for a government publication using the acronym of
the publishing department:
Department for Education (DfE) (2014) National curriculum in
England: Framework for key stages 1-4. Available at: https://
www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-
england (Accessed: 28 September 2024).

In-text citations:
First citation: (Department for Education (DfE), 2014, p. 12)
All further citations: (DfE, 2014, p. 23).

Acts of parliament (legislation)

Acts of parliament include the publication year in their titles and do
not require a comma between the title and the year for in-text
citations. See the examples below.
• Title of the act, including year and chapter (in italics)
• Available at: URL and access date

Reference for an act of parliament:

Health and Social Care Act 2012, c. 7. Available at:
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2012/7/contents/enacted
(Accessed: 8 January 2025).
In-text citation:
(Health and Social Care Act 2021, p. 8)

21
Photographs from own collection
• Photographer
• Year of publication (in round brackets)
• Title of photograph (in italics)
• [Image type]
• (Location)
Reference for a photograph from a personal collection:
Heap, J. (2022) Photo of a hand [Photograph] (private collection).
In-text citation:
(Heap, 2022)

Photographs from the internet

• Photographer
• Year of publication (in round brackets)
• Title of photograph (in italics)
• Available at: URL and access/download date

Reference for a photograph found online:

Kitto, J. (2013) Golden sunset. Available at:
http://www.jkitto.co.uk/photo182.html (Accessed: 14 June 2024).
In-text citation:
(Kitto, 2013)

22
Photographs from the internet with no creator
• Title of photograph (in italics)
• Year of publication (in round brackets)
• Available at: URL and access date

Reference for a photograph with no creator:

Copper Coast Cornish festival (2021) Available at:
https://www.facebook.com/kernewekcc/photos/a.9749729
3982/927878348828 (Accessed: 21 June 2024).
In-text citation:
(Copper Coast Cornish Festival, 2021)

Figures, diagrams and tables from a book

In your reference, give the publication information for the text in
which the figure appeared. In your citation, be specific about where
in the text the figure is located. See the examples below.
If you use information from multiple sources to create your own
diagram, list all of the sources in your citation. See Section 1 for
information about citing multiple sources.
Reference for a figure from a book:
Strong, R. (2019) Lost treasures of Britain. London: Viking.

In-text citation:
(Strong, 2019, p. 62, Fig. 12)

Reference for a table from a book:

James, T. (2021) Modern business. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

In-text citation:
(James, 2021, p. 12, Table 2)

23
Newspaper articles accessed online
• Author
• Year of publication (in round brackets)
• Title of article (in single quotation marks)
• Title of newspaper (in italics – capitalise each main word)
• Edition, if applicable (in round brackets)
• Day and month
• Available at: URL and access date

Reference for a newspaper article found online:

Lydall, R. (2022) ‘Tube strike: RMT announces 24-hour action’,
Evening Standard (London), 23 May. Available at: https://www.
standard.co.uk/news/strike.html (Accessed: 23 May 2025).
In-text citation:
(Lydall, 2022, para. 4)

Canvas material
• Author/lecturer
• Year of publication (in round brackets)
• Title of item (in single quotation marks)
• Module code: Module title (in italics)
• Institution
• Available at: URL and access date

Reference for a document created by a lecturer on Canvas:

Standley, J. (2022) ‘Referencing at university’, 1345: Academic skills.
University College Birmingham. Available at: https://ucbirmingham.
instructure.com/courses/86472 (Accessed: 4 November 2024)
In-text citation:
(Standley, 2022, slide 5)

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Social media posts
• Author of post
• Year posted (in round brackets)
• Title/description of post (in single quotation marks)
• [Name of platform]
• Day/month posted
• Available at: URL and access date

Reference for a Facebook post:

Martiniello, M. (2024) ‘I learnt very early on that there’s only
power to words, if you give power to those words’ [Facebook]
27 February. Available at: https://www.facebook.com/
UniofCanberra (Accessed: 14 June 2025).
In-text citation:
(Martiniello, 2024)

Reference for a TikTok post:

University of Melbourne (2023) ‘Student shares awesome
study hack!’ [TikTok] 28 May. Available at: https://www.tiktok
.com/@unimelb/video/264748926 (Accessed: 2 June 2024).
In-text citation:
(University of Melbourne, 2023)

25
Personal communication (email, video call, etc.)
• Sender/speaker/author
• Year (in round brackets)
• Medium of communication and receiver of communication
• Day/month of communication

Reference for an email:

Jones, R. (2024) Email to Frederick Akinbiyi, 18 August.

