The Chicago referencing style is widely used in art, design, architecture, music, history and humanities subjects. The Chicago Manual of Style includes detailed advice on citing and referencing sources used in these disciplines, including artworks, live performances and historical sources, as well as commonly-used source types such as books, journal articles and websites.
This guide is based on The Chicago Manual of Style 17th edition. Please refer to this manual if you need more examples than those included in this guide, or if you need clarification.
There are two formats of referencing within the Chicago referencing style. One is notes and bibliography (Chicago A) and the other is author-date (Chicago B). This guide provides examples and advice for the notes and bibliography format.
The notes and bibliography format uses a numerical system of footnotes or endnotes. Footnotes require the writer to mark the in-text citation with a superscript number and provide a reference citation within the footnote. Throughout the document, citations are numbered in sequential order. A bibliography is included at the end of the document in alphabetical order.
Important: this is a guide only. To avoid losing marks, confirm referencing requirements with your educators.
Always check with your tutor or lecturer about any specific requirements they have around referencing.
Each time you paraphrase, summarise, or use a direct quote in your paper, include a note to cite your source. A note can be a footnote or an endnote.
A note number should be placed at the end of a sentence or clause, and after the punctuation.
Footnotes can be found at the bottom of each page, i.e. in the footer, whereas endnotes are placed at the end of the document, chapter or section of writing.
Notes require you to mark all in-text citations with a superscript number and provide a citation in the note. Notes should be numbered in sequential order.
Previous editions of the Chicago Manual of Style recommended the use of ibid. (from ibidem, “in the same place”) when repeating a citation in footnotes. Unlike previous editions, the 17th ed. of the Chicago Manual of Style discourages the use of ibid. in favour of shortened citations.
Chicago does not require you to include an access date unless no date of publication or revision can be determined from the source. However, you may wish to check with your lecturer first as they may have a preference for including access dates.
The first line of your note should be indented .5" from the left of the page, or 5 spaces.
Example;
1. Doug Patt, How to Architect (Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press. 2012), 28.
When do I use a shortened note?
The first time you cite a source in a note, include all the recommended citation information. If you cite that same source again, use a shortened note.
Author full-names are shortened to Family Name.
Titles are shortened if longer than four words.
Include the relevant page numbers.
Include a note number.
Ensure that the first line of your note is .5" from the left of the page, or 5 spaces.
Example;
2. Patt, How to Architect, 35.
The order of words should not be changed.
Initial articles like “the” or “a” may be removed.
Key words from the original title should be retained.
Ensure the first part of the short citation matches what is listed in the bibliography.
A short title is italicised or placed in "quotation marks" based on the full title.
Block quotations should be used for quotes longer than five lines.
Do not use quotation marks for block quotations.
Block quotations are indented from the left (and sometimes from the right also).
Block quotations require their own footnote.
Quotation marks can be used within a block quotation when including a separate quote within the text.
Place your curser at the end of the sentence, after the punctuation.
Click References.
Select Insert Footnote.
A superscript number will appear in your text.
In the footer, place your footnote. Remember that you will need to indent the first line of the footnote by 5 spaces.
A bibliography includes all sources cited within the text, as well as any additional sources consulted.
Place the bibliography at the end of your work on a new page.
Title the page, Bibliography, and centre the title.
Arrange the list of works in alphabetical order according to the family name of the author or editor.
Author's names are inverted for the bibliography - Family Name, Given Name.
Capitalise all titles.
If the author is unknown, begin the reference with the title of work.
The second line of each bibliography entry has a hanging indent.
Highlight all text (Shift + A).
Right click (Shift + F10).
Select paragraph.
Under the heading, *Indentation, select the drop-down box for Special* and select Hanging.
Bibliography
Fellini, Federico. “Fountain Scene.” La Dolce Vita. Australia: Umbrella Entertainment, 2005. DVD.
Gorman, Alyx. "A Movement not a Moment: Indigenous Design in the Spotlight at Australian Fashion Week," Guardian News, June 4, 2021. https
Koenig, Sarah. “Season One Episode 01: The Alibi.” October 3, 2014. In Serial. Produced by Sarah Koenig, Julie Snyder & Dana Chivvis. Podcast, MP3 audio. 52:00. https
McCarthy, Christine. “Toward a Definition of Interiority.” Space & Culture 8, no. 2 (2005): 112–25,10.1177/1206331205275020.
Melton, Paula. "Whole-Building Life-Cycle Assessment: Taking the Measure of a Green Building." Building Green, 2013. https
Oranje, Mark, and Tuna Taşan-Kok.From Student to Urban Planner: Young Practitioners’ Reflections on Contemporary Ethical Challenges.Milton: Routledge. 2017.
Wikipedia. "Wikipedia: List of Controversial Issues." Wikipedia, last modified April 2, 2021, 17:19. https
Include all authors in the note. Author's names are listed as - Given Name Family Name. Authors' names are separated by the word and. Do not use an ampersand.
2. Mark Oranje and Tuna Taşan-Kok, From Student to Urban Planner: Young Practitioners' Reflections on Contemporary Ethical Challenges (Milton: Routledge. 2017), 44.
In the note, cite only the name of the first-listed author followed by et al. Author's name is listed as - Given Name Family Name.
1. Okwui Enwezor et al., Antinomies of Art and Culture: Modernity, Postmodernity, Contemporaneity (Durham: Duke University Press, 2008), 223.
List authors in the order in which they appear in the source. The first-listed name is inverted - Family Name, Given Name. The rest of the names are written as - Given Name Family Name.
Lai, Gladys, and Pema Bakshi. "5 TikTok Fashion Trends Everyone is Wearing IRL." Vogue (blog), May 28, 2021. Accessed June 28, 2021. https://www.vogue.com.au/fashion/trends/4-tiktok-fashion-trends-everyone-is-wearing-irl/image-gallery/74b88974bd06733c65153ae0897316db. Oranje, Mark, and Tuna Taşan-Kok. From Student to Urban Planner: Young Practitioners’ Reflections on Contemporary Ethical Challenges. Milton: Routledge. 2017.
List authors in the order in which they appear in the source. List all authors in the bibliography. The first-listed name is inverted - Family Name, Given Name. The rest of the names are written as - Given Name Family Name.
Enwezor, Okwui, Nancy Condee, Terry Smith, Antonio Negri, Geeta Kapur, and Rosalind Krauss. Antinomies of Art and Culture: Modernity, Postmodernity, Contemporaneity. Durham: Duke University Press, 2008.
List authors in the order in which they appear in the source. List the first seven authors in the bibliography, followed by et al. The first-listed name is inverted - Family Name, Given Name. The rest of the names are written as - Given Name Family Name.
Benz, Felix, Mikolaj K. Schmidt, Alexander Dreismann, Rohit Chikkaraddy, Yao Zhang, Angela Demetriadou, Cloudy Carnegie et al. "Single-molecule optomechanics in 'picocavities.' " American Association for the Advancement of Science 354, no. 6313 (2016): 726-729. 10.1126/science.aah5243.
To cite a source from a secondary source (“quoted in . . .”) is generally discouraged according the Chicago Manual of Style, since authors are expected to have examined the works they cite. If an original source is unavailable, however, both the original and the secondary source must be listed.
Both the original and the secondary source must be listed in the note and bibliography.
1. Louis Zukofsky, “Sincerity and Objectification,” Poetry 37 (February 1931): 269, quoted in Bonnie Costello, Marianne Moore: Imaginary Possessions (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1981), 78.
