RMIT Harvard Referencing Guide

RMIT HARVARD REFERENCING GUIDE
RMIT University Library

Updated: February 2022
This is a guide only. Please confirm the referencing requirements for your course with your
lecturer.
RMIT Harvard is an author-date referencing style. It is based on the Referencing and attribution section
of the Australian Government Style Manual (AGSM) released in 2021.
RMIT Harvard style requires in-text references and a reference list. In-text references appear within the
body of the document. They include the author’s family name or name of the organisation responsible for
the information source and the year of publication, with page numbers required for quotes if available. A
reference list provides the full bibliographic details of all in-text references at the end of the assignment.
It is recommended that you read the general rules for each section before looking at the specific
information about the source you need to reference.
Note: Although the AGSM states that the title of online sources should be hyperlinked for electronic
formats, RMIT Harvard style does not do this because hyperlinked titles are not compatible with the
EndNote program. In addition, the links would not be available when the work is printed.
CONTENTS
IN-TEXT REFERENCES............................................................................................................................4
General rules...................................................................................................................................................................4
BOOKS................................................................................................................................................5
Book with single author...................................................................................................................................................5
Book with two authors.....................................................................................................................................................6
Book with three or more authors.....................................................................................................................................6
Book whose author is an organisation............................................................................................................................6
Book with no author.........................................................................................................................................................6
Multiple books by the same author.................................................................................................................................7
Book chapter....................................................................................................................................................................7
E-book.............................................................................................................................................................................7
Encyclopedia or dictionary entry without an author........................................................................................................8
Encyclopedia or dictionary entry with an author.............................................................................................................8
Brochure or pamphlet......................................................................................................................................................8
Exhibition catalogue........................................................................................................................................................8
JOURNALS............................................................................................................................................9
Journal article with single author.....................................................................................................................................9
Journal article with two authors.......................................................................................................................................9
Journal article with three or more authors.......................................................................................................................9
Journal article with no authors......................................................................................................................................10
e-Journal article.............................................................................................................................................................10
NEWSPAPERS......................................................................................................................................11
Print newspaper article..................................................................................................................................................11
Print newspaper article with no author..........................................................................................................................11
Newspaper article from a webpage (HTML format)......................................................................................................11
Newspaper article from a webpage (HTML format) with no author..............................................................................12
SOCIAL MEDIA.....................................................................................................................................12
Available at: https://www.rmit.edu.au/library/study/referencing

Page 1 of 46
Blog or blog post............................................................................................................................................................12
Social media post..........................................................................................................................................................12
WEBSITES AND WEBPAGE DOCUMENTS.....................................................................................................13
Website / webpage........................................................................................................................................................13
Webpage document (PDF)............................................................................................................................................13
REPORTS, DATA SETS AND STANDARDS......................................................................................................14
Government or organisation report...............................................................................................................................14
Company, industry or market report from a library database.......................................................................................14
Company, industry or market report from a website.....................................................................................................14
Australian Bureau of Statistics report............................................................................................................................15
Dataset..........................................................................................................................................................................15
Standard........................................................................................................................................................................15
AUDIO VISUAL MATERIAL.......................................................................................................................15
Film or television program.............................................................................................................................................15
Podcast..........................................................................................................................................................................16
YouTube video and other online streaming videos.......................................................................................................16
Radio.............................................................................................................................................................................16
Sound recording............................................................................................................................................................17
IMAGES AND FIGURES...........................................................................................................................17
General rules for artworks.............................................................................................................................................17
Captions.........................................................................................................................................................................18
In-text reference to artworks..........................................................................................................................................19
Maps..............................................................................................................................................................................19
Tables and diagrams.....................................................................................................................................................20
OTHER SOURCES..................................................................................................................................21
Case study.....................................................................................................................................................................21
Conference paper..........................................................................................................................................................21
Lecture notes or course material...................................................................................................................................21
Legal material................................................................................................................................................................21
Media release................................................................................................................................................................22
Personal communication...............................................................................................................................................23
Thesis............................................................................................................................................................................23
Student’s own work (previously submitted)...................................................................................................................23
REFERENCE LIST..................................................................................................................................24
General rules.................................................................................................................................................................24
EXAMPLE REFERENCE LIST......................................................................................................................25
BOOKS..............................................................................................................................................26
Book with an edition number.........................................................................................................................................27
Book with single author.................................................................................................................................................27
Book with multiple authors............................................................................................................................................27
Book whose author is an organisation..........................................................................................................................27
Book with no author.......................................................................................................................................................28
Multiple books by the same author(s)...........................................................................................................................28
Book chapter in an edited book.....................................................................................................................................28
Book compiled by an editor(s).......................................................................................................................................29
E-book...........................................................................................................................................................................29
Encyclopedia and dictionary entries..............................................................................................................................29
Brochure or pamphlet....................................................................................................................................................30
Exhibition catalogue......................................................................................................................................................30
JOURNALS..........................................................................................................................................30
Journal article with single author...................................................................................................................................31
Journal article with two authors.....................................................................................................................................31
Journal article with three or more authors.....................................................................................................................31

Page 2 of 46
Journal article with no authors......................................................................................................................................31
e-Journal article.............................................................................................................................................................32
NEWSPAPERS......................................................................................................................................32
Print newspaper article..................................................................................................................................................32
Print newspaper article with no author..........................................................................................................................33
Newspaper article from a webpage (HTML format)......................................................................................................33
Newspaper article from a webpage (HTML format) with no author..............................................................................33
SOCIAL MEDIA.....................................................................................................................................33
Blog or blog post............................................................................................................................................................33
Social media post..........................................................................................................................................................34
WEBSITES AND WEBPAGE DOCUMENTS.....................................................................................................35
Website / webpage........................................................................................................................................................35
Webpage document (PDF)............................................................................................................................................35
REPORTS, DATA SETS AND STANDARDS......................................................................................................36
Government report........................................................................................................................................................36
Australian Bureau of Statistics report............................................................................................................................36
Report by an organisation.............................................................................................................................................37
Company, industry or market report from a Library database......................................................................................37
Company, industry or market report from a website.....................................................................................................37
Dataset..........................................................................................................................................................................38
Standard........................................................................................................................................................................38
AUDIO VISUAL MATERIAL.......................................................................................................................39
Television program........................................................................................................................................................39
Film / Movie...................................................................................................................................................................39
YouTube video and other online streaming videos.......................................................................................................39
Podcast..........................................................................................................................................................................40
Radio.............................................................................................................................................................................40
Musical composition and sound recording....................................................................................................................41
IMAGES AND FIGURES...........................................................................................................................42
Artwork...........................................................................................................................................................................42
Maps..............................................................................................................................................................................42
Tables and diagrams.....................................................................................................................................................42
OTHER SOURCES..................................................................................................................................43
Case study.....................................................................................................................................................................43
Conference paper / presentation...................................................................................................................................43
Conference paper from a webpage...............................................................................................................................43
Unpublished conference paper.....................................................................................................................................43
Lecture notes or course material...................................................................................................................................44
Legal material................................................................................................................................................................44
Media release................................................................................................................................................................44
Student's own work (previously submitted)...................................................................................................................45
Thesis............................................................................................................................................................................45
Interview........................................................................................................................................................................46
Personal communication...............................................................................................................................................46
Works in the original language (non-English)...............................................................................................................46

Page 3 of 46
IN-TEXT REFERENCES
General rules
 Use in-text references to acknowledge all authors or sources of information (print or online)
used within your writing, either by paraphrasing or using a direct quote.
Paraphrasing is when you express the author’s ideas in your own words. Paraphrasing is
generally preferred to quotes as they show you understand and can explain the ideas you have
read rather than simply copying them.
A direct quote is when you use the exact words from the original source. Use quotes sparingly,
such as when the exact words of the author are important to the claim you are making. Put direct
quotes between single inverted commas (quotation marks). Include a page number in the in-text
reference if available
In-text references include the author’s family name (or company or organisation name, if the
author is a company or organisation) and year of publication, with page numbers (if available)
required for quotes
 An in-text reference can be inserted at the beginning, middle or end of a sentence. When you
are referencing information that authors/researchers agree about, the reference is placed at the
end of the sentence (an information prominent citation). This is the most common type of in-text
reference. Referencing at the beginning of a sentence (author prominent citation) is used to
focus on a particular author/researcher’s point of view or on specific research that might not
apply in all situations.
 If the author is integrated as part of the sentence, the date (and page number for direct quote)
is placed in parentheses immediately after the author's name.
 When a work has two authors, always list both authors’ names every time the reference occurs.
 When a work has three or more authors, list the first author’s name followed by et al. For
example, Haslam et al. (2021) or (Haslam et al. 2021).
 For pen names and pseudonyms, use the name adopted by the author, e.g. … (Mari 2009),
Quynh Huong (2020) inspires … In the reference list, list according the pen name or
pseudonym and include the author’s actual in parentheses if known.
 If the author of a reference is unknown, list the reference based on the title of the work.
 If the publication date is unknown, use n.d.
 If the publication date is unknown but can be reliably estimated or inferred from the text, then
place c. (meaning 'circa' or about) before the year.
 Secondary citations acknowledge the work of an author you refer to in your assignment that
you read about in someone else’s work. Where possible, try to use the original source.
For example, if you use Vanna’s ideas which you read about an article by Martin and
Rodríguez, you would only need to show who the ideas belong to and also where you read
about them.
Previous research appears to indicate ... (Vanna, cited in Martin and Rodriguez 2021).
Vanna (cited in Martin and Rodriguez 2021) suggests that ...
In the examples, the ideas/information belong to Vanna, but you paraphrased them from your
reading of Martin and Rodriguez’s work.
In the reference list, include the source you read. For this example, you would only need to put
Martin and Rodríguez in the reference list.

Page 4 of 46
 For multiple citations in the same parentheses, list all citations chronologically, separated by
a semi-colon (;) for example:
It has been claimed that ... (Ghezzi and Cavallo 2018; Jocevski 2020; Soluk et al.
2021).
 For multiple works by the same author in the same year, insert a letter after the year, starting
with the letter ‘a’ for the first work you cite. In the reference list, include the same letter after
each year of publication.
It is argued that ... (Ayoob 2021a, 2021b).
Ayoob (2021a, 2021b) states that ...

 Some works have different authors with the same family name. To identify their works,
insert the initial(s) of all the first authors’ given names in the in-text references. In the reference
list, order their works by the year of publication.
It is argued that ... (Peterson M 2019), but others claim that ... (Peterson JR et al. 2021).
 If you change the wording of a quote, follow the steps below to ensure that you do not to
change the meaning of the original text:
o Use an ellipsis which consists of three dots (…) if you leave out any part of the original
text.
o If you want to add words to the original text (e.g. to integrate the grammar or make the
information clearer), you must put them in square brackets [ ].
 With direct quotes, always use the spelling and formatting style of the original source.
 If the source contains grammatical or spelling errors, you must copy the quote exactly as it
appears in the original source (including the errors). Then put sic in parentheses (sic)
immediately after the error.
 Block quotations are quotes of more than 30 words. Block quotes do not use inverted commas.
They are signalled with a colon and the quote begins on a new line that is indented from the
margin and can be set in smaller text size.
As Smithers (2020:57) points out:
Paraphrasing and synthesising information shows deeper understanding of your reading
and research than simply using direct quotes. It enables you to demonstrate your insight
into the concepts and thus obtain higher marks in your assignment.
Books
Book with single author

Paraphrases
Writing is a powerful way to communicate and is a critical skill for employment (Day 2018).
Day (2018) emphasises the importance of writing as a compelling way to communicate and an
essential skill for employment.
Direct quote
Day (2018:3) states that ‘writing is a uniquely powerful, precise and satisfying form of expression. It is
also a vital skill for future employment’.

