As we all know, every paper/thesis/dissertation has to have references. These tell the reader that you know what you’re talking about because you’ve read every article ever written on your subject! In addition, they indicate that you can justify your research in light of what others have done (both are equally as important, especially in a dissertation/thesis). Therefore, references are a must in any technical writing! However, so many are missed or incompletely cited.

There are several ways to cite a reference; the one chosen will depend on the journal or dissertation instructions, so be sure to check these. They may just say follow APA, or use a numerical notation, but it’s a guideline and must be stuck to. Once the style is known – be consistent with how references are cited. There are many different official formats out there – APA, MLA, Chicago, Turabian, Vancouver – the list is endless. Our academic editors at FirstEditing.com are familiar with all of these styles. If you are unfamiliar with the citation style that you’ve been given, the Internet is the best place to start. There are basic guides to all these referencing styles on there. This is will give you the basics and then our dissertation editors can fine tune it for you.

If you have no reference style, then the key is to be consistent. Don’t change between numbers and authors (e.g., Smith et al.¹² to Smith et al. (1987)). The same applies to the reference list. If there is no set reference list style, then just make sure that all references follow the same format.

If you can, tell your FirstEditing editor which style you are following. You may think it’s obvious from the article – sometimes it is – but more often than not, it isn’t! If we know, then it makes our job a lot easier as we are familiar with most styles, and if we unfamiliar with it, we’ll find out what it is, and make sure it’s correct! If our dissertation editors need to format your reference style, just indicate a Level 2 edit and that will ensure that all references follow your indicated format and that the references cited are in the reference list and vice versa.

Related posts:

1. How to find a good dissertation editor – what to know BEFORE you buy!
2. Doctoral Dissertations
3. What is Dissertation Editing? By a Professional Editor
4. 7 Ways to Check Your Commas When Self-Editing
5. How To Improve Your Writing: em dashes and ellipses

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