In-text citation:
(Jones, 2024)

Reference for a Zoom call:

Walters, F. (2023) Zoom conversation with Emily Lo, 21 June.

In-text citation:
(Walters, 2023)

YouTube videos
To refer to a specific place, use a timestamp in the in-text citation
using the format ‘minutes: seconds’. See the example below.
• Name of person or organisation posting the video
• Year video was posted (in round brackets)
• Title of video (in italics)
• Available at: URL and access date

Reference for a YouTube video:

Food52 (2022) Vegan baking: How to use aquafaba. 30 April. Available
at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?Us (Accessed: 15 January 2025).
In-text citation:
(Food52, 2022, 11:32)

26
Blogs
• Author of message
• Year of publication (in round brackets)
• Title of blog post (in single quotation marks)
• Title of internet site (in italics)
• Day/month message was posted
• Available at: URL and access date

Reference for a blog post:

Matthews, A. (2023) ‘Planes, trains and automobiles: Travel
emissions’, BSR, 8 August. Available at: https://www.bsr.org/enour-
insights/blog (Accessed: 6 September 2024).
In-text citation:
(Matthews, 2023, para. 9)

Theses and dissertations

• Author
• Year of submission (in round brackets)
• Title of thesis/dissertation (in italics)
• Degree statement
• Degree-awarding body
• Available at: DOI (no access date required) or URL and access
date

Reference for a thesis:

Parsons, J.D. (2022) Spreading Korean cuisine to the UK. PhD thesis.
Durham University. Available at: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/632
(Accessed: 14 August 2024).

In-text citation:
(Parsons, 2022, p. 54)

27
Conference papers published online
• Author
• Year of publication (in round brackets)
• Title of paper (in single quotation marks)
• Title of conference (in italics)
• Location and date of conference
• First and last page numbers of the paper (if available)
• Available at: DOI (no access date required) or URL and access
date

Reference for a conference paper published online:

Mendes, L. (2022) 'Children as teachers', Conference on educational
technology, Paris, 8-9 May. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1145/2456

In-text citation:
(Mendes, 2022, p. 4)

Generative AI – Important Note

Your lecturer will make it clear if it is
permissible for you to use content generated
by AI in your academic work. All AI use
should follow UCB’s AI guidance, which can
be accessed using this QR code.
If you have been permitted to use AI-
generated content in your academic work,
see the following examples for referencing
guidelines.

28
Generative AI – Chat Conversations
If you held a chat with AI and the content is only available to you,
consult your lecturer in case they require you to provide a copy of
the conversation when you submit your assignment.
• Name of AI
• Year of conversation (in round brackets)
• Medium of communication and receiver of communication
• Day and month of communication

Reference for a conversation with an AI tool:

OpenAI ChatGPT (2024) ChatGPT response to Jill Brean, 11 October.

In-text citation:
(OpenAI ChatGPT, 2024)

Generative AI – Photos and art

• Creator (name of AI tool)
• Year (in round brackets)
• Title of work (in italics)
• [Medium]
• Available at: DOI (no access date required) or URL and access
date

Reference for an image generated by AI:

Shutterstock AI (2024) Photo of pond with lotus flower [Digital art].
Available at: https://www.shutterstock.com/image-
generated/pond_with_flower225805 (Accessed: 31 November 2024).

In-text citation:
(Shutterstock AI, 2024)

29
 Reference Lists
The example list on the next page shows what your final reference
list should look like.
Key points:

• Your list should be alphabetised by the author’s surname or

by the author organisation’s name.

• All line spacing, font size and text colour should be consistent.
Always edit any information you have copied and pasted for
consistent style. See Section 3 for formatting guidance.

• Remember that all punctuation, italicisations, etc. should

match the examples in this guide.

• A reference list is not part of the assignment word count.