Page 5 of 46
Book with two authors
Use the full word ‘and’ when citing two authors. This applies to referring directly to the authors in a
sentence or if citing them in parentheses.
Paraphrase
The consequences of climate change are not factored into most building plans (Hill and Martinez-Diez
2020).
Direct quotes
Hill and Martinez-Diez (2020:18) assert that ‘building plans tend to ignore climate risks in most
instances.
‘Building plans tend to ignore climate risks in most instances’ (Hill and Martinez-Diez 2020:18).
Book with three or more authors

For in-text citations, give only the first author's family name, followed by et al. and the publication year.
Paraphrase
Decision making, when applied to the nursing profession, means the selection of careful consideration
of interventions from a broad spectrum of actions that can lead to a satisfactory outcome (DeLaune et
al. 2019).
Direct quote
In the context of nursing, decision making is defined by DeLaune et al. (2019:63) as ‘considering and
selecting interventions from a range of actions that facilitate the achievement of a desired outcome’.
Book whose author is an organisation

Where the author is an organisation, use the name of the organisation as the author.
Paraphrases
The Business Council of Australia (2019) is in favour of stopping the stimulus and increasing
productivity through job creation.
Human health and food and water security will be increasingly threatened by climate change without
an accelerated climate mitigation response (OECD 2019).
Direct quote
According to the OECD (2019:15), ‘the world has already warmed by an average of 1°Celsius and
July 2019 was the hottest July ever recorded. Extreme weather events are taking their toll across the
globe’.
Book with no author

In place of the author, cite the book title and the year. Italicise the book title. If quoting, include a colon
and page number after the year.
Paraphrases
Australia has a growing role in the education of international students (Higher education in Australia:
the facts 2004).
A Warning (2019) argues that Trump’s presidency was one of America’s most tumultuous.

Page 6 of 46
Direct quotes
Higher education in Australia: the facts (2004:23) claims that Australia is ‘a major provider of
international education and training services’.
According to A Warning (2019:15) ‘the …’.
Multiple books by the same author

When citing two or more works by the same author in the same in-text citation, place the years of
publication in chronological order after the author’s name. If the works were written in the same year,
place a letter after the year; a after the first, b after the second and so on.
Paraphrases
The ubiquity of social media has been observed to have detrimental effects on the reliability of
knowledge (Lynch 2016, 2019).
Jenkins (2020a, 20120b) has identified several strategies for maintaining employee motivation.
Book chapter
When using a book chapter in an in-text reference, use the author of the chapter’s details and not the
book editor’s details. Editor details are included in the reference list.
If you use an edited book where the chapters have no identified authors, give the editor’s family name as
the author in an in-text reference.
Paraphrase
Sahai et al. (2021) have noted that opportunities have increased for organisations as a result of the
development of smart technology.
Direct quote
‘In the past decade smart technology, including networking and big data have given ways to
organizations to expand their horizons’ (Sahai et al. 2021:102).
E-book
For online books sourced from Library databases or websites.
Paraphrases
In 1970, fighting relentless police discrimination, and feeling let down by the current legal system,
together with law students and lawyers, Aboriginal activists established the first Legal Aboriginal
Service in Redfern (Perheentupa 2020).
Shann (1948) provides a history of Australia's agricultural economy at the time of Governor Phillip.
Direct quotes
Page numbers are only required when they are provided in the original document. If no page number is
available, you can include information about the location the quote is from in your writing.
The first example below comes from an e-book that has a page number, i.e. 35. The second example
does not have page numbers:
‘The first Legal Aboriginal Service was founded in response to persistent police discrimination and the
legal system’s failure to curtail it’ (Perheentupa 2020:35).

Page 7 of 46
Shann (1948) argues in the opening paragraphs of Chapter 1 that 'neither legal restrictions nor
isolation made the "settlers from convicts" better able to read the riddle of agriculture in a climate
fruitful at times but fatally capricious'.
Encyclopedia or dictionary entry without an author

If there is no author, cite the encyclopedia or dictionary title and the year. Italicise the encyclopedia or
dictionary title. If quoting, include a colon and page number after the year.
Paraphrase
In order to focus attention on persuading people about a particular issue, megaphone democracy can
often be employed through the context of public forums (Macquarie Dictionary 2017).
Direct quote
Megaphone democracy is defined as ‘the diplomatic strategy of talking freely in public forums about
an issue in order to persuade people to accept a particular point of view’ (Macquarie Dictionary
2017:936).
Encyclopedia or dictionary entry with an author

Paraphrase
The historical record testifies to the continued importance of determinism as a philosophical issue
among curious and inquiring minds (Baird 2018).
Direct quote
‘Philosophical conversations about determinism can be traced back through history as the question of
whether human existence is planned or random and have perennially captured the imagination of
thoughtful people’ (Baird 2018:890).
Brochure or pamphlet
If there is no author, cite the publication title and the year. Italicise the publication title.
Provide page number for quotes only when available in the original document.
Paraphrases
Tenants Victoria’s (2020) fact sheet reports provides information for people sharing a house or
apartment.
The Specialist Imaging for Women agency offers neonatal hip ultrasounds services to screen for
developmental hip dysplasia for babies up to 6 months of age (Specialist Imaging For Women c.
2021).
Direct quotes
'Co-tenancy is the most common type of shared housing arrangement' (Tenants Victoria 2020).
Regarding paediatric ultrasound, the Specialist Imaging For Women Paediatrics Services (c. 2021)
offers ‘neonatal hip ultrasound – screening for developmental hip dysplasia – up to 6 months of age’.
Exhibition catalogue
Paraphrase
The exhibition catalogue (NGV International 2021) provides an insightful analysis of the influences of
the development of Chanel’s style and its ongoing impact on fashion.

Page 8 of 46
Direct quote
‘The art of costume seems to have been intrinsically linked to Chanel’s career path’ (NGV
International:259).
Journals
 Include the author’s family name, followed by publication year.

 For quotes, a colon (:) then page number (if available) is included (e.g. Lee 2022:94). You can
include information about which section of the article the quote is from in your sentence to
provide more detail about the quote location if a page number is not available.
 If no publication year is supplied, write n.d. (no date) instead of the year of publication or c.
(about or approximately)
Journal article with single author

Paraphrase
The Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) program aims to develop students’ professional self
and enable them to build and reinvent their practice (Papadopoulou 2020).
Direct quote
One of the themes of their Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) program, according to
Papadopoulou (2020:686), is ‘fostering in our students a strong sense of professional identity and
empowering them to develop and even redefine their practice’.
Journal article with two authors

For two authors, use and to separate them. This applies to both referring to the authors in the sentence
and references in parentheses at the end of the sentence.
Paraphrase
Fiorineschi and Rotini (2021) explain that the design discipline commonly recognises novelty as an
important factor in assessing creativity.
Direct quote
‘In the field of design, novelty is widely acknowledged as a key parameter for creativity assessments’
(Fiorineschi and Rotini 2021:590).
Journal article with three or more authors

Shorten the in-text citation to the first author followed by et al. (Latin for ‘and others’) for articles written
by three or more authors. All authors are included in the reference list.
Paraphrases
Mobbs et al. (2021) indicate that animal behavioural neuroscience has been significantly influenced
and changed by computational ethology.
With respect to their dynamics, polymer architectures vary in their behaviours (Bichler et al. 2021).
Direct quotes
‘Computational ethology has proven transformative for animal behavioral neuroscience’ (Mobbs et al.
2021:2224).

Page 9 of 46
Bichler et al. (2021:1829) assert that ‘different polymer architectures behave differently regarding their
dynamics’.
Journal article with no authors

In place of the author, cite the article title and the publication year. Put article title in single inverted
commas (quotation marks). If quoting, include a colon and page number after the year.
Paraphrases
For people aged over 50 years, even though it is a rare illness, giant cell arteritis is the most common
type of vasculitis (‘Giant cell arteritis: one size does not fit all’ 2021).
‘Giant cell arteritis: one size does not fit all’ (2021) states that for people aged over 50 years, giant cell
arteritis is the most common type of vasculitis, even though it is a rare illness.
Direct quotes
The examples below come from a source that does not have page numbers:
‘The disease has a severe impact on patients’ lives, causing a constellation of cranial and systemic
symptoms…’ (‘Giant cell arteritis: one size does not fit all’ 2021).
‘Giant cell arteritis: one size does not fit all’ (2021) explains in the opening paragraph that ‘…there is
only one targeted drug approved for the disease, despite decades of research…’
e-Journal article
For online journal articles sourced from Library databases or websites.
Paraphrases
Liang et al. (2021) claim that consumers, due to their beliefs about connectivity efficiency with the
Internet of Things, display a high level of brand loyalty when purchasing smart devices and products
for the home.
Although Llaha et al. (2021) discovered that there is a correlation between drinking sugar-sweetened
beverages (SSB) and developing endometrial and ovarian cancer, it was minor and insignificant.
Direct quotes
The first example below comes from a source that has a page number, i.e. 163. The second example
does not have page numbers:
In the introduction to their study of consumer purchasing preferences, Liang et al. (2021:163) observe
that ‘the Internet of Things (IoT), especially smart home technology, has been rapidly advancing and
has finally reached mainstream markets and user segments’.
‘The association between SSB [sugar-sweetened beverages] consumption and both endometrial and
ovarian cancer risk tended to be positive but did not reach statistically significant levels’ (Llaha et al.
2021).

Page 10 of 46
Newspapers
Print newspaper article

Paraphrase
Citi analysts predict a link between investors’ expectations to meet climate change targets and bank
chief executive renumeration (Yeates 2021).
Direct quote
‘The pay of bank chief executives could be linked to climate change targets in the future’ (Yeates
2021:24).
Print newspaper article with no author

If there is no author, cite the newspaper title and the full publication date (e.g. 2 October 2016). Italicise
the newspaper title. If quoting, include a colon and page number after the year.
Paraphrase
Aged care providers are starting to introduce new fee schemes in response to changes to Federal
government funding (The Sunday Age 2 October 2021).
Direct quote
'Australia's aged-care system is revealing itself to be all too frequently woefully ineffective in meeting
the needs of those who rely on its services' (The Sunday Age 2 October 2021:25).
Newspaper article from a webpage (HTML format)

Note: Newspaper articles in HTML format appear as text on the screen similar to a website. These
articles are not in PDF format. If the article is in PDF format with full-page format/imaging, please treat it
in the same way as a print newspaper article.
Paraphrases
Proust and Gailberger (2021) report that virus specialist, Professor Tony Blakely, has stated that if it
proves to be prolific, the new strain of COVID-19 could potentially be contained by a third vaccine.
Although soaring property values have been beneficial for home-owners, there are risks for those
looking to buy a house if they acquired additional debt beyond what they could afford (Wright and
Duke 2021).
Direct quotes
The examples below come from sources that do not have page numbers:
'Bringing forward plans for a third vaccine dose could protect against the new strain [of COVID-19] if it
appeared to spread more quickly' (Blakely cited in Proust and Gailberger 2021).
Wright and Duke (2021) begin their article on housing affordability by reporting the Reserve Bank of
Australia’s statement that ‘the lift in prices had delivered a financial boost to people already with a
home, but the market could take on a life of its own if potential buyers took on even more debt to buy
a property’.

