A citation style is a standardised way of citing materials used in your research that will help you to avoid plagiarism. Ask your lecturer if you are unsure which style to use.
Some Human Nutrition papers use a modified version of the referencing style of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. This is a numbered style in which in-text citations are identified by number, e.g. (3), and references are listed in the order that they have been used in the text.
The AJCN style uses an abbreviated journal title instead of a full journal title. All journals indexed in MEDLINE and PubMed use these abbreviated titles, following a format developed by the U. S. National Library of Medicine (NLM).
The modified style used by the Human Nutrition Department does not italicise the abbreviated journal title, nor does it bold the journal volume number.
Example journal article reference in the modified AJCN style:
Bryd-Bredbenner C, Maurer J, Wheatley V, Cottone E, Clancy M. Observed food safety behaviour of young adults. Br Food J 2007; 109: 519-530.
AJCN journal reference format is consistent with the NLM’s International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals: Sample References webpage and detailed in the NLM’s Citing Medicine, 2nd edition.
Sports nutrition papers in the Department of Human Nutrition use the citation style of the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism (IJSNEM). References are listed in alphabetical order at the end of the text and cited in the text using author name(s) and date of publication.
IJSNEM follows a modified version of the style laid out in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA), 7th ed. Please consult Otago's APA 7th Citation Style Guide for examples.
Tips on choosing and using citation styles (also called referencing styles) plus using systems such as EndNote, Zotero and Mendeley.
To assist you to develop the writing skills necessary to become a confident and skilled writer, Student Learning Development offer the following services:
If you are an enrolled student, you are welcome to visit the Student Learning Centre in the south-west corner of the Central Library (ISB) Building to discuss any aspect of your study that is causing concern. You can also telephone 479 8801 or e-mail hedc.studentlearning@otago.ac.nz to make an appointment with a Learning Adviser.
If you are an off-campus student, the same service is available to you through e-mail or 0800 80 80 98.
The University of Otago takes plagiarism seriously. These resources will help you understand what plagiarism is and how to avoid it.