Further Referencing Resources

For more information and examples, use the QR codes below to link
to the referencing sections of the Assignment Life Cycle and the
FE and Sixth Form Toolkit on Canvas:

HE Students FE and Sixth Form Students

30
 Example Reference List
Acton, J. (2020) Understanding child development: Linking theory and
practice. 2nd edn. London: Hodder Education.
Arizton Advisory & Intelligence (2024) Body contouring devices market:
Global outlook & forecast 2024-2029. Available at: https://www-emis-
com.ucbirmingham.idm.oclc.org/php/search/docpdf?doc_id=77120
7246 (Accessed: 20 March 2025).
Barke, M. et al. (2023) ‘Malaga: A resort for the twenty-first century’,
Journal of Tourism History, 2(3), pp. 187-212. Available at:
https://doi.org.10.1080/1755138X2010.53892
BBC News (2023) Special needs pupils in ‘fragmented’ system. Available
at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-34516202 (Accessed: 19
October 2024).
Chandra, R. et al. (2022) ‘Travelling for food: India’, Journal of Food and
Travel, 3(4), pp. 57-67. Available at: https://sage
publications.com/827648/917439 (Accessed: 2 May 2025).
Davies, K. and Honeyman, G. (2023) ‘Living with a child whose
behaviour is described as challenging’, Advances in Mental Health and
Intellectual Disabilities, 7(2), pp. 117–123. Available at:
http://www.jstor.org/stable/44387899 (Accessed: 27 May 2024).
Department for Education (DfE) (2014) National curriculum in England:
Framework for key stages 1-4. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/
government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england (Accessed:
28 September 2024).
Food52 (2022) Vegan baking: How to use aquafaba. 30 April. Available
at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocOPyAAqUis (Accessed: 15
January 2025).
Freeman, J.P. et al. (2020) ‘Fast food and marketing in a consumer
society’, The Food Consumer Journal, 14(2), pp. 112-129. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev. 2020.100264

31
Malone, M. (2024) Women’s facial skincare – UK – 2024. Available at:
https://reports-mintel.com.ucbirmingham.idm.oclc.org /display/11
58209 (Accessed: 18 April 2025).
McIntyre, R. and Simpson, F.P. (2023) Understanding assessment at
primary school: A guide to giving effective feedback. London: Hodder
Education.
Meera, B. et al. (2023) ‘Knee injuries in professional athletes’, Journal
of Sports Injuries, 12(2), pp. 18-26. Available at: https://doi.org.12.
1718/175278488X4010.58892
Ministry of Justice (2022) Knife and offensive weapon sentencing
statistics: 2022. Available at: http://www.gov.uk/government
/statistics/knife-and-offensive-weapon-sentencing-statistics-july-to-
september-2022 (Accessed: 3 June 2024).
Mintel (2023) Fashion technology and innovation - UK – 2023. Available
at: https://reports-mintel-com.ucbirmingham.idm.oclc.org/display/
1046043/ (Accessed: 5 July 2024).
NHS (2022) Elbow injuries. Available at:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/elbowinjuries/ (Accessed: 21 June
2024).
Standley, J. (2022) ‘Referencing at university’, 1345: Academic skills.
University College Birmingham. Available at: https://ucbirmingham.
instructure.com/courses/86472 (Accessed: 4 November 2024).
Strong, R. (2019) Lost treasures of Britain. London: Viking.
Walker, S. (2021) ‘Labelling theory and life chances’, in R. Meighan and
C. Harber (eds) A sociology of education. 5th edn. New York, NY:
Continuum, pp. 367-374.
Zajic, M.C., Solari, E.J. and McIntyre, N.S. (2019) Engagement in children
with autism. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

32
 Section 3: Presentation of Submitted Work
This section lays out the specifications for formatting your
assignments for submission. There are sections for different
assignment types and instructions to ensure that your academic
work is formatted according to UCB’s requirements.
Key points:
• Part of your assessment for written work is on presentation.
Failing to format your work correctly could lose you points.
• Make time to proofread your work. Read it through several
times looking for mistakes and/or inconsistencies in your
punctuation, headings, references, etc.
• If an assignment is required to be in any format or style
other than what is presented here, your lecturer will inform
you.

Essays
Structure: An essay has four elements: introduction, main body,
conclusion, and references. See the Assignment Life Cycle on
Canvas for details.
An essay has a title.
Do not use headings for separate sections. Your text should flow
from one page to the next, with only your Reference List beginning
on a separate page.
Format:
Layout Margins: “Normal” (default Word setting)
Paragraph spacing: Leave a single line in
between paragraphs by hitting “Enter” twice.