Page 11 of 46
Newspaper article from a webpage (HTML format) with no author
If the article is in HTML format and there is no author, cite the newspaper title and the full publication
date (e.g. 2 October 2016). Italicise the newspaper title. If quoting, include a colon and page number
after the year.
Note: Newspaper articles in HTML format (with or without an author) appear as text on the screen
similar to a website. These articles are not in PDF format. If the article is in PDF format with full-page
format/imaging and has no author, please treat it in the same way as a print newspaper article with no
author.
Paraphrase
Aged care providers are starting to introduce new fee schemes in response to changes to Federal
government funding (The Sunday Age 2 October 2021).
Direct quote
The example below comes from a source that has a page number, i.e. 25:
'Australia's aged-care system is revealing itself to be all too frequently woefully ineffective in meeting
the needs of those who rely on its services' (The Sunday Age 2 October 2021:25).
Social media
Blog or blog post

If the blog post does not have a person identified as the author, use name of blog instead (e.g. Welcome
to Country). Sometimes, an organisation’s name is the author.
Paraphrases
Australian native ingredients are nutritionally rich with wonderful flavours and textures (Welcome to
Country 2020).
Mewburn (2020) identifies the complexities of writing in an academic style.
Direct quote
In a post introducing the delights of Australian native food, Welcome to Country (2021) notes that if
you have not ‘explored Australian native Bush Food you are missing out on some incredible flavours,
textures and nutritional benefits’.
Social media post

Cite the author’s name (the poster) and the year of publication as you would for other reference types.
Make sure, however, the reader knows that it is a social media post by mentioning the post type in the
sentence.
For social media accounts that are not publicly accessible (e.g. a private Facebook page), the social
media post should be cited as personal communication, not as social media post.
Paraphrase
In her Facebook post on 14 November, Thunberg (2021c) mocked world leaders for their lack of
leadership at the COP26 summit in Glasgow by accusing them of all talk and no action.

Page 12 of 46
Direct quotes
Following the COP26 summit in Glasgow, Greta Thunberg’s tweeted that ‘the people in power don’t
need conferences, treaties or agreements to start taking real climate action. They can start today’.
(Thunberg 2021a).
In Greta Thunberg’s Instagram post, she asserts that ‘we can no longer let the people in power
decide what hope is. Hope is not passive’ (Thunberg 2021b).
Websites and webpage documents
 An entire website is only cited if you are referring to its content or purpose in general, or if you
cannot link the information to a particular webpage.
 For example, when referring to a website as a general resource in your assignment, you should
link to that website homepage in the reference list. However, if you cite specific content from a
particular webpage on the website, you need to identify the specific webpage in your reference
list.
 Include the author’s name (individual or corporate), followed by publication year (e.g. 2021).
 If a webpage does not have an author name (individual or organisation), use the title of the
webpage in italics, followed by year of publication.
 If the author’s name is an organisation, you can use the shortened name form for your in-text
citations if the organisation uses it regularly, e.g. ‘WHO’ not ‘World Health Organization’. This
saves you space.
Website / webpage
Paraphrases
The WHO (2021) has declared that malnutrition, as well as the supply and provision of food
worldwide, have worsened on account of COVID-19 and climate change.
Artificial intelligence can be defined as the capacity of a system to adapt to unfamiliar environments,
forming generalisations in its knowledge and using that knowledge in new situations (Heath 2021).
Direct quotes
The examples below come from sources that do not have page numbers:
COVID-19 and climate change have had such a huge impact on the world that they both ‘have
exacerbated malnutrition in all its forms and threatened the sustainability and resilience of food
systems around the world’ (WHO 2021).
Heath (2021) explains that artificial intelligence is seen as being ‘tied to a system's ability to adapt and
improvise in a new environment, to generalise its knowledge and apply it to unfamiliar scenarios’.
Webpage document (PDF)

If a downloadable webpage document (e.g. PDF) does not have an author name (individual or
organisation), use the title of the document in italics, followed by year of publication.

Page 13 of 46
Paraphrase
Students’ capacity to learn increases when teachers collaborate to improve their educational practices
(Department of Education and Training, Victoria 2020).
Direct quote
The example below comes from a source that has a page number, i.e. 4:
The Department of Education and Training, Victoria (2020:4) states that ‘when teachers work together
to improve their practice, students learn more’.
Reports, data sets and standards
 As details will vary for government or organisation reports, try to extract as much information as
you can about authorship and publication information etc.
 If no page number is available in the report, you can indicate the original location of the quote in
your writing if needed
 Authors are often organisations, departments or committees rather than individuals.
 Commonly accepted short forms of organisations’ names are used for references in parentheses
to save space. The full name is provided in the reference list.
Government or organisation report

Government reports may include departmental reports, reports of commissions of inquiry, committees of
review and committees of parliament.
Paraphrase
The review into the impact of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 will
examine ... (Department of Education and Training 2016).
Direct quote
This 'review provides an opportunity to reflect on the lessons that can be learned from the first five
years of the TEQSA Act’s operation' (Department of Education and Training 2016).
Company, industry or market report from a library database

Paraphrase
Lo (2016) claims that the industry will increase online services through a variety of web-based
options.
Direct quote
At the time, it was reported that the company’s 'internet services are provided via dial-up, integrated
services digital network (ISDN) and fixed broadband connections' (Lo 2016:2).
Company, industry or market report from a website

As details will vary for company, industry or market reports, try to extract as much information as you can
about authorship and publication information etc.
Where there is no author, use the name of the company or organisation responsible for the report.

Page 14 of 46
Paraphrase
Wesfarmers Limited (2022) are wanting to engage with the community to limit environmental impact.
Direct quote
The company claims that it aims to ‘continuously improve waste performance with all our divisions
striving to divert waste from landfill’ (Wesfarmers Limited 2021).
Australian Bureau of Statistics report

For in-text citations in parentheses, use the commonly used abbreviated form ABS rather than the full
name of the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The full name is provided in the reference list.
Paraphrase
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2021), both male and female Australians currently
experience a higher life expectancy than their counterparts in other developed countries (ABS 2021).
Direct quote
‘For both males and females, Australia has a higher life expectancy than similar countries such as
New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States of America’ (ABS 2021).
Dataset
Details will vary for datasets, so try to extract as much information as you can about authorship and
publication information, etc.
If available, include a reference point (for example: figure number or table number) in the in-text
reference for the dataset.
Paraphrase
Using daily rainfall datasets, the Bureau of Meteorology (2022) highlights …
Direct quotes
When you copy or adapt specific data sets in the form of tables, charts or figures you must
acknowledge them both in your writing and with a caption below the figure. Refer to the sections on
table and figures for more information.
Standard
Paraphrase
For procedures and practices relating to timber framed constructions in non-cyclonic areas refer to ...
(Standards Australia 2010).
Direct quote
'For single or upper storey construction, the spacing of bracing elements, measured at right angles to
elements, shall not exceed 9000 mm' (Standards Australia 2010:11).
Audio visual material
Film or television program

Cite the title of the film or television program in italics, followed by the date of the production in
parentheses.

Page 15 of 46
The title can be abbreviated after the first mention as long as the meaning remains clear. You can also
leave out the date when subsequently referring to the film or television program.
Paraphrases
The documentary My name is Gulpilil (2017) provides not only insight into the cinematic
achievements of Gulpilil but more importantly, the actor’s own insights as he reflects on his life story.
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994) was a surprise international success. With its
inherently Australian characters, comedy and landscape, Priscilla was not expected to …
Direct quote
David Gulpilil describes the documentary of his life in the opening scenes by simply stating, ‘This is
my story of my story’ (My name is Gulpilil 2017).
Podcast
If the author(s) of the podcast is unknown, reference the title of the podcast and the year of the podcast.
Italicise the podcast title.
Paraphrases
Writing short stories on Instagram was the catalyst for Dave Grohl writing his memoir (Fidler and
Rooney 2021).
Bessell and Hunter (2020) consider how the corona virus pandemic is reshaping economies, raising
the question of how applicable the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals remain in addressing global
poverty.
Direct quote
Bessell (2020) points out that despite the Covid-19 pandemic having driven governments to
implement ‘previously unseen welfare interventions … social and economic inequality is deepening
around the globe’.
YouTube video and other online streaming videos

Cite the video using the author’s name (individual or corporate) and the year of the video.
If the author is unknown, reference the title of the video in italics and the year.
Paraphrase
Opinions of crypto currency vary widely from those that see it as the future of financial exchange to
those that consider it to be an insecure proposition at risk from hacking (ABC News 2021).
Direct quotes
There are conflicting opinions of crypto currency that frame it as either the potential ‘future currency of
Earth’ or full of pitfalls due to being ‘vulnerable to hacking security issues’ (ABC News 2021).
Nabben (2021) points out that there is still much ‘catching up [to do] in terms of the law … around
blockchains considering how fast the space is evolving’.
Radio
Paraphrase
Smail (2021) reports on recent research that shows Australian women, especial mothers, could be
financially better off if policies similar to those in Scandinavia were implemented.

Page 16 of 46
Direct quote
On an episode of The world today, Smail (2021) reported on the need for an ‘overhaul of the existing
the tax and welfare system ... to boost female workforce participation’.
Sound recording
Place titles for songs or short pieces in single quotation marks.
Titles can be the name given by the composer or a popular name that the composition is commonly
called.
If you refer to the name of the song, cite the author/artist and the year in the sentence or parentheses.
When you quote someone’s lyrics, cite the song name, the author and the year of publication in the
sentence or parentheses.
Paraphrase
There are various interpretations of the psychedelic imagery in ‘Lucy in the sky with diamonds’ from
the Beatles’ (1967) album Sgt. Pepper's.
Direct quote
The psychedelic imagery of ‘tangerine trees and marmalade skies [and] cellophane flowers of yellow
and green’ represents … (The Beatles, ‘Lucy in the sky with diamonds’ 1967).
Images and figures
General rules for artworks

RMIT Harvard includes the following within the definition of an artwork:
· drawings, paintings, prints, sculpture and ceramics
 photographs
· posters and cartoons
· performance and ephemeral art
· digital works
· antiquities
· maps
Artworks 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.
When citing works of art in the text of your assignment, you need to acknowledge them in two places:
1. within the written body of your paper, as you would for a normal in-text reference, and
2. in the figure layout (caption).
Citations are also influenced by where you sourced the creative work. Where possible, cite the original
rather than copies from a reproduction.
How you capture and include the artwork or image (e.g. screen shot, photograph, copy-and-paste) does
not influence the way in which it is referenced. Cite the work based on where you sourced the work.
Note: Your lecturer may have specific requirements for referencing artworks. Any directions given by
your lecturer must be followed, even if they differ from this guide.

