Zoology: Referencing & Writing

A citation or referencing style is a standardised way of referencing research you use in your academic work.

Referencing the ideas and research you use in your essays is a vital part of all academic work because it:

• acknowledges how others' work has influenced your thinking;

• provides evidence for your arguments; and

• assists other researchers to locate the sources you use.

Check with your lecturer or supervisor if you are unsure which style to use: For Zoology Undergraduate Level CSE is the required citation style.

For more information visit the Referencing and Citing Guide

How to Cite in CSE Style

(a short video from Laurier Library)

When you reference a journal article, you need to follow a particular set of rules called a referencing (or citation) style. Different departments ask their students to use different styles.

In undergraduate Zoology courses, you need to follow the Council of Science Editors (CSE) Name-Year style. This is an author-date style, and its basic principles are:

• in-text citations are listed by author surname and year of publication,
• references at the end are listed alphabetically by author surname.

Note: CSE requires journal titles to be abbreviated but Undergraduate Zoology courses don't require you to do this.

Further details about the style can be found via these links:

You will need to provide the following details:

• Author surname(s) and initials
• Publication date
• Article title
• Journal title
• Date resource was updated and accessed for for sources found online or in an electronic database
• Volume and issue/part number
• Page number(s)
• Website URL for sources found online or in an electronic database

Article with One Author

	Audet D. 1990. Foraging behaviour and habitat 
		use by a gleaning bat, Myotis myotis  
		(Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae). J Mammal.
                [accessed 2015 Feb 14]; 71:420 - 427. 
		http://jmammal.oxfordjournals.org/content/71/3/420

Article with Multiple Authors

	Arkins AM, Winnington AP, Anderson S, Clout MN. 
                1999. Diet and nectarivorous foraging 
                behaviour of the short-tailed bat 
                (Mystacina tuberculata). J Zool. 
                [accessed 2015 Feb 12];247: 183-187. 
		http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/
                j.1469-7998.1999.tb00982.x/abstract

Visit the CSE Name-Year Style links for further examples:

Citation Manuals

Need to improve your writing skills?

Our very own Student Learning Development have excellent resources online and in person to help you improve your writing. You can sign up for excellent workshops. You can even book an individual consultation with a Learning Advisor.

There are some excellent online resources to help you with scientific writing. Here are a few to get you started: