Citing
When writing academically, you must cite your sources in the text and list them in a reference section at the end of your work.
Why is it important?
According to copyright law, you must always give credit to the original author by citing the source in your text. Proper referencing also helps you avoid plagiarism. Readers should be able to check your interpretation and access the material you have used in its entirety. You don’t need to cite common knowledge.
- Copyright and plagiarism
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Learn more about copyright and plagiarism on our website.
Copyright is a law that protects literary and artistic works. Plagiarism, the act of presenting someone else's work as your own, is a violation of copyright.
In-text referencing
Academic writing relies on research in a specific field. You must cite ideas, theories, and facts from this research in your text. Clear and consistent citations make your writing easier to follow. If you use a source in one paragraph and again in another, you must cite it both times. Short citations should be placed in quotation marks within the text. For longer quotes, over 40 words or three lines, use a block quote, which is indented and doesn't need quotation marks.
Citing sources
When citing sources in the text, include the author's last name and the year of publication. Add page numbers when quoting directly. Place the year and page numbers in parentheses. The author's last name can also be placed in parentheses if it isn't mentioned in the sentence. For example:
According to Hjern (2012), non-European immigrants state that they suffer from health problems three to four times more than Swedish-born, while at the same time, immigrants who are asylum seekers and paperless have limited access to Swedish care.
or
Overseas immigrants suffer from health problems three to four times more than Swedish-born, while at the same time, immigrants who are asylum seekers and paperless have limited access to Swedish care (Hjern, 2012).
Quotes
You can also cite sources by quoting, which involves a literal representation of someone else's text. Just as with a summary, clear source references are required, including the author's name and the year of publication. When quoting, you must also specify the page number of the source. For example:
In-text citation:
Hjern (2012) argues that "integration into Swedish society is important to the health of those who come to settle in Sweden" (p. 257).
Block quote:
Integration into Swedish society is important to the health of those who come to settle in Sweden. This is shown by comparisons between the health of those who immigrated to Sweden and that of their children who were born in Sweden. Analyzes of the ULF surveys provide a fairly consistent picture: the health status and social situation of Swedish-born children of immigrants are clearly better than that of their foreign-born parents. (Brain, 2012, p. 257)
Reference:
Hjern, A. (2012). Migration and public health. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, 66(9), 255–267. doi:10.1177/1403494812459619
Reference styles
Use a reference style to format your references and reference list uniformly and correctly. Refer to templates and examples in a style guide to ensure consistency. Reference styles are usually divided into three main types:
Parenthetical or author-year:
The source is indicated by the author's last name and year of publication in parentheses within the text, as seen in APA and Harvard styles.
Numbered:
The source is indicated by a number in the text, as used in the Vancouver style.
Footnote:
The source is indicated by a footnote at the bottom of the page, using a numeric note in the text, as in the Oxford style.
Different disciplines and subjects use different reference styles and style guides. Therefore, ask your teacher or supervisor which reference style and style guide you should use.
- Using references
External link.
Learn more about reference management in the open course Using references.
Style guides for common reference styles
Use templates and examples in a style guide to format your references uniformly and correctly. These templates and examples show what information should be included and the order in which it should be presented.
Different disciplines and subjects use various reference styles and style guides. Therefore, consult your teacher or supervisor to determine which reference style and style guide you should use.
Checklist for references
Examples of difficult references to format according to APA 7
Here are examples of sources that may be challenging to format according to APA 7. These examples are based on the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed., 2020). Note that these examples represent an interpretation of the manual and are not exact reproductions.
1. Author.
2. (Date).
3. Title of contribution, [type of contribution].
4. Conference name, Location.
5. DOI or URL
Example:
Sayuti, S., Muhamad, M., & Jumhar N. J. (2017, August 15-25). The Buggy Ride [Poster presentation]. IFLA WLIC 2017 – Libraries. Solidarity. Society., Wrocław, Poland. http://library.ifla.org/id/eprint/1896/1/p-185-sayuti-en_poster.jpg
(PDF from the web:)
Porter, M., Omar, M., Campus, C., & Edinburgh, S. (2008, January). Marketing to the bottom of the pyramid: Opportunities in emerging markets [Paper presentation]. 7th International Congress Marketing Trends, Venice, Italy. http://www.escp-eap.eu/conferences/marketing/2008_cp/Maktoba.pdf
In text, parenthetical form:
(Sayuti et al., 2013)
All authors should be included even if they were physically absent during the presentation.
Additional information about year and date: If the conference lasted more than one day, include all the dates for the conference, even if the presentation likely occurred on only one day. This practice helps readers locate the source. Refer to the example above for the correct way to format multiple dates.
If the document from the conference is published in a journal or book, use the format for a journal article or a book with editors instead of the conference format.
1. Author or Name of group [@username].
2. (Date).
3. The first words in the forum post, up to 20 words [Online forum post].
4. Webbpage or Social media site name.
5. URL
NASA Subject Matter Expert [OB SeaDAS - knowles]. (24 maj 2022). The BandMath expression to replicate the Chl GlobColour equation 6 of the paper you reference would be [Online forumpost]. NASA Earthdata. https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/viewtopic.php?t=3172&sid=57444dc29c94a03f690f0ad431666f70
When the source is mentioned in the text:
NASA Subject Matter Expert (2022)
In text, parenthetical form:
(NASA Subject Matter Expert, 2022)
Include the @ symbol in the reference if it is a part of the username.