Page 17 of 46
Captions
Captions are used to provide a description of the artworks you use. 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 and followed by a colon.
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. Check your lecturer’s requirements.
Make sure you refer to the figure in your writing and include the figure number. This can be in the
sentence or in parentheses, for example (see Figure 1).
Refer to a figure by its assigned number, not as the figure above or below or on page 3.
Your lecturer might require a specific long or short caption style. Whichever style you use, make sure
you apply it consistently.
Captions (Own work)

Rule
Figure number: Description or explanation
Examples
Figure 1: Author’s photograph
Figure 2: Initial sketches of the design
Short captions for reproduced works

If the image was on a website include the URL, otherwise provide the in-text referencing details as
described in other areas of this guide.
Rule
Figure number: Artist’s full name (year produced) Title of artwork [medium], Name of museum/gallery,
Location of museum/gallery or Publishing details of where image was sourced.
Examples
Figure 3: Artist unknown (11-12th C) Tapestry with Dragons and Flowers [Silk tapestry], The
Metropolitan Museum of Art, https://www.metmuseum.org/art/ collection/search/39733?
(OR depending on source):
Figure 3: Artist unknown (11-12th C) Tapestry with Dragons and Flowers [Silk tapestry], in Jaynes A
and Liaw J (1968:37)
Figure 4: Henry Burn (1861) Swanston Street from the Bridge [oil on canvas], National Gallery of
Victoria, Melbourne
Figure 5: Mari (Maria Giovanna Colli) (2009) Bilbao_6: Guggenheim Museum Bilbao [photograph],
Flickr, Copyright 2009 by Mari, CC BY 2.0, accessed 13 December 2021 https://www.flickr.com/
photos/ 52355315@N08/5757476385/in/album-72157626677144865/
Figure 6: Untitled screenshot of Zelphr homepage

Page 18 of 46
In-text reference to artworks
Italicise the titles of individual artworks, keeping any capitalisation, numbering or punctuation as
specified by the artist.
Include the artist, year of creation and title of the artwork in parentheses, if not mentioned in the
sentence, when first mentioning the work.
If you use an image, refer to the figure number when you discuss the artwork.
Examples
The exhibition Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto displays the Chanel’s (1925) little black dress in
silk organza transformed black from being the colour of mourning to the height of chic and modernity
(see Figure 7).
The purchase of Pollock’s (1952) Blue Poles created great controversy regarding the value of
abstract art when it was purchased for the National Gallery of Australia.
As illustrated in Figure 4, the painting Swanston Street from the Bridge (Burn 1861) depicts
Melbourne’s growth into a city of domes and spires.
Maps
Maps taken from an online source can include:
· digitised maps that originate from a print source such as old maps and are made available in an
electronic format by museums, galleries and libraries
· web maps that use satellite imagery and GPS data and are taken from online navigation and
mapping sites such as Google Maps
When citing maps in the text of your work, you need to acknowledge them in two places:
· within the written body of your paper, as you would for a normal in-text reference
· in the figure layout (caption)
Refer to a figure by its assigned number, not as the figure above or below or on page 3.
Captions
Rule
Figure number: Cartographer’s full name (year produced) Title of map, Publishing details of where
image was sourced.
Examples
Figure 7: James Kearney (1855) Melbourne and its suburbs: map 1 [digitised map], SLV
https://www.slv.vic.gov.au/search-discover/explore-collections-format/maps/maps-melbourne-city-
suburbs
Figure 8: Plenty Road Bundoora 3083 by VicPlan, 2020, web map.

In-text references
The map, Melbourne and its suburbs: map 1 [digitised map] shows . . . (Kearney 1855).
Figure 7 illustrates . . . (Kearney 1855).

The web map, Plenty Road Bundoora 3083 highlights . . . (VicPlan 2020).
As shown in Figure 8, . . . (VicPlan 2020).

Page 19 of 46
Tables and diagrams
When citing tables, graphs or other diagrams in the text of your work, you need to acknowledge them in
two places:
· within the written body of your paper, as you would for a normal in-text reference
· in the table/figure layout (caption)
Label tables sequentially as Table 1, Table 2 and so on, followed by a colon. Other graphs and diagrams
are labelled as Figures.
Include a title that describes or explains the information in the table or diagram. Note, this is not
italicised.
Refer to a table or figure by its assigned number, not as the table or figure above or below or on page 3.
For tables, graphs and diagrams using published content, acknowledge the source below the table/figure
number and title, on a new line.
Tables (your own work)

When the information is your own work based on data you have collected independently, for example,
from your own research or experiments, label your table with a number and give a title to the work. Use
standard font (no italics).
Example
Table 1: Comparison of results from groups A, B and C
Tables (adapted from published material)

If you are using information gathered from published information but are presenting it in a table or figure
that you have created, acknowledge the source as you would for paraphrased information in a caption.
When the table includes data from more than one source, you must cite all sources you relied on to
create the table.
Rule
Figure number: Title of table
Source: adapted from Publishing details of where the information was sourced
Examples
Table 2: Reason why students plagiarise
Source: adapted from Bretag B, et al. 2020
Table 3: Fluctuation in imports 2010 to 2020

Source: adapted from Mitchelton 2018; ABS 2019; DFAT 2020
Tables (reproduced from published material)

If you are using a table or graph that has been published elsewhere, acknowledge the source and
provide the same details you would for quoted information.
Rule
Figure number: Title of table
Source: Publishing details of where the information was sourced
Examples
Table 4: Prison demographics in Australia
Source: AIHW 2018:1
Figure 10: Buy Now, Pay Later Payments in Australia

Source: Fisher, Holland and West 2021:61

Page 20 of 46
In-text references
Bretag et al. (2020) identified a number of factors that contributed to plagiarism as listed in Table 2.
Fluctuations in the imports over the last decade are represented in Table 3.
Table 4 highlights current prison demographics in Australia, based on data compiled by AIHW (2018).
Other sources
Case study
Case studies are not a publication or reference type. They are a type of writing found in various sources
such as books, journal articles, websites, etc. Reference the case study according to the rules for the
source in which it is found.
Conference paper
Generally, conference papers are published within conference proceedings, either online or in print. In
most cases, a conference paper (rather than the conference proceedings) will be used as a reference.
Paraphrase
Rasmussen and Ngwenya (2021) argue that a successful blended learning environment requires that
students are adequately supported.
Direct quote
'Students should engage in critical self-reflection regarding their ability to apply the theory they study
to their future employment' (Rasmussen and Ngwenya 2021:76).
Lecture notes or course material

Materials from your course may include lecture notes, PowerPoint slides or presentations and micro-
credentials. Where possible, try to get the information from a published source.
Note: Some courses and lecturers might not accept lecture materials as a reference in assignments.
Paraphrases
Campbell (2022) asserts that prosperity and sustainability need not be mutually exclusive.
The impact of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on promoting economic growth ...
(Blakewell 2022).
Direct quote
The emphasis in week 3’s lecture on the 'cultural and social background of employees as an
important step in managing workplace diversity' (Tran 2022) led me to reflect on my own experiences
in human resource management.
Legal material
Take care to give accurate and complete details about legislation and legal cases.
When discussing government policies and services that require you to refer to the relevant law(s), the
title of legislation is generally placed first, followed by the relevant subsections.
The name of the Act is written in italics.

Page 21 of 46
The jurisdiction should also be identified, either in the sentence or after the name of the Act, in
parenthesis as an abbreviation in standard font without full stops, for example:
The Victorian government’s introduction of the Wage Theft Act 2020 was a response to …
Multiple jurisdictions have laws pertaining to the management of water supply in the Murray-Darling
Basin, including the Water Act 1989 (Vic), Natural Resources Management Act 2004 (SA) and Water
Act 2007 (Cth).
Depending on the context, you might need to refer to specific sections, paragraphs and subparagraphs
using a pinpoint reference.
The units are written in lower case unless they begin a sentence. Units of an Act can be written in long or
abbreviated form. Do not begin sentences with the abbreviated form.
The Australian Government Style Manual provides more detail and examples regarding the use of legal
materials.
Paraphrases
Section 5A of the Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005 (Vic) outlines the principles for compliance
with child safety standards.
The principles for compliance with child safety standards are outlined in the Child Wellbeing and
Safety Act 2005 (Vic), s 5A.
Direct quotes
Reportable matters under the Act are an acknowledgement that ‘the protection of children is the
paramount consideration in the context of child abuse’ (para 16B(1)(b)).
Section 55 of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) states that ‘there is a guarantee that the
goods are reasonably fit for any disclosed purpose, and for any purpose for which the supplier
represents that they are reasonably fit'.
For a legal case, party names are italicised.
Law report series are abbreviated, and the first page of the case should appear after the series details.
With quotes, include the location of the quote using a page number. To specify a page number, use the
word 'at' rather than p.
Paraphrase
The case examined the company’s failure to exercise reasonable care in using aluminium composite
panels in the construction of an apartment tower (Owners Corporation No.1 of PS613436T v LU
Simon Builders Pty Ltd (Building and Property) [2019] VCAT 286).
Direct quote
It was identified that ‘…’ (Beasley v Francis (2008) 237 CLR 1 at 72-8).
Media release
Paraphrases
The Minister for Housing announced additional funding for youth accommodation that would be
integrated with additional support service (Office of the Premier of Victoria 2021).
The Australian economy is now moving into a recovery phase, according to the Governor of the
Reserve Bank of Australia, Phillip Lowe (2021), following the disruptions caused by the Delta
outbreak.

Page 22 of 46
Direct quote
In a recent media statement, the Minister for Housing acknowledged that ‘young people leaving state
care are at much higher risk of homelessness and unemployment’ (Office of the Premier of Victoria,
2021).
Personal communication
Personal communication, such as face-to-face interviews, conversations, telephone calls, letters or
emails, is only cited an in-text reference.
Information about personal communication must be included in the in-text reference. Include the type of
personal communication (for example, personal conversation, email, interview, telephone conversation)
and the date in a date month year format.
Personal communication is not published and therefore, unavailable for verification so is not included in
the reference list.
Paraphrase
Ms Merrick, Melville Shire Council CEO, confirmed the accuracy of the claims by email on 25 April
2022.
Direct quotes
My field placement supervisor commented ‘…’ (Lee, personal communication, 14 May 2022).
Rowlands (personal communication, 20 February 2022) stated …
Thesis
Paraphrases
The research conducted by Khoo (2018) examined ...
Earlier studies suggest a need for further research that considers the customer’s experience of … (Le
2020; Sutton 2021).
Direct quote
Khoo (2018:44) argues that 'the idea of service design challenges the aesthetics of interiors due to its
focus on functionality and efficiency rather than creating a liveable and appealing environment’.
Student’s own work (previously submitted)

You should include scholarly sources in your assignments to adhere to best practice in academic
integrity. Citing yourself as an authority on your own opinion should be avoided.
Referencing your own work is necessary to make sure you don’t self-plagiarise.
If you cite or quote your previous work, treat yourself as the author.
Don’t cut-and-paste sentences or paragraphs from previous assignment. If you are reusing your ideas,
reword them (paraphrase) and take care to contextualise them to your new assignment.
Note: Check with your lecturer or teacher if it is permissible to reuse and cite work you have previously
submitted.

Page 23 of 46
Paraphrases
When paraphrasing, include your family name and the year when you previously submitted the work.
For example, if Jane Smith wanted to use her ideas from a paper she wrote at RMIT University in 2021,
her in-text reference may look like this:
An interview with a marketing manager at a leading women’s fashion retailer revealed that … (Smith
2021).
Smith (2021) previously found that …
If your original assignment contained critique or commentary about other sources that you base your
ideas on in your new assignment, you should also include those citations in your new assignment.
If Jane’s earlier paper had criticised Presley and Dietrich for example, and her new work might look like
this:
According to Smith (2021), the claims of Priestly and Dietrich (2009) are out-dated and do not apply
to the case currently being examined.
I have not included Priestly and Dietrich’s (2009) model in this analysis because I believe their claims
are not relevant to current work practices (Smith 2021).
Direct quote
For a direct quote, place the quote between single quotation marks and also provide the page number
from the previous work.
'Risk taking behaviours align with certain personality traits or disorders' (Smith 2021:13).
REFERENCE LIST
General rules
 Use a reference list at the end of the document to include the publication details of all the in-text
references cited within your writing.
 The general order of the elements is:
o author or authoring organisation’s name
o publishing date
o title information
o publisher details
o accessed date and URL for digital content
 Start a reference list on a new page using the heading References.
 List only references cited in your writing.
 If your lecturer/teacher or supervisor has also requested a bibliography, list any other sources
that you have read but not included in your writing under a heading of Bibliography.
 The reference list is arranged alphabetically by the family name of the author. If the author of a
reference is a company or organisation, list the reference based on the first letter of the company
or organisation name.
 When the shortened form or acronym of an organisation’s name is mentioned in your work, use it
in your references. List the short form, then include the full name in parentheses.

