
Unit 9: Reference list and bibliography
The reference list is a list of all the sources that have been cited in the assignment. You should check the terminology used as it may vary by school or department (it may be called a bibliography instead of a reference list). Look in your module handbook or ask your tutor. The list is inclusive showing books, journals, and other items, listed in one list, not in separate lists according to source type.
- The list should be in alphabetical order by author or editor.
- Books, paper journals articles, ejournal articles, and other sources, are laid out in a particular format that must be followed.
Your reference list contains all the items you have cited or directly quoted from.
The layout for each type of publication is on the next web page. Glasgow School for Business and Society and the former School of Health and Social Care previously used an amended form of Harvard referencing (known as GCU Harvard). This is no longer supported by the library. All library guidance on Harvard referencing is based on the Harvard - British Standard 2010 style. If you are using RefWorks bibliographic software, you should use the Harvard - British Standard 2010 GCU Library styles which follow a similar format to this guide. Other forms of referencing used at GCU are:
- Forensic investigation uses APA (American Psychological Association) format
- History uses Chicago format. This is a numerical system of referencing. More information is available in the Chicago Manual of Style, on the library shelves at 808.02 C34
- Law uses Oscola referencing
- Psychology uses APA (American Psychological Association) format
- Other schools may prefer you to use Vancouver Referencing.
Always show your tutor a sample bibliography to confirm it is in the format they want.
Bibliography
Some schools prefer to know if there are items which you have consulted for your work, but not cited. You should always check with your tutor or the module handbook to see if this is required. You should also check the terminology used (it may be called a reference list instead of a bibliography). These can be listed at the end of your assignment in a ‘bibliography’. These items should be listed in alphabetical order by author and laid out in the same way as items in your reference list. If you can cite from every source you consulted, you will only need a reference list. If you wish to show to your reader (examiner) the unused research you carried out, the bibliography will show your extra effort.
SMILE by Imperial College, Loughborough University and the University of Worcester, modified by Marion Kelt Glasgow Caledonian University is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.