Referencing

Referencing is an important feature of academic writing, and we know it’s one that can be confusing at times. That’s why the Library has put together a collection of resources to help you acknowledge your sources properly. For answers to general questions like, “what is the purpose of referencing?” please refer to the referencing overview page.

You will need to know what referencing style is appropriate for your assignment. You can find this out by referring to "Referencing" section in the subject portal relevant to your assignment. If you're unsure about what style to use, we strongly recommend that you check with your department which referencing style is appropriate for your assignment.

Quick Guides

If you’re familiar with referencing, and just want to know how to format your references in a particular style, you can download the appropriate quick guide below.

• APA Quick Guide [242 kb]
• Harvard Science Quick Guide [158 kb]
• Harvard Geography Quick Guide [254.6 kb]
• MHRA Quick Guide [191kb]
• MLA Quick Guide [148kb]

Comprehensive Referencing Guides

If you’re new to referencing, or you’ve got an assignment that requires you to use a new style, then check out the comprehensive referencing guide appropriate to you.

• APA Referencing Guide
• Harvard Science Referencing Guide
• MHRA Referencing Guide
• MLA Referencing Guide
• ACS (American Chemical Society) Referencing Guide
• RSNZ(Royal Society of New Zealand) Referencing Guide
• Animal Behaviour Referencing Guide

Find Style Manual Handbooks at the Library

You can access physical style manuals at the Library. While some copies are available for issue, others are reference books that must remain in the Library.

• APA Style Manual
• Harvard Style Manual
• MHRA Style Guide
• MLA Handbook
• NZ Law Style Guide
• Chicago Manual of Style

Referencing Tools

There are a number of referencing management software programmes available to help you format your references. See Referencing Management Software webpage for more information.

The Library supports the following two referencing software programmes:

• Zotero
• EndNote