Refer to original source
2. Zukofsky, "Sincerity and Objectification", 269
Louis Zukofsky, “Sincerity and Objectification,” Poetry 37 (February 1931): 269, quoted in Bonnie Costello, Marianne Moore: Imaginary Possessions (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1981), 1-78.
1. Doug Patt, How to Architect (Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press. 2012), 28.2. Mark Oranje and Tuna Taşan-Kok, From Student to Urban Planner: Young Practitioners' Reflections on Contemporary Ethical Challenges (Milton: Routledge. 2017), 44.3. Okwui Enwezor et al., Antinomies of Art and Culture: Modernity, Postmodernity, Contemporaneity (Durham: Duke University Press, 2008), 223.
4. Patt, How to Architect, 35.5. Oranje and Taşan-Kok,Student to Urban Planner, 78.6. Enwezor et al., Antinomies of Art and Culture, 312.
Patt, Doug. How to Architect. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press. 2012.Oranje, Mark, and Tuna Taşan-Kok. From Student to Urban Planner: Young Practitioners’ Reflections on Contemporary Ethical& Challenges. Milton: Routledge. 2017.Enwezor, Okwui, Nancy Condee, Terry Smith, Antonio Negri, Geeta Kapur, and Rosalind Krauss. Antinomies of Art and Culture: Modernity, Postmodernity, Contemporaneity. Durham: Duke University Press, 2008.
Books can be referenced using an editor, translator, or compiler if no author is listed. In bibliographies and full note citations, use the following abbreviations; ed., eds., trans., comp., or comps.
1. Adam Bell and Charles Traub, eds., Vision Anew: The Lens and Screen Arts (Oakland, California: University of California Press, 2015), 42.
2. Bell and Traub, Vision Anew, 56.
Bell, Adam, and Charles Traub, eds. Vision Anew: The Lens and Screen Arts. Oakland, California: University of California Press, 2015.
Include the chapter author, the chapter title in quotation marks, as well as the editor. Before the title of the book, use the word in. Include the page range for the chapter in the bibliography entry.
1. Alistair Baldwin, "Hippotherapy," in Growing Up Disabled in Australia, ed. Carly Findlay (Carlton, VIC: Black Inc., 2021), 52.
2. Baldwin, "Hippotherapy," 52.
Baldwin, Alistair. “Hippotherapy.” In Growing Up Disabled in Australia, edited by Carly Findlay, 47-52. Carlton, VIC: Black Inc., 2021.
For ebooks, include the name of the database (for example ProQuest ebook Central), URL or DOI (Digital Object Identifier), or DOI-based URL. For other types of ebooks, name the application (eg. BorrowBox), device (eg. Kindle), or file format used (eg. PDF).
If there are no page numbers in the ebook, use the chapter or section headings.
1. Henry Carroll, Read This If You Want To Take Great Photographs (London: Laurence King, 2014), 10, ProQuest Ebook Central.2. Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina, trans. Constance Garnett (USA: Project Gutenberg, 1998), chap. 4, https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1399/1399-h/1399-h.htm. 3. Clive Scott, The Spoken Image: Photography and Language (London: Reaktion, 1999), 166, EBSCOhost Ebooks, PDF.
4. Carroll, Read This, 10.5. Tolstoy, Anna Karenina, chap. 4.6. Scott, Spoken Image, 166.
Carroll, Henry. Read This If You Want To Take Great Photographs. London: Laurence King, 2014. ProQuest Ebook Central.Tolstoy, Leo. Anna Karenina. Translated by Constance Garnett. USA: Project Gutenberg, 1998. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1399/1399-h/1399-h.htm. Scott, Clive. The Spoken Image: Photography and Language.London: Reaktion, 1999. EBSCOhost Ebooks, PDF.
Only use this rule for editions other than the first edition.
Include the edition name or number after the title in an abbreviated from. For example, Second Edition will become 2nd ed. Other examples include Revised Edition, which will be abbreviated to, rev. ed.
1. Paul Martin Lester, Visual Communication: Images with Messages, 8th ed. (Dallas, Texas: Lex Publishing, 2020), 128.2. Bruce Pascoe, Dark Emu, New ed. (Broome, Western Australia: Magabala Books Aboriginal Corporation, 2018), 11.
3. Lester, Visual Communication, 305.4. Pascoe, Dark Emu, 25.
Bibliography examples
Lester, Paul Martin. Visual Communication: Images with Messages. 8th ed. Dallas, Texas: Lex Publishing, 2020.Pascoe, Bruce. Dark Emu. New ed. Broome, Western Australia: Magabala Aboriginal Corporation, 2018.
Books may be re-issued in a different format or with the addition of new material. Use this rule when the original date of publication is relevant.
1. Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (London: Penguin, 1865: London: Penguin Classics, 2012), 62. Citations refer to the 2012 edition.
2. Carrol, Alice's Adventures, 96.
Carrol, Lewis. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. London: Penguin, 1865. Reprinted with Artwork by Yayoi Kusama. London: Penguin Classics, 2012. Page references are to the 2012 edition.
In the note, include the word trans. and then the translator's name. In the bibliography, include, Translated by and then the translator's full name. Do not include the translator's name in subsequent citation entries.
1. Elena Ferrante, The Lying Life of Adults, trans. Ann Goldstein (London: Europa Editions, 2019), 114.
2. Ferrante, The Lying Life of Adults, 158.
Ferrante, Elena. The Lying Life of Adults. Translated by Ann Goldstein. London: Europa Editions, 2019.
If the publication does not list a personal name as author and it has been issued by an organisation, corporation, or association, use that name as the author, even if it is also listed as publisher.
1. Institute of Contemporary Arts, Nought to 60: 60 Projects, 6 months (London: Institute of Contemporary Art, 2009), 179.
2. Institute of Contemporary Arts, Nought to 60, 191.
Institute of Contemporary Arts. Nought to 60: 60 Projects, 6 months. London: Institute of Contemporary Art, 2009.
As exhibition catalogues and brochures are often published like a book, reference and cite the work as a book. In the bibliography, include the exhibition details, or include the words - Exhibition Catalogue.
Note number. First Author’s Full Name and Second Author’s Full Name, Title: Subtitle (Place of Publication: Publisher’s Name, Year of Publication), Page or Pages.
1. Caroline Achaintre et al., eds., New Contemporaries 2017 (London: New Contemporaries 1988 Ltd, 2017), 88.
2. Achaintre et al., New Contemporaries, 102.
Achaintre, Caroline, Elizabeth Price, George Shaw, and Kirsty Ogg, eds. Bloomberg's New Contemporaries 2017. London: New Contemporaries 1988 Ltd, 2017. Published in conjunction with an exhibition of the same title, January 27, 2018-March 3, 2018.
Titles of journals, exclude The in the title of the journal from the note and bibliography. Include a DOI or URL. Access dates are generally not required unless there is no other date specified.
OR
1. Christine McCarthy, “Toward a Definition of Interiority.” Space & Culture 8, no. 2 (2005): 112–25, https://doi.org/10.1177/1206331205275020. 2. Dolores Hayden and Gwendolyn Wright, “Architecture and Urban Planning,” Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society 1, no (Summer, 1976): http://www.jstor.org/stable/3173242.
See further rules on multiple authors in the multiple author tab in Using Chicago Notes-Bibliography
3. Taylor Brydes, Lisa Heinze, Monique Retamal. "Changing Geographies of Fashion during COVID-19: The Australian Case," Geographical Research 59, no.2 (2021): 206-216, https://doi.org/10.1111/1745-5871.12460. 4. Martha Rosler et al. "Notes from the Field: Materiality," The Art Bulletin 95, no. 1 (2013): https://doi.org/10-37,10.1080/00043079.2013.10786104.
5. Hayden and Wright, “Architecture and Urban Planning,” 928.6. Rosler et al., "Notes from the Field: Materiality," 37.7. McCarthy, “Toward a Definition of Interiority,” 112.
For articles consulted online, include a DOI or URL or the name of the database in the bibliography. Many journal articles list a DOI (Digital Object Identifier). See examples.
OR
McCarthy, Christine. “Toward a Definition of Interiority.” Space & Culture 8, no. 2 (2005): 112–25, https://doi.org/10.1177/1206331205275020. Rosler, Martha, Caroline Walker Bynum, Natasha Eaton, Michael Ann Holly, Amelia jones, Michael Kelly, Robin Kelsey, et. al. "Notes from the Field: Materiality," The Art Bulletin 95, no. 1 (2013): 10-37, https://doi.org/10.1080/00043079.2013.10786104.
OR
Hayden, Dolores, and Gwendolyn Wright. "Architecture and Urban Planning." Signs 1, no. 4 (1976): 923-33. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3173242.
Cite journal articles accessed in print in the same way as journal articles accessed online, but without a DOI, URL or database name.
1. Benjamin Bagley, “Loving Someone in Particular,” Ethics 125, no. 2 (January 2015): 477.
2. Bagley, “Loving Someone in Particular,” 480.
Bagley, Benjamin. “Loving Someone in Particular,” Ethics 125, no. 2 (January 2015): 477–507.
Newspaper articles in which no author listed, cite the title of the newspaper in italics.
Titles of newspapers and magazines, exclude The in the title of the magazine or journal from the note, and the title is set in italics. Weekly or monthly (or bimonthly) magazines, even if numbered by volume and issue, are usually cited by date only.
A newspaper’s issue may include several editions page number sequences may change, and for this reason page numbers are not included.
Articles from weekend newspaper supplements or other special sections are treated in the same way as magazine articles.
If an article is accessed through a database include the URL or database name. See examples below.
or if no author
1. Jeanette Hill, "Open Doors," Weekly Times (Melbourne, Australia), July 20, 2011, Proquest.2. Arthur Lubow, "The Triumph of Frank Lloyd Wright," Smithsonian Magazine, June, 2009, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-triumph-of-frank-lloyd-wright-132535844/. 3. Alyx Gorman, "A Movement not a Moment: Indigenous Design in the Spotlight at Australian Fashion Week," Guardian News (Sydney, Australia), June 4, 2021, https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2021/jun/05/a-movement-not-a-moment-indigenous-design-in-the-spotlight-at-australian-fashion-week. 4.Times of India, "Swedish Design Week Inaugurated,” (Bombay, India), February 22, 2018.
4. Lubow, "A Movement not a Moment: Indigenous Design in the Spotlight at Austraian Fashion Week."5. Crowe, "Voters back net zero target."6. Times of India, "Swedish Design Week Inaugurated."
Hill, Jeanette. "Open Doors." Weekly Times, July 20, 2011.Gorman, Alyx. "A Movement not a Moment: Indigenous Design in the Spotlight at Australian Fashion Week," Guardian News, June 4, 2021. https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2021/jun/05/a-movement-not-a-moment-indigenous-design-in-the-spotlight-at-australian-fashion-week. Wall Street Journal. "Inside the Homes of Architects; the Designers are Getting a Chance to Test their Own Designs." May 14, 2020. https://www-proquest-com.ezproxy.lib.rmit.edu.au/newspapers/inside-homes-architects-designers-are-getting/docview/2402563321/se-2?accountid=13552.
Videos (that are not movies or television series) streamed from online platforms e.g. YouTube, websites, or accessed via library database.
Citations begin with the name of the creator. The creator will depend on the focus on your discussion and can include: user who uploaded the video, director, presenter, writer, or actor. Use channel names in full original order. For news broadcasts use the journalist or reporter’s name.
Titles of videos hosted on online platforms are enclosed in quotation marks. Titles of programs or films are in italics.
Include additional information about the original event, location, source, or contributors after Title of Video if relevant to your discussion.
Include the name of the streaming platform, followed by 'video', and duration. Alternatively, just ‘video’ can be used. Duration is formatted as HH:MM:SS.
If including the name of a host website which is a newspaper, news broadcaster, or journal, format the name in italics.
Include an accessed date and URL at the end of the citation.
1. Never Too Small, “Never Too Small 1970’s Melbourne Tiny Apartment – 35sqm/370sqft,” July 31, 2018, YouTube video, 3:06, accessed July 4, 2021, https://youtu.be/l3yHLikvjPU. 2. Brené Brown, “The Power of Vulnerability,” filmed January 4, 2011 in Houston TX, TED video, 20:49, accessed 4 July 2021, https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_the_power_of_vulnerability. 3. Simon Jack, “Why your fish and chips may cost a lot more,” filmed and edited by Samantha Everett, produced by Ollie Smith, BBC News: Business, aired March 17, 2022, video, 02:29, accessed March 21, 2022, https://www.bbc.com/news/av/business-60762921. 4. Thembi Soddell, “Love Songs,” featuring Vanessa Godden, Disclaimer, 2018, video, 39:48, accessed March 4, 2021, https://disclaimer.org.au/contents/love-songs.
5. Never Too Small, “Melbourne.”6. Brown, “Power of Vulnerability.”7. Simon, ”Chips may cost.”8. Soddell, ”Love songs.”
Brown, Brené. “The Power of Vulnerability.” Filmed June 2010 in Houston, TX. TED video. 20:49. Accessed July 4, 2021. https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_the_power_of_vulnerability. Jack, Simon. “Why your fish and chips may cost a lot more.” Filmed and edited by Samantha Everett. Produced by Ollie Smith. BBC News: Business. Aired March 17, 2022. Video, 02:29. Accessed March 21, 2022. https://www.bbc.com/news/av/business-60762921. Never Too Small. “Never Too Small 1970’s Melbourne Tiny Apartment – 35sqm/370sqft.” July 31, 2018. YouTube video, 3:06. Accessed July 4, 2021. https://youtu.be/l3yHLikvjPU. Soddell, Thembi. “Love Songs.” Featuring Vanessa Godden. Disclaimer. 2018. Video, 39:48. Accessed July 4, 2021. https://disclaimer.org.au/contents/love-songs.
Video recordings of films, movies, or documentaries accessed on DVD or other physical medium, or streamed online.
Notes begin with the Title of the Film in italics. Bibliography entries begin with the name of the director.
If citing a section of larger work, such as a scene or chapter, begin the note with the section titles enclosed in quotation marks.
Roles can be abbreviated e.g. dir. for director, and prod. for producer.
Include the original year of release. If unknown use the year of distribution or copyright.
For films sourced on DVD/ VHS include place of publication, studio/distributor, (and year of publication if different from original release date) followed by medium at the end of the citation.
For films streamed online include the duration, an accessed date, and URL/ name of the streaming service or library database at the end of the citation. Use the format ‘HH hr., MM min.’ for duration of movies viewed online.
OR
1. Blade Runner, directed by Ridley Scott (1982; Burbank, CA: Warner Home Video, 2006), DVD.2. “Fountain Scene", La Dolce Vita, directed by Federico Fellini (1960; Australia: Umbrella Entertainment, 2005), DVD.3. Tim’s Vermeer, directed by Raymond Joseph Teller, (Sony Pictures Classics, 2013), video, accessed 4 July 2021, Informit EduTV.4. Visual Acoustics: The Modernism of Julius Shulman, directed by Eric Bricker, (Shulman Project Partners, 2009), video, accessed 4 July 2021, Kanopy.
OR
3. Scott, Blade Runner.4. "Fountain Scene," La Dolce Vita.5. Teller, Tim's Vermeer.6. Bricker, Visual Acoustics.
OR
Bricker, Eric, dir. Visual Acoustics: The Modernism of Julius Shulman. Arthouse films. 2009. Kanopy video. 1 hr., 23 min. Accessed July 4, 2021. Kanopy.Fellini, Federico, dir. La Dolce Vita. 1960; Sydney, NSW: Umbrella Entertainment, 2005. DVD.Scott, Ridley, dir. Blade Runner. 1982; Burbank, CA: Warner Home Video, 2006. DVD.Teller, Raymond Joseph, dir. Tim's Vermeer. Sony Picture Classics, 2013. EduTV video. 1 hr., 20 min. Accessed July 4, 2021. Informit EduTV.
Program or series aired on television, broadcast live, streamed online, or accessed via library database
Notes begin with the Title of Program in italics. Bibliography entries begin with the name of the creator.
The creator can include director, presenter, writer, producer, or actor, depending on the focus of your discussion.
Program titles are italicised, episode titles are enclosed in quotation marks.
Include additional contributors if relevant between the Title of Episode and the Aired Date.
If viewed on DVD include place and publisher/distributor followed by medium at the end of the citation.
If viewed online include an accessed date, URL, name of streaming service, or library database at the end of the citation.
OR
1. Ways of Seeing, episode 1, “Part 1: Reproductions,” presented by John Berger, directed and produced by Michael Dibb, aired January 8, 1972 (London: BBC, 1972), accessed July 4, 2021, RMIT Digital Collections.2. Art and Soul, series 2, episode 3, “Love and Longing,” presented by Hetti Perkins, directed by Steven McGregor, aired July 22, 2014 (Sydney, NSW: Arthouse Films, 2014), DVD.3. Grand Designs, series 18, episode 7, “Peak District: Post-Industrial House,” presented by Kevin McCloud, aired October 18, 2017 on Channel 4, television broadcast.
4. Ways of Seeing, "Reproductions."5. Art and Soul, “Love.”6. Grand Designs, “Post-Industrial.”
Berger, John. Ways of Seeing. Episode 1, “Part 1: Reproductions.” Directed and produced by Michael Dibb. Aired January 8, 1972 on BBC. Accessed July 4, 2021. RMIT Digital Collections.McCloud, Kevin. Grand Designs. Season 18, episode 7, “Peak District: Post-Industrial House.” Aired October 18, 2017 on Channel 4. Television broadcast.Perkins, Hetti. Art and Soul. Season 2, episode 3, “Love and Longing.” Directed by Steven McGregor. Aired July 22, 2014 on ABC TV. Sydney, NSW: Arthouse Films, 2014. DVD.
Audio podcasts, vodcasts, and webcasts.
Podcast presenters are usually treated as the author except in the case of interviews. For podcasts where the interviewee is the main focus of discussion see: Interviews.
Enclose the episode title in quotation marks, followed by the date published online or recorded.
Include the word “in” followed by the podcast title in italics.
Additional contributors such as the producers may be included followed by the file format if downloaded as a file.
Duration is formatted as HH:MM:SS.
End the citation with a URL.
1. Sarah Koenig, “The Alibi,” October 3, 2014, in Serial. Produced by Sarah Koenig, Julie Snyder & Dana Chivvis, podcast, MP3 audio. 52:00. https://serialpodcast.org/season-one/1/the-alibi. 2. Roman Mars, “The Smell of Concrete After Rain,” April 28, 2020, in 99% Invisible, produced by Avery Trufelman, podcast, MP3 Audio. 29:15. https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/the-smell-of-concrete-after-rain.
3. Koenig, “The Alibi.”4. Mars, "Concrete After Rain."
Koenig, Sarah. “The Alibi.” Season 1. Episode 1. October 3, 2014. In Serial. Produced by Sarah Koenig, Julie Snyder & Dana Chivvis. Podcast, MP3 audio. 52:00. https://serialpodcast.org/season-one/1/the-alibi. Mars, Roman. “The Smell of Concrete After Rain.” Episode 400. April 28, 2020. In 99% Invisible. Produced by Avery Trufelman. Podcast, MP3 Audio. 29:15. https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/the-smell-of-concrete-after-rain.
1. Paul Barclay, "Julia Gillard Calls for More Preventative Mental Health Care," October 12, 2017, in Big Ideas, Adelaide, SA: ABC Radio National, radio broadcast.
2. Barclay, "Julia Gillard Calls."
Barclay, Paul. "Julia Gillard Calls for More Preventative Mental Health Care." October 12, 2017. In Big Ideas. Adelaide, SA: ABC Radio National. Radio broadcast.
Sound recordings may include CDs, content from music streaming platforms, or records (LPs).
Begin the citation with the name of the Creator. The Creator can include the recording artist, composer, or performer depending on the focus of your discussion. For group names e.g. bands, use name in full original order.
Year of recording or copyright can be used as the year of publication.
Titles of songs or short pieces are enclosed in quotation marks. Titles of albums are italicised.
Include additional contributors if relevant to discussion.
Include additional information such as identifying number or release date after the publisher to distinguish between similar recordings if available.
If sourced online include an accessed date and URL or name of streaming service at the end of the citation.
(Check with your lecturer if Musical recordings require listing in a separate discography. If included in the bibliography, they can be grouped under an appropriate subheading.)
Or
1. Richard Strauss, Don Quixote, with Emanuel Feuermann (violoncello) and the Philadelphia Orchestra, conducted by Eugene Ormandy, recorded February 24, 1940, Biddulph LAB 042, 1991, CD.2. Steve Reich, “Come Out,” with Daniel Hamm (voice), track 1 on Early Works, Elektra Nonesuch 979169-2, 1987, CD.3. Yothu Yindi, “Treaty - Radio Mix,” track 15 on Tribal Voice, originally released 1991; Bloodlines, 2012. Spotify https://open.spotify.com/track/0RGD7VXcMiPGmnha3vXSt3?si=3a405ec23ae341d5. 4. Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazelwood, “Some Velvet Morning,” track 8 on Nancy and Lee, Reprise RS-6273, 1968, 33⅓ rpm.
OR
5. Strauss, Don Quixote.6. Reich, “Come Out.”7. Yothu Yindi, “Treaty.”8. Sinatra and Hazelwood, "Velvet.”
Or
Reich, Steve. “Come Out.” with Daniel Hamm (voice) on Early Works. Elektra Nonesuch 9 79169-2. 1987. CD.Sinatra, Nancy and Lee Hazelwood. “Some Velvet Morning.” Track 8 on Nancy and Lee. Reprise RS-6273. 1968. 33⅓ rpm.Strauss, Richard. Don Quixote. with Emanuel Feuermann (violoncello) and the Philadelphia Orchestra, conducted by Eugene Ormandy. Recorded February 24, 1940. Biddulph LAB 042. 1991. CD.Yothu Yindi. “Treaty - Radio Mix.” Track 15 on Tribal Voice. Originally released 1991. Bloodlines, 2012. Spotify streaming audio.
Published musical scores are cited and referenced like books, with the composer treated as the author.
Unpublished scores are cited and referenced like unpublished manuscripts.
For direct quotes include a page number after the year.
If accessed online include a DOI, stable URL, or database name.
1. Igor Stravinsky, The Rite of Spring, (New York: Boosey and Hawkes, 1921).2. Gérard Grisey, Vortex Temporum I, II, III: Pour piano et cinq instruments, (Milan: Ricordi, 1995).3. Steve Reich, Four Organs (London: Universal Edition, 1980), accessed 29 July 2021, Alexander Street.
4. Stravinsky, Rite of Spring.5. Grisey, Vortex Temporum.6. Reich, Four Organs.
Grisey, Gérard. Vortex Temporum I, II, III: Pour piano et cinq instruments. Milan: Ricordi. 1995.Reich, Steve. Four Organs. London: Universal Edition. 1980. Accessed July 29. 2021. Alexander Street.Stravinsky, Igor. The Rite of Spring. New York: Boosey and Hawkes. 1921.
Enclose the title of the page in quotation marks. If there is no discernible title, create a short description of the website or webpage instead. The words website or webpage in parenthesis can be included after the title if the source is otherwise unclear.
Include a publication date or date of revision if this is available. However,it might be difficult to find a publication or revision date on websites. If this is the case, leave out the publication date as in the Tate Modern example below. For frequently updated webpages, you may include a last modified date with a time stamp, as in the Wikipedia example.
1. "Psychogeography," Tate Modern (website), accessed June 27, 2021, https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/p/psychogeography. 2. "Whole-Building Life-Cycle Assessment: Taking the Measure of a Green Building," Building Green, 2013, accessed June 28, 2021, https://www.buildinggreen.com/feature/whole-building-life-cycle-assessment-taking-measure-green-building. 3. "Wikipedia: List of Controversial Issues," Wikipedia, last modified April 2, 2021, 17:19, accessed June 29, 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:List_of_controversial_issues.
4. "Psychogeography."5. "Whole-Building Life-Cycle Assessment."6. "Wikipedia: List of Controversial Issues."
Tate Modern. "Psychogeography." Tate Modern (website). Accessed June 27, 2021. https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/p/psychogeography. Melton, Paula. "Whole-Building Life-Cycle Assessment: Taking the Measure of a Green Building." Building Green, 2013. Accessed June 28, 2021. https://www.buildinggreen.com/feature/whole-building-life-cycle-assessment-taking-measure-green-building. Wikipedia. "Wikipedia: List of Controversial Issues." Wikipedia, last modified April 2, 2021, 17:19. Accessed June 29, 2021. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:List_of_controversial_issues.
Chicago defines a blog as a web-based forum that consists of posted entries organised by date or topic and usually accompanied by comments.
Unless the word blog is already part of the title, as in the LSE Impact Blog example below, the blog title should be followed word blog, in parentheses. Titles of blog posts are placed in quotation marks.
Blogs that are part of a larger publication should also include the name of that publication as in the LSE example below.
Comments can usually be cited in the text, in reference to the related post. If the comment is cited in a note, list the name of the commenter and the date of the comment, followed by the information for the related post.
1. Gladys Lai, and Pema Bakshi, "5 TikTok Fashion Trends Everyone is Wearing IRL," Vogue (blog), May 28, 2021, accessed June 28, 2021, https://www.vogue.com.au/fashion/trends/4-tiktok-fashion-trends-everyone-is-wearing-irl/image-gallery/74b88974bd06733c65153ae0897316db. 2. Alessandro Checco et al., "Can AI be Used Ethically to Assist Peer Review?" LSE Impact Blog, The London School of Economics and Political Science, May 17, 2021, accessed June 28, 2021, https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2021/05/17/can-ai-be-used-ethically-to-assist-peer-review/.
3. Lai and Bakshi, "5 TikTok Fashion Trends."4. Checco et al., "Can AI be Used Ethically?"
Lai, Gladys, and Pema Bakshi. "5 TikTok Fashion Trends Everyone is Wearing IRL." Vogue (blog), May 28, 2021. Accessed June 28, 2021. https://www.vogue.com.au/fashion/trends/4-tiktok-fashion-trends-everyone-is-wearing-irl/image-gallery/74b88974bd06733c65153ae0897316db. Checco, Alessandro, Lorenzo Bracciale, Pierpaulo Loreti, Stephen Pinfield, and Giuseppe Bianchi. "Can AI be Used Ethically to Assist Peer Review?" LSE Impact Blog, The London School of Economics and Political Science, May 17, 2021. Accessed June 28, 2021. https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2021/05/17/can-ai-be-used-ethically-to-assist-peer-review/.
As social media content is usually untitled, use the text of the post itself (up to 160 characters) in place of a title.
If an author's screen-name is available, include it in parentheses after their name. If only the screen-name is known, use that instead of the author's name.
Include the name of the social media site, and if relevant, include the type of post (photo, video) as in the Twitter example below.
To find a direct URL for a Facebook post, use the search function on the Facebook page to find the post and then copy the URL.
Social media comments should be cited in reference to the related post and in the shortened form.
Private content, including direct messages, is considered a form of personal communication.
1. Grace Tame (@tamepunk), " “Making Noise” Kirsty Neilson—for this year’s Archibald Prize," Instagram, May 27, 2021, accessed June 28, 2021, https://www.instagram.com/p/CPXh8CRLJTE/. 2. Clementine Ford (@clemenine_ford), “Let’s have a conversation about consent! with Clementine Ford," Twitter Video, April 27, 2021, accessed June 28, 2021, https://twitter.com/clementine_ford/status/1386832309777616898. 3. ABC Radio National, "This week is Australian Fashion Week," Facebook, June 4, 2021, accessed June 28, 2021, https://www.facebook.com/page/94861512377/search/?q=fashion.
4. Tame, "Making Noise."5. Ford, "Let’s have a conversation."6. ABC Radio National, "Australian Fashion Week."
Tame, Grace (@tamepunk). " “Making Noise” Kirsty Neilson—for this year’s Archibald Prize." Instagram. May 27, 2021. Accessed June 28, 2021. https://www.instagram.com/p/CPXh8CRLJTE/. Ford, Clementine (@clementine_ford). “Let’s have a conversation about consent! with Clementine Ford." Twitter Video. April 27, 2021. Accessed June 28, 2021. https://twitter.com/clementine_ford/status/1386832309777616898. ABC Radio National. "This week is Australian Fashion Week." Facebook. June 4, 2021. Accessed June 28, 2021. https://www.facebook.com/page/94861512377/search/?q=fashion.
Government documents often list an organisation as the author, or a person as author. The government organisation, agency, or department may be both the author and the publisher of a document.
or
1. Environment Protection Authority Victoria, Waste Code Transition to Environment Protection Regulations 202, 1967.2 (Melbourne, 2021), 1-22, https://www.epa.vic.gov.au/about-epa/publications/1967-2.
2. Waste Code Transition to Environment Protection Regulations 202, 5.
OR
Environment Protection Authority Victoria, Waste Code Transition to Environment Protection Regulations 202, 1967.2 (Melbourne, 2021). https://www.epa.vic.gov.au/about-epa/publications/1967-2.
To reference a standard published by an Australian or international standards organisation or specific industry group, include the name of the organisation, the title of the standard (in italics), an edition or other identifying number or label, and publication information. Standards consulted online should include a URL.
