Numeric citations

In the Numeric style, the citation is indicated by a number. You should insert the citation number directly after a source is referred to in your text, even if this is in the middle of sentence. It is acceptable to place a citation number at the end of a paragraph, if the entire paragraph is referring to the same source.

Every citation should be labelled within your text using a superscript number¹ or by using a number in brackets (1) or [1]. Check your department guidelines to see whether you are expected to use round or square brackets or superscript.

Examples:
Aitchison (1) suggests that language change is inevitable, but not a bad thing.

Aitchison¹ suggests that language change is inevitable, but not a bad thing.

One leading expert suggests that language change is inevitable, but is not a bad thing (1).

One leading expert suggests that language change is inevitable, but is not a bad thing¹.

You should also include page numbers if you quote directly from the text, paraphrase specific ideas or explanations, or use an image, diagram, table, etc from a source. 

The first item you cite is allocated number 1, the second item is allocated number 2, and so on throughout your piece of work.

Example:
According to a recent Mintel report (1), climate change is a high priority for the government as well as being a concern for the general public. Wigley (2) identifies increasing emissions of so-called greenhouse gases as the major contributing factor towards climate change.

You should also include page numbers if you quote directly from the text, paraphrase specific ideas or explanations, or use an image, diagram, table, etc from a source. 

Once a source has been allocated a number, this number is used again if you refer to the same source at a later point in your work.

Example:
According to the Environment Agency (1), road transport accounts for 25% of the UK's total carbon dioxide emissions, which are seen as a contributing factor to climate change. A recent Mintel report (2) highlighted climate change as a high priority for the government as well as the general public. With road transport set to grow by 33% over the next 20 years (1), it is important for governments, businesses and individuals to act now to reduce the impact that transport is having on the global environment.

The number (1) appears more than once as both statistics came from the same Environment agency report.

If you refer to two or more sources at the same time, these can be cited together. The numbers of the sources are placed inside one pair of brackets, separated by commas.

Example:
With road transport set to grow by 33% over the next 20 years (2,3), it is important for governments, businesses and individuals to act now to reduce the impact that transport is having on the global environment (7, 12, 35).

If you refer to three or more different sources at the same time and they have consecutive citation numbers, e.g. 3, 4 and 5, a dash can be used to abbreviate this.

Example:
With road transport set to grow by 33% over the next 20 years (3-5)...

The dash indicates that number 4 is also being cited.

You should always try to track down the original work but, if this is not possible and you intend to cite the ideas of one author that you have found in the work of another, your text must refer 1) to the original author of the idea you are using, and 2) to the source in which you actually found the idea.

Example:
If you were quoting Brown, as cited in a work by Matthews:
Matthews (5 p.17) cites Brown, who emphasises that citations in a text must be consistent.

Your reference list should only give details of the source inwhich you actually found the idea, in this case the work by Matthews.

You should include page numbers when you quote directly from the text, paraphrase specific ideas or explanations, or use an image, diagram, table, etc from a source.

Example:
"It was emphasised that citations in a text should be consistent" (1 p.24)

If you need to use a direct quotation from an ebook that does not have page numbers, we recommend using the chapter number in your in-text citation instead.

Example:
"It was emphasised that citations in a text should be consistent" (1 chapter 1)

When referencing a single page you should use p. and for a range of pages use pp.

You should provide an in-text citation for any photographs, images, tables, diagrams, graphs, figures or illustrations that you reproduce in your work, and provide a full reference as with any other type of work.

They should be treated as direct quotes in that the relevant page number should be included after the reference number.

Example:
Figure 1, A four pointed star (8 p.22)

If you use a table/graph, etc. from a source and then adapt it to use in your own assignment, you must make that clear in your reference.

We would suggest:
Figure 1, Title, based on 8 p.22

If you refer to a film, video or broadcast you should insert a number citation as you would with any other source but in your reference list you would put the title as the first element of your reference rather than an individual author.

Example reference for film or video

Example references for television or radio broadcast