Page 24 of 46
 If there are multiple entries by the same author, then arrange chronologically starting with the
earliest year of publication.
 If there are multiple entries by the same author in the same year, add ‘a’ after the first work, ‘b’
after the second and so on.
 If there are several authors with the same family name, then arrange alphabetically by initials.
 If the author used a pseudonym or pen name, list that name in the author position. If the actual
name is known, place it in parentheses after the pen name. e.g. Mari (Maria Giovanna Colli)
 If the author of a reference is unknown, list the reference based on the title of the work.
 If the publication date of a reference is unknown, use n.d.
 If the publication date is unknown but can be reliably estimated or inferred from the text then write
c. (meaning 'circa’ or approximately) before the year.
 If you have used a secondary citation, include only the source you read in your reference list.
For example, if you read an article by Martin and Rodriguez and you use some information from
Vanna that was mentioned in the article, you would only list Martin and Rodriguez in the
reference list.
 If there is no place of publication use n.p. (for ‘no place’).
 If the place of publication (city name) is not commonly known (e.g. Harlow) or the place of
publication could be in two or more countries, put the country name after the city. For example,
Harlow, England.
 If citing a PDF, link to the page where the PDF is hosted not the PDF link.
 If the publication has a DOI (digital object identifier), include it in the reference list, at the end of
the citation using the short form ‘doi’ in lower case, e.g.
Zufferey C, Yu N and Hand T (2020) ‘Researching home in social work’, Qualitative Social Work,
19(5-6):1095-1110, doi:10.1177/1473325019880244.
 If the work is in a language other than English, put the title in the original language followed by
the English translation, e.g. Gabrielle Chanel. Manifeste de Mode (Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion
Manifesto).
Example reference list

Below is an example of a reference list displaying various resource types including books, journal
articles, legislation, newspaper article, film, report, websites and social media entries. Must be in
ascending alphabetical order of author/creator name or, if no name given, in order of title.
References
AASW (Australian Association of Social Workers) (2021) Annual Report 2020-2021, AASW, accessed
13 December 2021. https://www.aasw.asn.au/publications/reports
Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth).
Deegan C (2019) An introduction to accounting: accountability in organisations and society, Cengage

Learning Australia, Southbank.
Department of Education and Training, Victoria (2020) High impact teaching strategies, Department of
Education and Training website, accessed 13 December 2021. https://www.education.vic.gov.au/
school/teachers/teachingresources/practice/improve/Pages/hits.aspx

Page 25 of 46
'Giant cell arteritis: one size does not fit all' (2021) The Lancet Rheumatology, 3(12):E819,
doi:10.1016/S2665-9913(21)00364-7.
Ghezzi A and Cavallo A (2020) 'Agile business model innovation in digital entrepreneurship: lean startup
approaches', Journal of Business Research, 10:519-537, doi:10.1016/j.jbusres.2018.06.013.
Goel R, Sahai S and Singh G (2021) 'Building the world of internet of things', in Abraham A, Dash SY,
Liang Y and Pani SK (eds), Advanced soft computing techniques in data science, IoT and cloud
computing, Springer International Publishing AG, doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-75657-4.
Heath N (2021) What is AI? Here's everything you need to know about artificial intelligence, ZDNet
website, accessed 9 December 2021. https://www.zdnet.com/article/what-is-ai-heres-everything-you-
need-to-know-about-artificial-intelligence/
Jocevski M (2020) 'Blurring the lines between physical and digital spaces: business model innovation in
retailing', California Management Review, 63(1):99-117, doi:10.1177/0008125620953639.
MarketLine Limited (2021) Global - apparel manufacturing, accessed 13 December 2021, MarketLine
database.
Reynolds M (director) (2017) My name is Gulpilil [motion picture], Screen Australia, SAFC & ABC,
Australia.
Soluk J, Miroshnychenko I, Kammerlander N and De Massis A (2021) 'Family influence and digital
business model innovation: the enabling role of dynamic capabilities', Entrepreneurship Theory and
Practice, 45(4):867-905, doi:10.1177/1042258721998946.
Telstra (n.d.) Homepage, Telstra website, accessed 13 December 2021. https://www.telstra.com.au/
Thunberg G (15 November 2021a) 'A reminder: the people in power don’t need conferences, treaties...'
[Tweet], Greta Thunberg, accessed 1 November 2021. https://twitter.com/GretaThunberg/status/
1460159146720997377
Thunberg G (28 November 2021b) 'We can no longer let the people in power decide...' [Instagram post],
Greta Thunberg, accessed 1 November 2021. https://www.instagram.com/tv/CUXUfZIsHBm/
Wright S and Duke J (2021) 'RBA issues warning as property prices surge', The Age, 9 October, 2,
accessed 26 November 2021. Australia & New Zealand Newsstream database.
WHO (World Health Organization) (2021) WHO accelerates work on nutrition targets with new
commitments, WHO website, accessed 9 December 2021. https://www.who.int/news/item/07-12-2021-
who-accelerates-work-on-nutrition-targets-with-new-commitments
Books
 List all authors as they appear on the title page of the book. Use the initials of each authors' given
name(s). Use and to separate the last two authors.
 Italicise the title of the book.
 If a book has an edition number and it is not the first, add the number and abbreviation ‘edn’ after
the title.
 Include the name of the publisher, followed by the Digital Object Identifier (DOI) and a full stop. If
there is no DOI, include the place of publication (city name) instead.

Page 26 of 46
Book with an edition number
For a book with an edition number that is not the first, add the number and the abbreviation ‘edn’ after
the title of the book. There is no need to include edition information if a book is a first edition, or if no
edition is mentioned.
Rule
Author’s family name Initial (Year) Title of book: subtitle of book, Xth edn, Name of publisher,
doi:number OR Place of publication [if no DOI]
Example
Day T (2018) Success in academic writing, 2nd edn, Palgrave, Basingstoke.
Book with single author

List the author details as they appear on the title page of the book. Use the initial of the author's given
name(s). Italicise the title of the book. Include the name of the publisher and the place of publication.
Rule
Author’s family name Initial (Year) Title of book: subtitle of book, Name of publisher, doi:number OR
Place of publication [if no DOI].
Example
Deegan C (2019) An introduction to accounting: accountability in organisations and society, Cengage
Learning Australia, Southbank.
Book with multiple authors

List all authors as they appear on the title page of the book. Use the initial of each authors' given
name(s). Use and to separate the last two authors.
Rule
Author’s family name Initial and Author’s family name Initial (Year) Title of book: subtitle of book,
Name of publisher, doi:number OR Place of publication [if no DOI].
Examples
Hill AC and Martinez-Diaz L (2020) Building a resilient tomorrow: how to prepare for the coming
climate disruption, Oxford University Press, New York.
Mewburn I, Firth K and Lehmann S (2018) How to fix your academic writing trouble: a practical guide,
Open University Press, Maidenhead.
Book whose author is an organisation

Where the author is an organisation, use the name of the organisation as the author.
If you have used the abbreviated (shortened name) form of the organisation’s name in your writing, use it
in your reference list, too. Put the abbreviated (shortened name) form followed by the full version name
in parentheses.
If you have NOT used the abbreviated (shortened name) form in your writing, and only used the full
version of the organisation’s name instead, leave out abbreviated name and only put full version name.

Page 27 of 46
Rule (only used full version name in writing)
Full Organisation Name (Year) Title of book: subtitle of book, Name of publisher, doi:number OR
Place of publication [if no DOI].
Rule (used abbreviated name in writing)

Abbreviated Name (Full Organisation Name) (Year) Title of book: subtitle of book, Name of publisher,
doi:number OR Place of publication [if no DOI].
Examples
ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) (2018) Safety management manual, 4th edn, ICAO,
Montréal.
International Civil Aviation Organization (2018) Safety management manual, 4th edn, International
Civil Aviation Organization, Montréal.
Book with no author

If there is no author, begin with the title of the book (italicised), followed by publication year, publisher
and place of publication.
Rule
Title (Year) Publisher, doi:number OR Place of publication [if no DOI].
Example
A Warning (2019) Little Brown, London.
Multiple books by the same author(s)

Arrange works by the same author by year of publication, with the earliest year first. If the books have
been published in the same year, put a letter after the year of each work, i.e. an ‘a’ after the year of the
first book, then a ‘b’ after the year of the second book, and so on. For example: (2020a), (2020b).
Examples
Lynch MP (2016) The internet of us: knowing more and understanding less in the age of big data,
Liveright Publishing Corporation, New York.
Lynch MP (2019) Know-it-all society: truth and arrogance in political culture, Liveright Publishing
Corporation, New York.
Book chapter in an edited book

List according to the name of the chapter author.
Enclose the chapter title in single inverted commas (quotation marks). After the chapter title, insert the
word 'in' before the name of the editor(s).
For a book chapter, use (ed) for a single editor and (eds) for two or more editors.
Rule
Author’s family name initial (Year) ‘Title of chapter: subtitle of chapter’, in Editor’s family name initial
(ed/s) Title of book: subtitle of book, Name of publisher, doi:number OR Place of publication [if no
DOI].
Example

Page 28 of 46
Goel R, Sahai S and Singh G (2021) ‘Building the world of internet of things’, in Abraham A, Dash SY,
Liang Y and Pani SK (eds) Advanced soft computing techniques in data science, IoT and cloud
computing, Springer International Publishing AG, doi:10.1007/978-3-030-75657-4.
Book compiled by an editor(s)

For books compiled by editors, add (ed) for a single editor and (eds) for two or more editors.
Rule
Editor’s family name Initial (ed/s) (Year) Title of book: subtitle of book, Name of publisher, doi:number
OR Place of publication [if no DOI].
Example
Meiner S and Yeager JJ (eds) (2019) Gerontologic nursing, 6th edn, Elsevier, St. Louis.
E-book
After publisher name, include the DOI (Digital object identifier) in lower case, followed by a full stop, if e-
book has one. You will often find this within the inside of the cover page. No need to include place of
publication if you include a DOI. If there is no DOI, include place of publication (city) instead. As books
are published in editions, you do not need to include the date you accessed it online.
Examples
Carroll H (2017) Read this if you want to take great photographs, Laurence King Publishing, London.
Edwards M, Howard C and Miller R (2020) Social policy, public policy: From problem to practice,
Routledge, doi:10.4324/9781003117254.
Perheentupa J (2020) Redfern: Aboriginal activism in the 1970s, Aboriginal Studies Press, Canberra.
Pinheiro MM and Costa AJ (2021) Accounting ethics education: teaching virtues and values, Taylor &
Francis Group, doi:10.4324/9780429321597.
Encyclopedia and dictionary entries

Encyclopedia or dictionary entries without an author do not need to be included in the reference list.
For an encyclopedia or dictionary entry with an author, enclose the title of the entry in single inverted
commas (quotation marks) and italicise the encyclopedia or dictionary title.
If the encyclopedia or dictionary is edited, insert the word 'in' before the name of the editor. Use (ed) for
a single editor and (eds) for two or more editors.
Include the name of the publisher, followed by the Digital Object Identifier (DOI) and a full stop. If there is
no DOI, include the place of publication (city name) instead.
Examples
Baird C (2018) ‘Determinism’, in Kolb RW (ed), The SAGE encyclopedia of business ethics and
society, SAGE Publications, Thousand Oaks.
Neal M (2019) ‘Damascus Securities Exchange’, A dictionary of business and management in the
Middle East and North Africa, Oxford University Press, doi:10.1093/acref/9780191843266.001.0001.
Brochure or pamphlet

Page 29 of 46
As details will vary for brochures and pamphlets, try to extract as much information as you can about
authorship and publication information etc.
For a brochure or pamphlet with an author, provide a description of the document in square brackets.
If there is no author, the publication title should be listed first. Italicise the publication title. Include
publisher and place of publication information (if available).
Rule
Author’s Name (Year) Title [format], Publisher, Location.
Examples
ACMI (Australian Centre for the Moving Image) (2021) Disney: The Magic of Animation [brochure],
ACMI, Melbourne.
Specialist Imaging For Women (c.2021) Paediatrics Services [pamphlet], Specialist Imaging For
Women, Ivanhoe, VIC.
Exhibition catalogue
As details will vary for exhibition catalogues, try to extract as much information as you can about
authorship and publication information, etc.
For an exhibition catalogue, provide a description of the document type. If possible, add the exhibition
dates after the document type. For example: [exhibition catalogue], 11 March - 27 May 2022.
If there is no author, list the gallery/museum name first. Italicise the publication title. Include publisher
and place of publication information (if available).
Rule
Author or Gallery Name (Year) Title of exhibition [format], Day Month Year of exhibition, Publisher,
Location of Gallery.
Example
NGV International (2021) Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto [printed exhibition catalogue], 5
December 2020 – 25 April 2021 National Gallery of Victoria and Thames & Hudson, Melbourne.
Journals
 List all authors in the order in which they appear in the article. Use the initials of each authors'
given name(s).
 For two authors, use and to separate them.
 For three authors or more, use and to separate last two names.
 Enclose publication year in parentheses after the author. If there is no author, enclose the year in
parentheses after article title.
 If no publication year supplied, write n.d. (for ‘no date’) or c. in place of the year of publication.
 Enclose the title of the article in single inverted commas (quotation marks) and italicise the
journal title.
 After journal title, include volume number followed issue number in parentheses. If no issue
number is supplied, leave it out. After issue number, include a colon (:) followed by the page
number range, i.e. start and end page. If page range not available, put the start page instead.