Replicate the spelling in the title exactly as it appears in the source, including any spelling errors or incorrect capitalization.
Emojis should be included in the reference, ideally as they appear. Each emoji counts as one word. If you cannot include the emoji symbol, write the name of the emoji in brackets, for example [Face with tears of joy emoji] for 😂.
For a style guide on Swedish legislative materials, follow the link to the Jönköping University Library's guide (written in Swedish).
To learn more about referencing legislative materials, follow the link to Purdue University.
- APA – Reference management External link.
Jönköping University Library - APA Formatting and Style Guide External link.
Purdue University.
Use the same template as a periodical article in the reference list.
1. Author or Name of group.
2. (Date).
3. Title.
4. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
5. DOI
Underdown, A., Barlow, J., Chung, V., & Stewart-Brown, S. (2006). Massage intervention for promoting mental and physical health in infants aged under six months. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD005038.pub2
In text, parenthetical form:
(Underdown et al., 2006)
If the Cochrane database name is written in the text do not italicize it.
- Author.
- (Date).
- Title [Map/karta].
- Publisher or retrieval date.
- DOI eller URL
(Google, n.d.)- Dynamically created maps, such as Google Maps, do not have titles. When writing a reference, provide a description instead. For example, you might use Stockholm, Sweden for the map referenced above. Another example could be [Google Maps directions for driving from Stockholm, Sweden, to Gothenburg, Sweden]. Also, include the retrieval date for these maps.
- Google. (n.d.). [Google Maps Stockholm, Sweden]. Retrieved June 1, 2022, from https://tinyurl.com/cwnzcak2 External link.
- Easterbrook, D. J. (1976). Geologic map of western Whatcom County, Washington [Map]. U.S. Geological Survey. https://doi.org/10.3133/i854B External link.
RefWorks
RefWorks is a web-based program that helps you manage your references, your sources.
With RefWorks you can:
- Import references from databases and webpages.
- Organize references into folders.
- Import in-text citations and a list of references into text documents.
Things to consider before you start using RefWorks
- Allow pop-ups.
- If you are writing collaboratively on a document, you cannot use two RefWorks accounts with the same document in Microsoft Word; however, this is possible in Google Docs.
- Avoid using the Track Changes function in Microsoft Word when creating a list of references.
Processing of personal data
When you create a RefWorks account, you must approve ProQuest's Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. This includes agreeing that ProQuest and Luleå University of Technology will register your name and email address. Be sure to read the terms of agreement in full.
Spreading information containing personal data is not allowed. Avoid uploading files with recorded or transcribed interviews.
Create a RefWorks account
RefWorks is available for free to all students and staff at Luleå University of Technology. To use RefWorks, you need to create an account.
- Login or create an account
External link, opens in new window.
To create an account, select Create account at the bottom of the login box. Provide your university email address.
Installing add-ins
To use RefWorks with applications like Microsoft Word or Google Docs, you need to install add-ins. There are several options to choose from:
- Save to RefWorks is a bookmark that you can add to your browser's favorites (bookmarks). When you visit a site with references you want to add to your RefWorks account, select the bookmark to save references and full texts. Save to RefWorks should work in all modern browsers.
- RefWorks Citation Manager (RCM) is a plugin that allows you to use RefWorks within Microsoft Word. RefWorks Citation Manager cannot be used simultaneously with other add-ins in the same document.
- Write-N-Cite (WnC) is an outdated add-in for Microsoft Word that is no longer supported by RefWorks. If you are using Write-n-Cite, you need to upgrade to RefWorks Citation Manager (RCM) as soon as possible. By April 2025, the Write-n-Cite add-in will no longer work.
- RefWorks for Google Docs is an add-in that enables you to use a simplified version of RefWorks within Google Docs.
You can find more information about RefWorks add-ins and how to upgrade from Write-n-Cite to RefWorks Citation Manager through the links below.
- Save to RefWorks and different plugins External link, opens in new window.
Information from ExLibris on which add-in to choose based on your operating system, as well as guidance on how to use Save to RefWorks. - Installing RefWorks Citation Manager External link, opens in new window.
ExLibris guide for installing RefWorks Citation Manager in Microsoft Word. - Installing RefWorks for Google Docs External link, opens in new window.
ExLibris guide for installing RefWorks in Google Docs. - Upgrade to RefWorks Citation Manager – RCM External link.
Upgrade your add-in from Write-n-Cite to RefWorks Citation Manager.
Learn how to use RefWorks
- YouTube channel External link, opens in new window.
Instructional videos. - RefWorks – open course External link, opens in new window.
An open course on how to use RefWorks, created by the University Library. - RefWorks User Guide External link, opens in new window.
User Guide. - RefWorks Release Notes External link, opens in new window.
Information about updates.
Do you need help?
If you have questions about how to use RefWorks, review the help materials above. If you have further questions about usage, you can contact the library or Service Point via the links below.
- Contact the University Library Opens in new window.
Questions about using RefWorks. - Contact Service Point Opens in new window.
Questions about plugin installation and more.
Other reference management programs
There are several reference management programs that can assist you when writing a report or thesis. A reference management program helps you to:
- Collect references from different sources
- Create reference lists
- Insert references into your text documents
- Format references according to different styles, such as AMA, APA, or Vancouver
The links below are suggestions for some of the programs available to manage references. Please note that the University Library does not provide support for these programs.
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