33
Main text Font: Times New Roman 12pt
Alignment: Align left
Line spacing: 1.5
Title Arial 14pt, bold and centred
Page Font: Times New Roman 12pt
numbers
Position in bottom right-hand corner. Go to:
“Insert” > “Page Numbers” > “Bottom of
Page” > “Plain Number 3”
Reference Font: Times New Roman 12pt
list
Alignment: Align left
Line spacing: Single
Space between references: Leave a single line in
between references by hitting “Enter” twice, or
set paragraph spacing at 12pt after. Go to:
“Home” > “Paragraph” > “Spacing After” >
12pt
Quotations A short quotation (up to two or three lines) should
be included in the main text within double
quotation marks. For longer quotes:
Indent: 1cm left and right
Spacing: Leave a single line space before and
after the quote by hitting “Enter” twice.

34
Reports
Structure: A report has five sections and each one starts on a new
page. See the Assignment Life Cycle on Canvas for detailed
guidance on each section.

• Title page
• Contents – including list of tables, charts, etc.
• Report:
Title
Introduction
Main body – with relevant headings and subheadings
Conclusion
Recommendations (where applicable)
4. Reference List
5. Appendices
Note: This is a general report structure. Please follow the guidelines
in your assignment remit. Not all sections listed here may be
required.
Format: Reports follow the same format as essays but with some
additions.
Headings Headings: Arial 14pt, bold and centred
Sub-headings: Arial 12pt, bold, aligned left
Sub sub-headings: Times New Roman 12pt, bold,
aligned left
Page breaks Where sections begin on a new page (for example,
Contents and Reference List), use page breaks.

35
 Place your cursor where you want the break to be
and go to: “Insert” > “Page Break”
Tables and Labels: Label each table “Table 1”, “Table 2”, etc.
charts and each chart “Figure 1”, “Figure 2”, etc. Centre
each label above the table or chart.
Title: Give each table and chart a title describing
what it shows. Centre each title below the table or
chart.
Font: Labels and titles should be in Arial, size 12.
The written content of the table or chart should be
in Times New Roman, size 12.
Contents To automatically generate a contents page, use
page the “Styles” section in the “Home” tab to format
your headings.
To set the correct main title style, go to: “Home” >
“Styles” > right click “Heading 1” > “Modify”
then select Arial 14pt bold, centred.
To set the correct sub-heading style, right click
“Heading 2” > “Modify” then select Arial 12pt
bold, aligned left.
To set the correct sub sub-heading style, right click
“Heading 3” > “Modify” then select Times New
Roman 12pt bold, aligned left.
Once you have formatted the headings you want to
include on your contents page, you can generate
the contents page. Go to: “References” > “Table
of Contents” > “Automatic Table 1”

36
Business and Finance Reports
Structure: A business and finance report includes all the sections of
a report plus an Executive Summary. See the Assignment Life Cycle
on Canvas for detailed guidance on each section.
1. Title page
2. Contents – including list of tables, charts, etc.
3. Executive Summary
4. Report:
Title
Introduction
Main body – with relevant headings and subheadings
Conclusion
Recommendations (where applicable)
5. References
6. Appendices
Format: Follow the format for Reports.

Presentations
For the structure and format of presentation PowerPoints, follow the
directions on your Assignment Remit and look at any Guidelines.

37
 The Academic Skills Centre
The Academic Skills Centre (ASC) is available to students from all
subjects and at all levels of study.

For HE Students

The ASC is located on the ground floor of Baskerville House (BH).

For more information or to attend an appointment, visit the UCB
Library front desk in BH.

Students can book one 30-minute appointment per week with an

Academic Librarian and one 30-minute appointment per week with
an Academic Development Tutor. Appointments are available in
person and online.

Academic Librarians can help you:

• find resources for your assignments

• perform searches and refine your research skills

• understand referencing

Academic Development Tutors can help you:

• structure your assignments

• understand your assignment questions

• improve your academic writing

• develop your presentation skills

Use the QR code to

book an appointment:

38
 For FE Students

The FE ASC is located in Summer Row Room 609.

FE students (including Access and 19+ students) can access help

with academic skills, research and referencing from an Academic
Support Worker and an FE Librarian in the dedicated FE ASC.

To book an appointment in the Summer Row ASC, students can:

• email [email protected]
• phone 0121 604 1000 (ext. 2569)

39