Page 30 of 46
 If available, include the digital object identifier (DOI) in lower case after the pagination. If no DOI
available, end pagination with a full stop.
Journal article with single author

Rule
Author’s family name Initial (Year) ‘Title of article: subtitle of article’, Name of journal,
volume(issue):start page-end page, doi:number [if available].
Example
Papadopoulou M (2020) 'Supporting the development of early years students’ professional identities
through an action research programme', Educational Action Research, 28(4):686-699,
doi:10.1080/09650792.2019.1652196.
Journal article with two authors

For two authors, use and to separate them.
Rule
Author’s family name Initial and Author’s family name Initial (Year) ‘Title of article: subtitle of article’,
Name of journal, volume(issue):start page-end page, doi:number [if available].
Example
Fiorineschi L and Rotini F (2021) 'Novelty metrics in engineering design', Journal of Engineering
Design, 32(11):590-620, doi:10.1080/09544828.2021.1928024.
Journal article with three or more authors
All authors’ names are included in the reference list. Use and before the last author.
Rule
Author’s family name Initial, Author’s family name Initial and Author’s family name Initial (Year) ‘Title
of article: subtitle of article’, Name of journal, volume(issue):start page-end page, doi:number [if
available].
Examples
Bichler KJ, Jakobi B and Schneider GJ (2021) 'Dynamical comparison of different polymer
architectures - bottlebrush vs linear polymer', Macromolecules, 54(4):1829-1837,
doi:10.1021/acs.macromol.0c02104.
Liang Y, Xu Q and Jin L (2021) 'The effect of smart and connected products on consumer brand
choice concentration', Journal of Business Research, 135:163-172,
doi:10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.06.039.
Journal article with no authors

Rule
‘Title of article: subtitle of article’ (Year) Name of journal, volume(issue):start page-end page,
doi:number [if available].
Example
'Giant cell arteritis: one size does not fit all' (2021) The Lancet Rheumatology, 3(12):E819,
doi:10.1016/S2665-9913(21)00364-7.

Page 31 of 46
e-Journal article
For online journal articles sourced from Library databases or websites.
List all authors and other bibliographic details in the same way as with other journal article examples
above.
If available, include the Digital Object Identifier (DOI) in lower case at the end.
If there is no DOI, add the database name (if sourced from library database) or URL (if sourced from
website) instead:
- For URLs, add the accessed date (e.g. accessed 26 November 2021), followed by a full stop, a
space then the URL. No full stop after URL.
- For database names, leave out the accessed date and add the database name at the end,
followed by the word database.
Examples
Barkela B (2021) ‘Leadership communication and knowledge integration across the artistic, technical
and administration area in theaters’, Journal of Arts Management, Law, and Society, 51(6):393-409,
doi:10.1080/10632921.2021.1974628.
Llaha F, Gil-Lespinard M, Unal P, de Villasante I, Castañeda J and Zamora-Ros R (2021)

'Consumption of sweet beverages and cancer risk. A systematic review and meta-analysis of
observational studies', Nutrients, 13(2):516, accessed 26 November 2021.
https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/2/516/htm
Wilson C, Marks Woolfson L and Durkin K (2020) ‘School environment and mastery experience as
predictors of teachers' self-efficacy beliefs towards inclusive teaching’, International Journal of
Inclusive Education, 24(2):218-234, Taylor & Francis Online database.
Newspapers
Print newspaper article

For a newspaper article with an author, enclose the title of the article in single inverted commas
(quotation marks). Italicise the newspaper title. Include the full publication date in brackets after author
(e.g. 6 December 2021).
Rule
Author’s family name Initial (Day Month Year) ‘Title of article: subtitle of article’, Name of newspaper.
Examples
Yeates C (6 December 2021) ‘CEO pay of big banks could be linked to climate change targets’, The
Age.
Wright S and Duke J (9 October 2021) 'RBA issues warning as property prices surge', The Age.
Print newspaper article with no author

Rule

Page 32 of 46
Newspaper Name (Day Month Year) ‘Title of article: subtitle of article’.
Example
Financial Review (7 August 2021) ‘Small business response to COVID-19’.
Newspaper article from a webpage (HTML format)

Note: Newspaper articles in HTML format appear as text on the screen similar to a website. These
articles are not in PDF format. If the article is in PDF format with full-page format/imaging, please
reference it in the same way as a print newspaper article.
Add the accessed date (e.g. accessed 13 December 2021), followed by a full stop, a space then the
URL. No full stop after URL.
Rule
Author’s family name Initial (Day Month Year) ‘Title of article: subtitle of article’, Newspaper Name,
access Day Month Year. URL
Example:
Proust M and Gailberger J (28 November 2021) 'Experts call for booster shots to be given earlier as
Omicron confirmed in Australia', Herald Sun, accessed 29 November 2021.
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/coronavirus/experts-call-for-booster-shots-to-be-given-earlier-as-
omicron-confirmed-in-australia/news-story/23b3c3a3baa4c0bed542c892c6a6a84a
Newspaper article from a webpage (HTML format) with no author

Note: Newspaper articles in HTML format (with or without an author) appear as text on the screen
similar to a website. These articles are not in PDF format. If the article is in PDF format with full-page
format/imaging and has no author, please reference it in the same way as a print newspaper article with
no author.
Rule
Newspaper Name (Day Month Year) ‘Title of article: subtitle of article’, access Day Month Year. URL
Example
The Age (24 January 2022) 'Economists tip August interest rate hike as the cost of living rises’,
accessed 24 January 2022. https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/economists-tip-august-
interest-rate-hike-as-the-cost-of-living-rises-20220124-p59qoc.html
Social media
Blog or blog post

If blog post does not have a person author, use name of blog instead (e.g. Welcome to Country).
Sometimes, an organisation is the author.
For blog post, enclose the publication day, month and year in brackets after the author. If there is no
author, enclose the publication day, month and year in brackets after blog name.
After the blog’s name, add accessed date (e.g. accessed 2 November 2021) followed by a full stop, a
Rule (with author)

Page 33 of 46
Author’s family name Initial (Day Month Year) ‘Title of article: subtitle’, Name of Blog, accessed Day
Month Year. URL
Example
Mewburn I (10 June 2020) ‘Why academic writing sucks (and how we can fix it)’, The Thesis
Whisperer, accessed 31 November 2021. https://thesiswhisperer.com/2020/06/10/why-academic-
writing-sucks-and-how-we-can-fix-it/
Rule (no author)

Name of blog (Day Month Year) ‘Title of article: subtitle of article’, Name of blog, accessed Day Month
Year. URL
Example
Welcome to Country (6 August 2021), 'Bush Food of Australia aka Bush Tucker', Welcome to
Country, accessed 2 November 2021. https://www.welcometocountry.com/blog/an-introduction-to-
bush-foods/
Social media post

Enclose the full publication date (e.g. 15 November 2021) in parentheses after the author or page name.
Put title of the social media post in single inverted commas (quotation marks), followed by the type of
post in square brackets, e.g. [Facebook post], [Tweet], [Instagram post].
For social media posts with no title, include the first 10 words of content followed by an ellipsis (three
dots). Put these first 10 words in single inverted commas (quotation marks).
Include the page name where the post is located, after type of post.
For social media accounts that are not publicly accessible (e.g. a private Facebook page), the social
media post should be cited as personal communication, not as social media post.
After post’s page name, add accessed date (e.g. accessed 13 December 2021) followed by a full stop, a
Rule
Poster’s family name Initial or Name of Page (Day Month Year) ‘Title or first 10 words of content of
post ...’ [type of post], Page of Post, accessed Day Month Year. URL
Examples
Thunberg G (15 November 2021a) 'A reminder: the people in power don’t need conferences,
treaties ...' [Tweet], Greta Thunberg, accessed 1 November 2021. https://twitter.com/
GretaThunberg/status/1460159146720997377
Thunberg G (28 November 2021b) 'We can no longer let the people in power decide ...' [Instagram
post], Greta Thunberg, accessed 1 November 2021. https://www.instagram.com/ tv/CUXUfZIsHBm/
Thunberg G (14 November 2021c) ‘The #COP26 is over. Here’s a brief summary: Blah, blah, ...'
[Facebook post], Greta Thunberg, accessed 25 November 2021. https://www.facebook.com/
gretathunbergsweden
Websites and webpage documents
 When referring to a website as a general resource in your assignment, you should link to that
website homepage in the reference list. However, if you cite specific content from a particular
webpage on the website, you need to identify the specific webpage in your reference list.

Page 34 of 46
 The author can be an individual person or organisation.
 Enclose publication year (e.g. 2021) in brackets after author. If no publication year supplied, write
n.d. (for ‘no date’) or c. (about) if you can estimate the date from information on the site.
 If a webpage or downloadable webpage document (e.g. PDF) does not have an author name
start the reference with the title of the webpage or webpage document in italics, followed by year
of publication.
 If the author’s name is an organisation and you have used the abbreviated (shortened name)
form in your in-text citations (e.g. WHO), include both the abbreviated (shortened name) form
followed by the full version name in brackets, e.g. WHO (World Health Organization).
 Reference specific webpages rather than a whole website; pinpoint the specific location of
information.
 If you need to include the organisation’s homepage in the reference list, and the homepage does
not have a title, put 'Homepage' instead of a title. Do not italicise, e.g.
Telstra (n.d.), Homepage, Telstra, accessed 13 December 2021. https://www.telstra.com.au/
 Include the word website after the name of the website. But if the name of the website is a URL
(e.g. vic.gov.au), do not write the word website. Do not italicise the name of website.
 After website name, add the accessed date (e.g. accessed 13 December 2021) followed by a full
stop, a space then the URL. No full stop after URL.
 For downloadable webpage documents (e.g. PDFs), do not provide a URL that directly links to
the document. Instead, provide a URL that links to the landing page where the document is
located. If there is no landing page, provide a URL that directly links to the document.
Website / webpage
Rule
Author’s family name Initial or Organisation’s Name (Year) Title of webpage, Name of Website
website, accessed Day Month Year. URL
Examples
Heath N (2021) What is AI? Here's everything you need to know about artificial intelligence, ZDNet
website, accessed 9 December 2021. https://www.zdnet.com/article/what-is-ai-heres-everything-you-
need-to-know-about-artificial-intelligence/
WHO (World Health Organization) (2021) WHO accelerates work on nutrition targets with new
commitments, WHO website, accessed 9 December 2021. https://www.who.int/news/item/07-12-
2021-who-accelerates-work-on-nutrition-targets-with-new-commitments
Webpage document (PDF)