1. Sun Protective Clothing: Evaluation and Classification, (AS 4399:2020), Sydney, NSW. https://www.standards.org.au/standards-catalogue/sa-snz/consumer/tx-021/as--4399-colon-2020. 2. SAI Global. Glass in Building: Tempered Soda Lime Silicate Safety Glass, (ISO 12540:2017), Sydney, NSW. https://www.iso.org/standard/62574.html. 3. Extensible Markup Language (XML) 1.0, 5th ed., ed. Tim Bray, Jean Paoli, C. M. Sperberg-McQueen, Eve Maler, and François Yergeau (W3C, November 26, 2008), http://www.w3.org/TR/2008/REC-xml-20081126/.
4. Glass in Building.5. Sun Protective Clothing.
SAI Global. Sun Protective Clothing: Evaluation and Classification, (AS 4399:2020), Sydney, NSW. https://www.standards.org.au/standards-catalogue/sa-snz/consumer/tx-021/as--4399-colon-2020. SAI Global. Glass in Building: Tempered Soda Lime Silicate Safety Glass, (ISO 12540:2017), Sydney, NSW. httpshtml.://www.iso.org/standard/62574.
Patents are cited under the names of the creators and dated by the year of filing.
1. Iizuka, Masanori, and Hideki Tanaka. Cement admixture. US Patent 4,586,960, filed June 26, 1984, and issued May 6, 1986.2. Cook, Fred C., and William H. Donaldson. Mega Yacht Mass Tracking System with Articulating Sail Feeder. US Patent US20100282152A1, filed May 7, 2009, and issued November 11, 2010, 3.
3. Cook, Mega Yacht Mass Tracking System, 3.
Cook, Fred C., and William H. Donaldson. Mega Yacht Mass Tracking System with Articulating Sail Feeder. US Patent US20100282152A1, filed May 7, 2009, and issued November 11, 2010.Iizuka, Masanori, and Hideki Tanaka. Cement admixture. US Patent 4,586,960, filed June 26, 1984, and issued May 6, 1986.
Visual materials can include illustrations, photographs, images, paintings, diagrams, maps and graphs.
Visual materials that you use in your assignment or for study purposes do not need the copyright permissions that are required for publishing or commercial use. However, it is essential that you give credit to the creator of the work and reference it in your work. This can be done using a caption or a note.
Citations are also influenced by the location of where you found the image or creative work. Where possible, cite the original rather than a reproduction.
Visual materials from books, articles and other sources that you refer to but don’t reproduce should be cited in the standard format of the source as described in the other sections of this guide.
Visual materials are not usually included in a bibliography. Some courses might request a list of illustrations or figures.
Your lecturer may have specific requirements for referencing illustrations and artworks. Any directions given by your lecturer must be followed, even if they differ from this guide.
Captions are used to provide a description of illustrations, images and artworks. These are usually placed below the illustration.
A figure number is used in the caption to identify each illustration. These figures are numbered sequentially in the order in which they appear.
Illustrations you create of your own work are not usually referenced. However, a caption such as “Figure 7. Photograph by author” or “Figure 11. Initial sketches” might be appropriate when other illustrations in your assignment are referenced.
Make sure you refer to the figure in your writing and include the figure number. The word figure is always written in full and lower case, except when in parentheses when it is abbreviated (fig. 1).
Figure number. Description or explanation.
Figure 1. Author’s photograph showing design development.
Figure number. Artist’s Given Name Artist’s Family Name, Title of work, Year produced. Medium. Source - Publishing details of where you found it.
If the image was on a website include the URL, otherwise provide the source details as described in other areas of this guide.
Figure 2. Artist unknown, Tapestry with Dragons and Flowers, 11-12th C., Silk tapestry, 53.3 x 33 cm, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, https
://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/39733?.
or if found in a book
Figure 2. Artist unknown, Tapestry with Dragons and Flowers, 11-12th C., Silk tapestry, 53.3 x 33 cm, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, in Alicia Jaynes and James Liaw, Weaving in silk, (London: Periwinkle Press: 1968), 37.
Works viewed in person, such as art galleries, museums and public spaces, are cited to acknowledge their influence on the development of your own ideas or work.
1. Jackson Pollock, Blue poles. 1952. Oil, enamel, aluminium paint, glass on canvas. 212.1 x 488.9cm. National Gallery of Australia.2. Annie Leibovitz, Annie. More Demi Moore. 1991. Photograph. Vanity Fair, cover, August 1991.
1. Pollock, Blue poles.2. Leibovitz, More Demi Moore.
Figure number. Artist’s full name. Title of work. Year of production. Medium, dimensions. Collection, Place of collection. Acquisition details. Courtesy line. Photographic credit.
Leibovitz, Annie, More Demi Moore. 1991. Photograph. Vanity Fair, cover, August 1991.Pollock, Jackson, Blue poles, 1952. Oil, enamel, aluminium paint, glass on canvas. National Gallery of Australia.
1. August Macke, Zoological Gardens 1, 1912. Oil, canvas. In Eric Baratay and Elisabeth Hardouin Fugier, Zoo (London: Reaktion Books, 2002), 268.
1. Macke, Zoological Gardens 1, 268.
The publication only should be recorded in the bibliography.
Baratay, Eric and Elisabeth Hardouin Fugier, Zoo. London: Reaktion Books, 2002.
1. Henry Burn, Swanston Street from the Bridge, 1861, oil on canvas, National Gallery of Victoria, https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/explore/collection/work/4294/. 2. Wayne Pinkston, The Elephant Walks at Night, 2017, Flickr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/pinks2000/38054867995/in/explore-2017-12-09/. Shortened notes
1. Burn, Swanston Street from the Bridge.2. Pinkston, The Elephant Walks at Night.Bibliography rule
Note number. Artist’s Given name Artist’s Family Name, Title of work, Year of production. Medium. URLBibliography examples
Burn, Henry, Swanston Street from the Bridge, 1861, oil on canvas, National Gallery of Victoria, https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/explore/collection/work/4294/. Pinkston, Wayne, 2017. The Elephant Walks at Night, 2017, Flickr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/pinks2000/38054867995/in/explore-2017-12-09/. Caption rule (Own work)
Figure number. Description or explanation.
Caption examples
Figure 1. Frequency of buyers regret based purchase type.
Figure 2. Park visitor responses to light and sound installation.
Bibliography
Unpublished tables, graphs and other diagrams that you create are not recorded in the bibliography.
Caption rule (Reproduced work)
Caption example
Figure 1. Glenohumeral joint. in Sharon Gustowski, Maria Budner-Gentry, and Ryan Seals, Osteopathic techniques: the learner's guide. (New York: Thieme, 2017), 72, 4.25.
Note example
1. Gustowski, Budner-Gentry, and Seals, 72, 4.25.Bibliography
Gustowski, Sharon, Maria Budner-Gentry, and Ryan Seals, Osteopathic techniques: the learner's guide. New York: Thieme, 2017.Published interviews
For a published interview follow the same rules as the relevant format e.g. news broadcast, print article, online video or podcast with one major difference:
The Interviewee is treated as the author i.e. person primarily responsible for the content. If the interviewee is clearly identified in the Title, their name can be omitted from the note; but their name must appear first in the bibliography entry.
