Referencing

Referencing styles vary and you should follow the style that is used by the organisation that you are submitting your work to.​ If you require any assistance with referencing please contact the Library and Knowledge Service on extension 7139 (01709 427139) or e-mail [email protected]. Alternatively visit us on D Level of the hospital.
​Using the Appropriate Referencing Style: University Students
If you are studying at a university find out the style of referencing that your department uses via their website or the university library. Different departments within a university may use different referencing styles. For example Sheffield Hallam University normally uses APA 7. The University of Sheffield’s School of Nursing uses the Harvard style, whilst their Medical School uses the Vancouver style. The university websites provide guidance on referencing:
The same basic styles can be used in slightly different ways by different universities, so be careful to check the exact format if using an online reference builder; refer back to guidance from your university to check your referencing meets their requirements.
​Citations and Reference Lists
All reference styles consist of two parts: the citation and the reference list.
  • Citation – this appears in the text next to where you have used the material you are referencing. In APA and Harvard it takes the form of the name of the authors and a date, e.g. (Taylor 2017). In the Vancouver it simply takes the form of a superscript number starting with 1 for the first reference used.
  • Reference List – this appears at the end of your document and provides the full details of the reference. In APA and Harvard they are listed in alphabetical order. In Vancouver they are listed in the numbered order of use.
​Automatic Reference Generators
Reference builders (or generators) create the reference in its correct format (or very close) through filling in fields in an online form.  Here we've recommended websites that help to generate APA, Harvard and Vancouver references using automatic forms. Please note that Harvard and APA are very similar though not identical.

​Some universities may use other styles for which you may be able to find automatic generators on the internet. Microsoft Word has an automatic reference generator function within the 'Citations and Bibliography' section of the 'References' tab; whilst this is quite complex to use it does automatically place the citation in the text and the reference list. ​N.B. Not all material you wish to reference may be covered by these generators (e.g. reports, press releases or social media posts). In these cases check your university’s website for guidance.
​
APA style referencing generator: 
We suggest you use the University of Huddersfield Reference Builder: https://library.hud.ac.uk/pages/apareferencing (see additional notes below for Hallam students): 
  • Click on the type of material that you wish to reference, e.g. book. For some sources you will need to select again, e.g. number of authors of the article.
  • On the subsequent page below the guidance notes you will find the 'Reference Builder' form.
  • Complete the form and the correct reference will appear in the box in the middle of the screen. This can then be copied into your reference list.
Note for Hallam students: 
  • As Hallam does not have its own reference generator we recommend Hudderfield's (above). The exact details of the way different universities use APA can vary so you should check the results from the automatic reference builder with the guide from APA Sheffield Hallam University guide for different material.
  • Books and Journals: the way that the Huddersfield University APA reference builder produces references for journals and books matches the Hallam university style. 
  • Reports: For reports it is better to select books rather than reports.  You will need to change the author to the same format as in this example from the University website shown:  

    ​Department of Health. (1991). Dietary reference values for food energy and nutrients for the United Kingdom. (Report on health and social subjects: 41). London: HMSO.​
Harvard style referencing
We suggest you use the USW London's Reference Generator: 
https://www.uwslondon.ac.uk/free-harvard-referencing-generator/

Sheffield students: after using the generator you will need to amend your reference to check it matches the University's style. 
  • From the boxes near the top of the page select the type of material you wish to reference such as journal article or website. Complete the form presented (though in some cases not all fields may be relevant so you can leave them blank).
  • Click on 'Generate reference' in the bottom right and the correct reference will appear at the bottom of the screen. It can be copied into your reference list. ​
Vancouver style referencing
We suggest you use the Queens University Belfast Reference Generator: www.qub.ac.uk/cite2write/vancouver3b.html. 
Sheffield students: after using the generator you will need to amend your reference to ensure it matches the University's style. 
  • From the boxes near the top of the page select the type of material you wish to reference such as journal article or website. 
  • Complete the form presented (though in some cases not all fields may be relevant so you can leave them blank).
  • Click on 'Generate reference' in the bottom right and the correct reference will appear at the bottom of the screen. It can be copied into your references.