Rule
Author’s family name Initial or Organisation’s name (Year) Title of document, Name of website
website, accessed Day Month Year. URL
Example
Department of Education and Training, Victoria (2020) High impact teaching strategies, Department of
Education and Training website, accessed 13 December 2021. https://www.education.vic.gov.au/
school/teachers/teachingresources/practice/improve/Pages/hits.aspx

Page 35 of 46
Reports, data sets and standards
Government report
Government reports may include departmental reports, reports from commissions of inquiry, committees
of review, and committees of parliament.
As details will vary for government or organisation reports, try to extract as much information as you can
about authorship and publication information, etc.
For reports that are available as a PDF, link to the webpage hosting the pdf not the actual PDF.
Rule
Author’s family name Initial or Agency Name (Year) Title of report: subtitle of report, Name of Agency,
Name of Government, accessed Day Month Year. URL
Examples
Hayne KM (2019) Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial
Services Industry, Volume 3, Australian Government, accessed 13 December 2021.
https://www.royalcommission.gov.au/banking/final-report
Wells Advisory (2021) Forward impact of COVID-19 on Australian higher education, TEQSA,
Australian Government, accessed 13 December 2021.
https://www.teqsa.gov.au/latest-news/publications/forward-impact-covid-19-australian-higher-
education-report
Australian Bureau of Statistics report

For author details, use the short form ABS in the author position, followed by the full name Australian
Bureau of Statistics in parentheses.
Italicise the report title. Include the catalogue number after the report title.
Include the publication details (publisher and place of publication). The abbreviation ABS is used for the
name of the publisher.
For an ABS report with full-page format/imaging (PDF), give the URL for the page where the report can
be found, not the link to the pdf itself.
Rule
Organisation’s name abbreviated (Organisation’s full name) (Year) Title of report: subtitle of report,
catalogue number, accessed Day Month Year. URL
Example
ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) (2021) Life tables 2018-2020, catalogue number 3302.0.55.001,
ABS, Canberra, accessed 3 December 2021. https://www-abs-gov-au.ezproxy.lib.rmit.edu.au/
statistics/people/population/life-tables/2018-2020#data-download

Page 36 of 46
Report by an organisation
Rule
Author’s family name Initial or Organisation’s Name (Year) Title of report: subtitle of report, Name of
Publisher, accessed Day Month Year. URL
Example
AASW (Australian Association of Social Workers) (2021) Annual Report 2020-2021, AASW, accessed
13 December 2021. https://www.aasw.asn.au/publications/reports
Company, industry or market report from a Library database

As details will vary for company, industry or market reports, try to extract as much information as you can
about authorship and publication information, report number, etc.
Where there is no author, use the organisation responsible for the report.
For company, industry or market reports sourced from RMIT University Library databases, add the
accessed date and the database name followed by the word database.
Rule
Author’s family name Initial or Organisation’s Name (Year) Title of report: subtitle of report, report no.
number [if available], accessed Day Month Year, database name.
Examples
Lo B (2016) Internet service providers in Australia, report no. J5911, accessed 28 November 2021,
IBISWorld database.
MarketLine Limited (2021) Global - apparel manufacturing, accessed 13 December 2021, MarketLine
database.
Company, industry or market report from a website

Rule
Author’s family name Initial or Organisation’s Name (Year) Title of report: subtitle of report, Name of
publisher, accessed Day Month Year. URL
Examples
Baptist World Aid Australia (2021) The 2019 ethical fashion report: The truth behind the bar code,
BWAA, accessed 13 December 2021. https://www.business-humanrights.org/en/latest-news/2019-
ethical-fashion-report-the-truth-behind-the-barcode/
Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (2021) Annual report FY21, FMGL, accessed 13 December 2021.
https://www.fmgl.com.au/investors/asx-announcements
Dataset
Details will vary for datasets, so try to extract as much information as you can about authorship and
publication.

Page 37 of 46
For an online dataset, if no author details are available, start with the dataset title in italics.
Include the series title (if supplied) after the dataset title. Include the resource type (for example: data
file) after the title or series title (if supplied). Add the publication details (if supplied) after the resource
type. For example: Australian Government, Bureau of Meteorology, Melbourne.
Rule
Author’s family name Initial or Name of agency (Year) Title of data set [data set], Name of website,
accessed Day Month Year. URL
Example
RBA (Reserve Bank of Australia) (n.d.) Consumer price inflation: December 2015 – December 2020
[data set], Statistical tables, accessed 10 December 2021. https://www.rba.gov.au/statistics/tables/
Standard
Italicise the standard’s title.
If sourced from RMIT University Library databases, add the accessed date (e.g. accessed 13 December
2021), followed by a comma, a space then the database name (e.g. SAI Global) followed by the word
database.
If sourced from a website, add the accessed date (e.g. accessed 13 December 2021), followed by a full
Rule (sourced from library database)

Name of standard issuer (year) Title, Standard number, accessed Day Month Year, database name.
Rule (sourced from website)

Name of standard issuer (year) Title, Standard number, accessed Day Month Year. URL
Examples
ISO (International Organization for Standardization) (2021) Building construction -- Accessibility and
usability of the built environment, ISO 21542:2021, accessed 9 December 2021.
https://www.standards.org.au/standards-catalogue/international/iso--other/iso--21542-colon-2021
Standards Australia (2010) Residential timber-framed construction - non-cyclonic areas, AS 1684.2-

2010, accessed 9 December 2021, SAI Global database.
Audio visual material
Television program
Put the director or producer’s name in the Author position (as the author).

Page 38 of 46
Place the title of the television program in single inverted commas (quotation marks) and specify the
format in square brackets.
If applicable, include the italicised series title after the multimedia format, along with any series and
episode numbers if given, e.g. The Business, Insight, Game of thrones (season 7, episode 6).
Rule
Director’s family name Initial (director) or Producer’s family name Initial (producer) (Year) ‘Title of
episode: subtitle of episode’ [television program], Name of series (season number, episode number),
Name of station or studio, Place of production.
Examples
ABC Television (producer) (2021) ‘The business: cryptocurrency special’ [television program], The
Business, ABC Television, Sydney.
Taylor A (director) and Benioff DB and Weiss D (2017) (producers) (20 August 2017) ‘Beyond the
wall’ [television program], Game of thrones (season 7, episode 6), HBO, New York.
Film / Movie
Put the director’s name in the Author position (as the author). If there is no acknowledged director, list
the producer’s name.
Put the year of release.
Place the title in italics and specify the format in square brackets.
Rule
Director’s family name Initial (director) or Producer’s family name Initial (producer) (Year) Title of film:
subtitle of film [motion picture], Name of studio or Publisher, Place of production.
Examples
Bong JH (director) (2019) Parasite [motion picture], CJ Entertainment, South Korea.
Reynolds M (director) (2017) My name is Gulpilil [motion picture], Screen Australia, SAFC & ABC,
Australia.
YouTube video and other online streaming videos

Includes films and programs on streaming platforms, YouTube videos, and other forms of online video.
If the author (individual or corporate) of the online/streaming video is known, begin the reference list
citation with the author’s family or corporate name. If the author (individual or corporate) of the
online/streaming video is unknown, begin the reference with the title and the year of the video.
Specify the format in square brackets after the title, i.e. [video].
Include the italicised name of the channel or owing organisation after the format.
Include the word website after the name of the website. But if the name of the website is a URL (e.g.
vic.gov.au), do not write the word website. Do not italicise the name of website.
Include publication and access dates in day, month and year format (e.g. 13 December 2021).
After the accessed date, put a full stop, a space then the URL. No full stop after URL.
Rule

Page 39 of 46
Creator’s family name Initial or Owner of video (Day Month Year) ‘Title of video’ [video], Name of
Channel or Owning Organisation, Name of Website website, accessed Day Month Year. URL
Examples
ABC News (16 June 2021) ‘The Business: Cryptocurrency special’ [video], ABC News (Australian
Broadcasting Corporation), ABC iview website, accessed 30 November 2021.
https://iview.abc.net.au/video/NS2157H001S00
ABC News In-depth (16 June 2021) ‘Bitcoin explained: Everything you need to know about the crypto
craze l The Business’ [video], ABC News In-depth, YouTube website, accessed 30 November 2021.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlGLpSvs34Q
Derham L, Groner M and Kerridge G (n.d.) ‘Interview questions’ [video], AASW (Australian
Association of Social Workers), AASW website, accessed 30 November 2021.
https://www.aasw.asn.au/careers-study/new-graduate-resources/finding-your-job-and-thriving-in-it
Podcast
Include the name/s of podcast host/s, followed by the producer’s name, in the author position (as the
authors).
Place the title of the podcast episode in single inverted commas (quotation marks) and the name of the
podcast series (use sentence case) in italics.
Specify the multimedia format after the title of the podcast episode, i.e. [podcast].
Provide the publication and access dates in day, month and year format.
After the accessed date, put a full stop, a space then the URL. No full stop after URL.
Rule
Host’s family name Initial (host) and Producer’s family name Initial (producer) or Organisation’s name
(producer) (Day Month Year) ‘Title of podcast episode: subtitle of podcast episode’ [podcast], Name
of podcast series, Name of podcast network, accessed Day Month Year. URL
Examples
Fidler R (host) and Rooney C (producer) (19 October 2021) ‘Rock and Dave Grohl’ [podcast],
Conversations, ABC, accessed 1 December 2021. https://www.abc.net.au/radio/ programs/
conversations/dave-grohl-nirvana-foo-fighters-love-music-rock/13582414
Hunter A and Bessell S (hosts) and Policy Forum.net (producer) (27 November 2020) ‘The wellbeing
economy – a glimpse of the good life’ [podcast], The wellbeing economy podcast series, IMMP
Crawford, accessed 1 December 2021. https://immp.crawford.anu.edu.au/content/wellbeing-
economy-podcast-series
Radio
Include the name of the presenter in the author position (as the author).
Place the title of the radio episode in single inverted commas (quotation marks) and the name of the
radio program (use sentence case) in italics.
Specify the multimedia format after the title of the radio episode, i.e. [radio program].
Provide the publication date in day, month and year format.
Rule

Page 40 of 46
Presenter’s family name Initial (presenter) (Day Month Year) ‘Title of episode: subtitle of episode’
[radio program], Name of program, Name of station or studio, Place of production.
Example
Smail S (presenter) (9 December 2021) ‘Australian working mums missing out on big earning
potential and super’ [radio program], The world today, ABC, Melbourne.
Musical composition and sound recording

Begin with the name of the creator/artist/band and the year of the musical composition or sound
recording.
If the name of the creator/artist/band is unknown, begin instead with the title of the musical composition
or sound recording (in italics) and the year.
Generally, the title of the album or CD will be used as the title, written in italics. But if you are referencing
a specific track/song on the album or CD, then also include the title of the track/song in single inverted
commas (quotation marks).
Specify the format in square brackets, e.g. [Album], [Song].
Include the publisher details (if supplied). The record company can be the publisher of a musical
composition or sound recording.
For an online musical composition or sound recording, include the access date in day, month, year
format (e.g. 13 December 2021). After the accessed date, put a full stop, a space then the URL. No full
stop after URL.
Rule (with song)

Creator/artist’s family name Initial or Band name (Year) ‘Title of song/track: subtitle of song/track’
[Format], Title of compilation or album, Name of publisher.
Rule (with no song – only compilation, e.g. album)

Creator/artist’s family name Initial or Band name (Year) Title of compilation or album [Medium], Name
of publisher.
Examples
The Beatles (1967) ‘Lucy in the sky with Diamonds’ [Song], Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band,
Parlophone.
The Beatles (1967) Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band [Album], Parlophone.
The Beatles (1967) Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (remastered) [Album], Apple, accessed 1
December 2021. https://open.spotify.com/album/6QaVfG1pHYl1z15ZxkvVDW
Images and figures
Artwork
 Your own unpublished work or artworks discussed without an image are not included in the
reference list.