Note rule
Note Number. Interviewee’s Full Name, interview by Interviewer’s Full Name, then follow Rule for relevant Format (podcast, news broadcast, print article or online video).Note example
1. Kory Stamper, interview by Terry Gross, “From ‘F-Bomb’ to ‘Photobomb,’ How the Dictionary Keeps Up with English,” in Fresh Air, April 19, 2017, podcast, 35:25. http://www.npr.org/2017/04/19/524618639/from-f-bomb-to-photobomb-how-the-dictionary-keeps-up-with-english. 2. “Holly Herndon and Mat Dryhurst: Inhuman Intelligence (Machine Listening),” interview by Sean Dockray, Liquid Architecture, January 20, 2020, podcast, https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/holly-herndon-mat-dryhurst-inhuman-intelligence-machine/id1501072515?i=1000467579474. Shortened note example
3. Stamper, interview.4. Herndon and Dryhurst, interview.Bibliography rule
Interviewee’s Family Name, Given Name. Interview by Interviewer’s Full Name. Then follow Rule for relevant Format (podcast, news broadcast, print article or online video).Bibliography example
Stamper, Kory. Interview by Terry Gross. “From ‘F-Bomb’ to ‘Photobomb,’ How the Dictionary Keeps Up with English.” In Fresh Air. April 19, 2017. Podcast. 35:25. http://www.npr.org/2017/04/19/524618639/from-f-bomb-to-photobomb-how-the-dictionary-keeps-up-with-english. Herndon, Holly and Mat Dryhurst. “Holly Herndon and Mat Dryhurst: Inhuman Intelligence (Machine Listening).” Interview by Sean Dockray. In Liquid Architecture. January 20, 2020. Podcast. https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/holly-herndon-mat-dryhurst-inhuman-intelligence-machine/id1501072515?i=1000467579474. Unpublished interviews
An unpubplished interview may be cited in notes but not listed in the bibliography.
Include the names of both interviewee and interviewer.
Include date and location of interview and whether the transcript is available.
If the interviewee prefers to be anonymous, you must explain this in your text.
Note rule
Note Number. Interviewee’s Full Name, interview by Interviewer’s Full name, location of interview, Date.Note example
1. Lance Artcore, interview by Brooklyn Fox, Melbourne, VIC, April 23, 2019.2. Interview with a contact tracer, August 4, 2020.Shortened note examples
3. Artcore, interview.4. Contact tracer, interview.Personal communication e.g. letters, email, text messages, and social media messages, can be cited in a note within the text, but are not listed in the bibliography.
Note rule
Note Number. Correspondent's Full Name, medium if relevant, date.Note example
1. Diane Evans, email correspondence, February 24, 2019.Shortened note rule
Note Number. Correspondents Last Name, medium.Shortened note example
2. Evans, email.Theses and dissertations are mostly cited and referenced like books. Rather than italics, titles of thesis are enclosed in quotation marks.
If the thesis or dissertation is accessed online, include a URL. However, if the URL requires an account login, include only the database or repository name. In parentheses, include any identification number supplied by the database.
Hard copy theses or dissertations do not require a URL or database/repository name.
When the document is labelled PhD dissertation, use the abbreviation PhD diss.
Note rule
Note number. Author’s Full Name, “Title: Subtitle” (Thesis type, University, Year), page number, URL or Database name (Document identifier).Note examples
1. Tanya Court, "The Site Re-Presented: Everyday Civic Landscapes" (PhD diss., RMIT University, 2019), RMIT Research Repository (9921864000901341).2. Christine Kuhling, "Rewriting Tourist Photography" (PhD thesis, Western Sydney University, 2017), 30, Western Sydney University Library ResearchDirect (47965).Shortened note examples
3. Court, "The Site Re-Presented."4. Kuhling, "Rewriting Tourist Photography."Bibliography rule
Author’s Family Name, Author’s Given Name. “Title: Subtitle.” Thesis type, University, Year. Database name (Document identifier).Bibliography examples
Court, Tanya. "The Site Re-Presented: Everyday Civic Landscapes." PhD diss., RMIT University, 2019. RMIT Research Repository (9921864000901341).Kuhling, Christine."Rewriting Tourist Photography." PhD thesis, Western Sydney University, 2017. Western Sydney University Library ResearchDirect (47965).Include the lecture URL if there is one available.
Note rule
Note number. Lecturer’s Full Name, "Title of Lecture: Subtitle of Lecture," Unit Code: Title of Unit (Description, Place of lecture: University, Date of lecture). URL (if available).Note examples
1. Tran Duc Linh, "Math 2081: Week 1 Lecture," MATH 2081: Mathematics for Computing (Lecture, Online: RMIT University, June 28, 2021). https://web.microsoftstream.com/video/dc38f791-8ce3-4e33-866a-5144380799f9. 2. David Smith, "Communication 101: Week 3 Lecture," COMM204: Communication (Lecture, Melbourne: RMIT University July 2, 2021).Shortened note examples
3. Linh, "Math 2081."4. Smith, "Communication 101."Bibliography rule
Lecturer’s Family Name, Lecturer’s Given Name. “Title of Lecture: Subtitle of Lecture.” Unit Code: Title of Unit. Place of lecture: University, Date of lecture. URL (if available).Bibliography examples
Linh, Tran Duc. "Math 2081: Week 1 Lecture," MATH2081. Mathematics for Computing.Online: RMIT University, June 28, 2021.https://web.microsoftstream.com/video/dc38f791-8ce3-4e33-866a-5144380799f9. Smith, David. "Communication 101: Week 3 Lecture," COMM204. Communication. Melbourne: RMIT University, July 2, 2021.When acknowledging sources created by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, it is recommended that the Nation/Country/Language Group is included after the author’s or creator’s name. This is based on guidance from the Indigenous Referencing Guidance for Indigenous Knowledges published in 2023 by the Indigenous Archives Collective.
The guidelines licensed under a CC-BY-NC-SA licence allows reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for non-commercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator. This license also applies to this guide.
It is advised to attribute a Nation/Country/language group to an author who has self-identified. This information can be located, for example, in a biographical note to an article or on a personal website.
For more information on how to critically evaluate information sources, visit the IKAT Toolkit.
Note: Guidance from First Nations Communities is welcome, especially from the people of the Woi Wurrung and Boon Wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands RMIT conducts their business. If you would like to send any comments regarding this guide, please use our EasyCite feedback form.
AI-generated text
Using generative artificial intelligence (AI) in learning and research, including assessment tasks
The educators within your courses can tell you if you are able to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools in your assessment tasks, including how you can use the tools and what tools you can use. If you use any AI tools, you must appropriately acknowledge and reference the use of these tools and their outputs. Failure to reference the use of these tools can result in academic misconduct.
Please confirm with your course educator before using any AI tools in your assessment tasks.
Please note that the guidelines on how to reference AI tools have been updated on Monday the 26th of June 2023. This is in response to updated guidelines from the APA style manual editors, as well as the new ability to generate shareable URLs in some of the AI tools.
Overview of text-generating AI tools
Introduction to AI tools that can generate text
AI tools that generate text, such as OpenAI's ChatGPT, are large language models with a conversational type of interface, where you can ask a question, receive a detailed response and follow up with additional queries.
Some generative AI tools are not connected to the internet and are trained on data sets up to a specific time point. Other generative AI tools connect to the internet and will provide URL links to information. There are some points to consider when using the text generated by these tools:
- As these tools function in a similar way to predictive text on your phone, by recognising and reproducing patterns in language, they can generate incorrect information.
- While they can produce citations and references, these are not always correct. If you are relying on the information to be accurate, you should check that the reference cited by the AI tool exists, and that the information cited is present in the original source.