Page 41 of 46
 Artworks viewed in person, such as at art galleries, museums and public spaces, are cited to
acknowledge their influence on the development of your own ideas or work.
 Art works that you reproduced from books, websites and other sources should be cited in the
standard format the source as described in the other sections of this guide.
 If viewed online: add the accessed date (e.g. accessed 13 December 2021), followed by a full
Rule
Creator’s family name Initial (Year) Title or description of work [medium], Museum, Exhibition or
Gallery, Location of Gallery, accessed Day Month Year [if viewed online]. URL [if viewed online]
Examples
Artist unknown (c. 11-12th C) Tapestry with Dragons and Flowers [Silk tapestry], The Metropolitan
Museum of Art, New York, accessed 9 December 2021. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/
collection/search/39733?
Dwyer M (2021) Apparition [night-time digital projection onto holo-gauze screen], University Square,
Carlton.
Pollock J (1952) Blue poles [Oil, enamel, aluminium paint, and glass on canvas], National Gallery of
Australia, Canberra.
Maps
Add map title in italics.
Rule
Author/creator’s family name Initial or Organisation’s name (year of creation), Title, material type (if
known), copyright owner/publisher/provider, accessed Day Month Year. URL
Examples
Kearney J (1855) Melbourne and its suburbs, Victoria Surveyor-General, SLV, accessed 10
December 2021. https://www.slv.vic.gov.au/search-discover/explore-collections-format/maps/maps-
melbourne-city-suburbs
VicPlan (2020) Plenty Road Bundoora 3083, web map, Victoria State Government, accessed 10
December 2021. https://mapshare.vic.gov.au/vicplan/
Tables and diagrams

Reference tables and diagrams in accordance with the source they appear in. For example, if the table
or diagram appears in a book or journal article, you reference the book or journal article. Please refer to
the relevant section(s) within this guide for how to reference the various sources.
Examples
IAHW (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare) (2018) ‘5.7 Prisoners’ Australia’s health 2018’,
Australia’s health series no. 1, catalogue number AUS 221, IAHW, Australian Government, accessed
13 December 2021. https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/0f15de30-8575-4e80-ac9d-5560633635e0/
aihw-aus-221-chapter-5-7.pdf.aspx

Page 42 of 46
Fisher C, Holland C and West T (18 March 2021) ‘Developments in the Buy Now, Pay Later Market’
Bulletin, RBA, accessed 13 December 2021. https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/bulletin/2021/mar/
developments-in-the-buy-now-pay-later-market.html
Other sources
Case study
Case studies are not a publication or reference type. They are a type of writing found in various sources
such as books, journal articles, websites, etc. Please reference the source in which the case study is
found.
Conference paper / presentation

Enclose the title of the conference paper in single inverted commas (quotation marks) and write the
name of the conference in italics.
A conference paper from a webpage will generally be sourced from either the conference's website or
the host organisation’s website.
Conference paper from a webpage

If the document is in PDF format, avoid direct links to the actual PDF – instead link to the page that hosts
the PDF. Do NOT write the word website.
Rule
Author’s family name Initial (Day Month Year of conference) ‘Title of paper: subtitle of paper’
[conference presentation], Name of Conference, Conference host, Place of conference, accessed
Day Month Year. URL
Example
Wertenbroch K (17-29 October 2019) ‘When marketing alienates consumers’ [conference
presentation], Advances in consumer research, Association for Consumer Research, Atlanta,
accessed 13 December 2021. https://www.acrwebsite.org/web/conferences/north-american-
conference
Unpublished conference paper

Rule
Author’s family name Initial (Day Month Year) ‘Title of paper: subtitle of paper’ [unpublished
conference presentation], Name of conference, Conference host, Place of conference.
Example
Garner R and Whitbread R (19 October 2021) ‘Implementing a Safety Case Regulatory Regime for
Spaceflight Activities’ [unpublished conference presentation], 11th IAASS conference: managing risk
in space, IAASS, Rotterdam.

Page 43 of 46
Lecture notes or course material
Materials from your course may include lecture notes, PowerPoint slides and credentials. Where
possible, try to use information from published material.
Use the lecturer’s family name and initial.
The title of the course material should be enclosed in single inverted commas (quotation marks). The title
of the course material should not be italicised.
Include the type of course material (e.g. course handout, PowerPoint slides, lecture, or credentials) after
the title in square brackets.
For online course material, add the course code or course name and the University name. Include the
city of the University after its name.
Examples
RMIT Creds (2022) ‘What is academic integrity?’ [Micro Credential], RMIT University, Melbourne.
Tran L (2020) ‘Managing diverse workforces’ [PowerPoint slides, MANG4321], RMIT University,
Melbourne.
Legal material
The title of a legal case, legislation or patent should be italicised.
For a piece of legislation, include the jurisdiction in brackets after the title. The name of the jurisdiction
should be abbreviated. For example, Commonwealth can be abbreviated to (Cth).
For a legal case, include the year of the case, the volume number of the report series, the abbreviated
name of the report series and the page number that the case begins with in the report series, e.g. (2008)
237 CLR 1.
Examples
Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005 (Vic).
Water Act 2007 (Cth).
University of New South Wales v Moorhouse and Angus & Robertson (Publishers) Pty Ltd (1975) 133
CLR 1.
Media release
Rule
Author’s family name Initial or Organisation’s name (Day Month Year) Title of media release: subtitle
of media release [media release], Organisation Name, accessed Day Month Year. URL
Examples
Lowe P (2 November 2021) Statement by Philip Lowe, Governor: monetary policy decision [media
release], RBA, accessed 10 December 2021. https://www.rba.gov.au/media-releases/2021/mr-21-
24.html

Page 44 of 46
Office of the Premier of Victoria (8 December 2021) Boosting support for homeless youth [media
release], Office of the Premier of Victoria, accessed 22 January, 2022.
https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/ boosting-support-homeless-youth
Student's own work (previously submitted)

You should include scholarly sources in your assignments to adhere to best practice in academic
integrity. Citing yourself as an authority on your own opinion should be avoided.
Check with your lecturer or teacher if it is permissible to reuse and cite work you have previously
submitted in other courses.
Referencing your own work is necessary to make sure you don not self-plagiarise.
If you cite or quote your previous work, treat yourself as the author and your own previous course work
as an unpublished paper.
Rule
Student family name Initial (Year) ‘Title of previous work’ [Unpublished paper for course code],
Institution name, Location (if not inferred by university name).
Example
Smith J (2021) ‘An analysis of personality theory’ [Unpublished paper for HRHR1001], RMIT
University, Melbourne.
Thesis
Thesis viewed online on an institutional repository
Theses and dissertations are mostly cited and referenced like books. Rather than italics, titles of thesis
are enclosed in single inverted commas (quotation marks).
Add the abbreviated name of the award (for example, PhD thesis) in square brackets and the University
name followed by the place of publication.
For theses and dissertations accessed online, include the database or URL. In parentheses, include any
identification number supplied by the database.
Rule
Author’s family name Initial (year) ‘Title: subtitle’ [Thesis type], University, URL or Database name
(Document identifier).
Example
Court T (2019) ‘The site re-presented: everyday civic landscapes’ [PhD dissertation], RMIT University,
RMIT Research Repository (9921864000901341).
Print Thesis
For a print thesis, provide the author's family name and initial(s) followed by the year.
Include the title of the thesis enclosed in single inverted commas (quotation marks) but not italicised.
Add the abbreviated name of the award (for example, PhD thesis) in square brackets and the University
name followed by the place of publication (if not inferred by the University name).
Rule
Author’s family name Initial (year) ‘Title: subtitle’ [Thesis type], University, Location.

Page 45 of 46
Example
Browne P 2018 'Digital tourism' [PhD thesis], Charlesworth University, Templeton.
Interview
Face-to-face interviews that you conduct yourself are considered personal communication and are,
therefore, not included in the reference list.
Published interviews follow the same rules as the source that the published interview appears in. For
example, if the interview appears in a television program or podcast, you reference the television
program or podcast. Please refer to the relevant section(s) within this guide for how to reference the
various sources.
The person cited in the in-text reference is treated as the author since they have primary responsibility
for communicating the content you are referring to.
Example
Nabben K (16 June 2021) ‘The Business: cryptocurrency special’ [streaming video], ABC News
(Australian Broadcasting Corporation), ABC iview, accessed 30 November 2021.
https://iview.abc.net.au/video/NS2157H001S00
Personal communication
Since personal communication is not published, it is not included in reference lists.
Works in the original language (non-English)

For sources you read in a language other than English, follow the referencing requirements for the type
of source you used (e.g. newspaper article, website, book, journal article).
List the title in the original language. If the original language uses a different alphabet or script from
English, use the anglicised spelling.
Place the English translation in parenthesis after the original title.
Example
Vietnam Customs (2021) Thống kê Hải quan (Customs statistics), Vietnam Customs, accessed 5
December 2021. https://tongcuc.customs.gov.vn/

Page 46 of 46

RMIT Harvard Referencing Guide

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

RMIT Harvard Referencing Guide

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

RMIT HARVARD REFERENCING GUIDE

RMIT University Library

Available at: https://www.rmit.edu.au/library/study/referencing

Available at: https://www.rmit.edu.au/library/study/referencing

Available at: https://www.rmit.edu.au/library/study/referencing

Vanna (cited in Martin and Rodriguez 2021) suggests that ...

Available at: https://www.rmit.edu.au/library/study/referencing

Ayoob (2021a, 2021b) states that ...

Book with single author

Available at: https://www.rmit.edu.au/library/study/referencing

Book with three or more authors

Book whose author is an organisation

Book with no author

Available at: https://www.rmit.edu.au/library/study/referencing

According to A Warning (2019:15) ‘the …’.

Multiple books by the same author

Available at: https://www.rmit.edu.au/library/study/referencing

Encyclopedia or dictionary entry without an author

Encyclopedia or dictionary entry with an author

Available at: https://www.rmit.edu.au/library/study/referencing

 Include the author’s family name, followed by publication year.

Journal article with single author

Journal article with two authors

Journal article with three or more authors

Available at: https://www.rmit.edu.au/library/study/referencing

Journal article with no authors

Available at: https://www.rmit.edu.au/library/study/referencing

Print newspaper article

Print newspaper article with no author

Newspaper article from a webpage (HTML format)

Available at: https://www.rmit.edu.au/library/study/referencing

Blog or blog post

Mewburn (2020) identifies the complexities of writing in an academic style.

Social media post

Available at: https://www.rmit.edu.au/library/study/referencing

Websites and webpage documents

Webpage document (PDF)

Available at: https://www.rmit.edu.au/library/study/referencing

Reports, data sets and standards

Government or organisation report

Company, industry or market report from a library database

Company, industry or market report from a website

Available at: https://www.rmit.edu.au/library/study/referencing

Australian Bureau of Statistics report

Audio visual material

Film or television program

Available at: https://www.rmit.edu.au/library/study/referencing

YouTube video and other online streaming videos

Available at: https://www.rmit.edu.au/library/study/referencing

Images and figures

General rules for artworks

Available at: https://www.rmit.edu.au/library/study/referencing

Captions (Own work)

Short captions for reproduced works

(OR depending on source):

Figure 6: Untitled screenshot of Zelphr homepage

Available at: https://www.rmit.edu.au/library/study/referencing

Figure 8: Plenty Road Bundoora 3083 by VicPlan, 2020, web map.

Figure 7 illustrates . . . (Kearney 1855).

As shown in Figure 8, . . . (VicPlan 2020).

Available at: https://www.rmit.edu.au/library/study/referencing

Tables (your own work)

Tables (adapted from published material)