- The data sets used to train these tools often include biased and inaccurate information, as access to scholarly information and valid scientific studies may be limited, and information from social media and other less reputable sources is included.
The Learning Lab Artificial Intelligence Tools module has more information on how these AI tools work, and some points to consider when using them.
Copyright and non-human authors
Current copyright law only recognises humans as authors and creators. One of the moral rights associated with copyright is the right to be acknowledged as the author of a work. From a copyright perspective an AI tool cannot be recognised as the creator of a work, however it is important to explain that an AI tool was used in the creation of the work. This has informed our referencing guidance.
General acknowledgement that AI tools have been used in the creation of a work
In some assessment tasks, you may be able to use AI tools for background research, or to generate an outline for your essay or report (as stated earlier, please follow your educator's guidance before using any AI tools).. In this case, rather than citing and referencing specific text generated by AI tools, you will need to provide a general acknowledgement within the body or methods section of your text to explain that an AI tool was used in the creation of your work. Include as much detail as possible, including how you used the AI tool, the prompt used, the date you used the tool, and the name, creator and version of the AI tool.
Example: On the 26th June 2023, I used the May 24 version of OpenAI's ChatGPT to perform background research by using the following prompt "explain the difference between deep learning and machine learning".
Referencing specific text content generated by AI tools
Each of the referencing styles used at RMIT is based on a source style manual. More information on the source style manuals used for each style can be found in Easy Cite. Currently, only the editors of the APA style manual have provided advice on referencing AI-generated content. For the other referencing styles used at RMIT, we have created interim guidelines for referencing AI-generated content that we believe are the best match within that style. These may change in the future as the source style manuals develop or update their guidelines for referencing AI-generated content.
If you are referring to content generated by AI tools within your work, we recommend that you include the shareable link to the content if available, or otherwise include this AI-generated content as an appendix or supplemental information. It is also good practice to include the question or prompt that generated the response to provide context for your readers.
Two sets of reference guidelines are provided below for each style - one is for AI tools that include shareable URLs to the outputs generated from text prompts, which enables your readers to access the outputs themselves. The other is for AI tools that do not provide shareable links, meaning that the readers of your work cannot access the same information themselves.
AI-generated images
Using generative AI in learning and research, including assessment tasks
Your course lecturer can tell you if you are able to use content generated by artificial intelligence (AI) tools in your assessment tasks, including AI-generated images. Please confirm with your course lecturer for a specific assessment task before using any AI tools.
If you are able to use AI tools in your assessment task, you need to appropriately acknowledge and reference all of the AI-generated content that you include. Failure to reference this AI-generated content can result in academic misconduct.
Please note that the information about using generative AI tools will continue to be updated - we recommend checking this guide regularly and confirming with your course lecturer if you are unsure.
Overview of images generated by AI tools
Some generative AI tools have been trained on large numbers of existing images, and these tools can create new images based on prompts from users. The images created using these tools can be downloaded, but they are not published or reproducible in the AI platform. Images generated using AI tools such as Midjourney and DALL-E 2 are the topic of much debate. Current copyright law only recognises humans as authors. One of the moral rights associated with copyright is the right to be acknowledged as the author of a work. From a copyright perspective there is currently no obligation to recognise AI as the creator of a work, however it is important to explain that AI was used in the creation of the work.
AI-generated images are an emerging technology, and there are not yet clear guidelines for how to incorporate them into existing referencing styles such as APA 7th, Chicago, etc. Our current recommendation for how to reference AI-generated images varies for each referencing style, and is included below. Additionally, we recommend that you include the question or prompt that generated the image where possible, to provide context for your readers.
Please note that our recommendations for how to reference AI-generated content may change in the future as referencing style manuals are updated.
How to reference AI-generated text
The Chicago Manual of Style editors have released a Q&A post on referencing AI-generated text. We have adapted these guidelines to accommodate the current Australian copyright advice that AI tools cannot be listed as authors. Instead, use the creator of the tool as the author in the in-text citation and provide bibliographic details in a reference list entry.
If a shareable URL to the content is available, include it in your reference list entry. If the content is not shareable, include the prompt used and the output generated in an appendix. Include the general URL for the tool and a note about the appendix in the reference list entry.
Chicago A (Notes-Bibliography) style uses numbered in-text citations that match the corresponding footnote or endnote entry.
Footnote example - shareable URL generated by the AI tool:
Rule
Note number. AI tool used, Month Day, Year, Creator of tool, URL.Example
1. Text generated using ChatGPT, June 26, 2023, OpenAI, https://chat.openai.com/share/81f2e81f-f137-41b6-9881-39af1672ae3c Footnote example - non-shareable AI-generated content:
Rule
Note number. AI tool used, Month Day, Year, Creator of tool, URL, Appendix.Example
1. Text generated using Claude, January 22, 2024, Anthropic, https://claude.ai/chats, see Appendix for prompt used and output generated.How to reference AI-generated images
As stated in the RMIT Easy Cite Chicago guides, visual materials used in assessment tasks do not need the copyright permissions that are required for publishing or commercial use. However, it is essential that you give credit to the creator of the work and reference it in your work.
Chicago A (Notes-Bibliography)
How to reference an image that you produce using an AI tool:
Follow the caption rules for your own work. Include the AI tool that was used as well as the prompt.
Caption
Rule
Figure number. Description or explanation.
Example
Figure 1. Artwork created using Adobe Firefly in response to the prompt: two students studying in a park in the sunshine.How to reference an AI-generated image reproduced from a published source:
Follow the general guidelines for Art or creative works, noting that the Chicago Manual of Style states that information about images and works of art can usually be presented in the text, rather than a note or bibliography. A caption below the image can be used to include the necessary information. Use the name of the human as the creator (if known) and include information that the work was generated using AI - we recommend adding this information in the medium field. If the human creator of the image is unknown, use text such as Artwork created using (the AI tool) in place of the creator's name.
Caption
Rule
Figure number. Artist’s Given Name Artist’s Family Name, Title of work (if known), Year of production (if known). Medium, in Author's Given Name and Family Names, source details (e.g. website, book, etc).
Examples
Figure 1: Jason Allen, Théâtre D’opéra Spatial, 2022. Artwork created using Midjourney, in Kevin Roose, "An A.I.-Generated Picture Won an Art Prize. Artists Aren’t Happy." The New York Times, September 2, 2022, https
://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/02/technology/ai-artificial-intelligence-artists.html. Figure 1: Artwork created using OpenAI's DALLE-2, in Adam Gopnick, "What Can A.I. Art Teach Us About the Real Thing?" The New Yorker, March 1, 2023, https
://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/what-can-ai-art-teach-us-about-the-real-thing.
The styles included are RMIT Harvard, AGLC4, APA, Chicago A: footnotes and bibliography, Chicago B: author-date, IEEE, and Vancouver.
Easy Cite includes as many examples of reference types as possible. If the style guides shown here do not include your specific reference or citation type, consider applying the format from similar types within Easy Cite for your reference and citation, or check the relevant style manual.
Easy Cite is intended as a guide only and some styles are open to interpretation. You should always check with your instructor to ensure you are using the correct style for your assignments and assessment tasks.
Visit the Learning Lab Referencing Tutorial (opens in a new tab) and find out how to correctly use different referencing styles in academic writing to avoid plagiarism and get better marks.
Easy Cite referencing guide by RMIT University Library is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
This resource is derived from a work by Swinburne University Library, based on an original work by Griffith University Library.
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