It is important to cite your sources of information (from a book, article, website, archive, etc.), so that you are not accused of plagiarism.
Most subject areas have a preferred standard citation style. If you are unsure which style to use ask your teacher, lecturer, tutor, or supervisor.
See the University of Otago LibGuide Referencing / Citation styles for guidance on the most commonly used styles at the University of Otago.
See the University of Otago LibGuide Managing Your References for guidance on the reference managers available to University of Otago staff and students.
Although each citation style may vary as to how the source details are formatted, there are essential elements that should be included if known:
For primary source material, it is also important to include the following details:
For examples of how to reference the various sources held at the Hocken Collections see the sections below.
Locate the record for the item you are referencing on Library Search|Ketu as this should provide the details needed for your reference.
References should include the following information (but the order it is presented will depend on the citation style used):
Below are some examples on how to cite publications:
Book
Book chapter
Thesis
Newspaper article
Journal article
See the University of Otago LibGuide Referencing / Citation styles for guidance on referencing electronic sources.
Locate the record for the item you are referencing on Hākena as this should provide the details needed for your reference. These details will vary from item to item as some material does not include publication/production information such as a publisher, or date and place of publication.
References should include the following information (but the order it is presented will depend on the citation style used):
All references should include the following details for the collection name, archive/library and city:
Please ask library staff, or email the Curator of Ephemera, for assistance if the material is not listed on Hākena.
Some material is described as individual items or as items in collection groups. Below are some examples for referencing ephemera.
Citing an item in a collection group
Click here to see the Hākena record for this item. There are no publisher details on this poster. The production date has been assumed but not printed on the poster, so it is written in square brackets to indicate this. The poster is part of the Bruce Russell: Posters collection group and its reference number is Eph-0001-ML-D-01/02.
Click here to see the Hākena record for this item. This poster includes details of the publisher, place and date of publication. The poster is part of the New Zealand Truth: Posters collection group and its reference number is Eph-0002-PN-D-01/03.
Click here to see the Hākena record for this item. This programme includes details of the creator, and a date. The place of publication is not included on the programme but being assumed as Dunedin it is included in square brackets. The programme is part of the Otago University Dramatic Society: Ephemera collection group and its reference number is Eph-0004-PN-A-01.
Click here to see the Hākena record for this item. There are no publisher details on this poster. The publication date is assumed, so it is written in square brackets to indicate this. Its reference number is Eph-0028-G-D.
Click here to see the Hākena record for this item. This poster includes details of the publisher but not the place and date of publication. The publication date range is assumed, so it is written in square brackets to indicate this. Its reference number is Eph-0011-TX-D.
Locate the record for the item you are referencing on Library Search | Ketu as this should provide the details needed for your reference. These details will vary from item to item as some material does not include publication information such as a record label or date.
Please check with library staff, or the Curator of Music and Audiovisual Collections for further assistance.
References should include the following information (but the order it is presented will depend on the citation style used):
Below are some examples on how to cite music and audiovisual recordings:
Album
Click here to see the Library Search | Ketu record for the item.
Song
Click here to see the Library Search | Ketu record for the item.
Song from an album [this must include the album title]
Click here to see the Library Search | Ketu record for the item.
Unreleased recordings
Click here to see the Library Search | Ketu record for the item.
Unreleased recordings should be cited in the same way as officially released recordings, with as much information as possible. Include 'unreleased recording' in square brackets at the end of the citation.
Classical album [include composer name first, as well as performer names and dates of original publication]
Click here to see the Library Search | Ketu record for the item. For classical music recordings, the composer is listed first, and recording artists listed in square brackets. Different citation styles may vary with this information.There are three works performed on this album, and the three dates at the end of the citation refer to their original dates of publication.
Live concert recording
Click here to see the Library Search | Ketu record for the item. This recording includes information on the date of the performance, and the performing band. The place of publication is not included on the recording, but determined as Dunedin as this is where the concert took place.
Film
Click here to see the Library Search | Ketu record for the item.
Television show
Click here to see the Library Search | Ketu record for the item.
Episode of television show
Click here to see the Library Search | Ketu record for the item. Specific episode information is not listed on the Library Search | Ketu record - for more information check the DVD case for writer and director information.
For more information on elements to include when citing a spoken word (not music) sound recording, please contact Curator of Music and Audiovisual
Hocken Digital Collections includes digitised images of material from across the collections.
To cite an image on Hocken Digital Collections:
Please note: Hocken Digital Collections still includes material from our original Recollect site Hocken Snapshop. These Snapshop images are of a lower quality and have more minimal metadata than the newly available material but are slowly being replaced with higher quality images. For information on referencing Snapshop images see the relevant section in 'How to cite photography'.
Locate the record for the item you are referencing on Hākena as this should provide the details needed for your reference.
References should include the following information (but the order it is presented will depend on the citation style used):
All references should include the following details for the collection name, archive/library and city:
Please ask library staff, or email the archivists, for assistance.
Some material is described as components of an item, or as individual items, or as items in collection groups. Below are some examples for referencing archives.
Citing a component of an item in a collection group
Click here to see the Hākena record for this photograph (component) located in a photograph album (item). Each photograph in the album has been itemised separately. The title of the photograph, provided in quote marks, and its approximate date (circa 1900) is listed. This record describes the photograph album and states that Alexander Don was the photographer. The album is part of the McNeur family papers. The reference number for the photograph is MS-1007-009/009/012.
Click here to see the Hākena record for a folder of papers relating to Kāi Tahu and Waitaha (item). This reference is for one of the letters (component) in the folder. The folder is part of the James Herries Beattie papers. The reference number for the folder is MS-582/F/18 and this is used for the reference as the individual items in the folder have not been itemised.
Click here to see the Hākena record for this photograph (component) in a collection of Milburn New Zealand Limited records. The reference number is an accession number (89-025/006) which indicates that this collection has not yet been fully processed by the archivists. This number can be used for the reference number until the collection is processed.
Citing an item in a collection group
Click here to see the Hākena record for this visitor's book (item) in a collection of Donald Sutherland Papers relating to the 'City of Milford' at Milford Sound.
Click here to see the Hākena record for Visiting cards and metal printing plates (item) in a collection of Professor John Halliday Scott Papers. Their date is determined as circa 1890s and is presented in square brackets.
Click here to see the Hākena record for annual reports (item) in a collection of Dunedin Athenaeum & Mechanics Institution Minutes & annual reports. The reference number is an accession number (87-143-2) which indicates that this collection has not yet been fully processed by the archivists. This number can be used for the reference number until the collection is processed.
Citing an individual item
Click here to see the Hākena record for this diary by Frederick Ashby Hargreaves. The date is the date range covered by the diary.
Click here to see the Hākena record for this minute book of the Berwick Drainage Board. The date is the date range covered by the minute book.
Click here to see the Hākena record for this poem written by Paul Powell in 1998. The reference number is an accession number (98-102) which indicates that this item has not yet been fully processed by the archivists. This number can be used for the reference number until the item is processed.
Locate the record for the item you are referencing on Hākena as this should provide the details needed for your reference.
References should include the following information (but the order it is presented will depend on the citation style used):
All references should include the following details for the collection name, archive/library and city:
Please ask library staff, or email the Curator of Photography, for assistance.
Photographs in the Archives collection and the Photography collection are referenced slightly differently, as photographs in Archives are part of wider collections that need to be cited (see How to cite archives)
Below are some examples for referencing photographs.
Photograph by a known photographer
Click here to see the Hākena record for this item.
Photograph by an unknown photgrapher
Click here to see the Hākena record for this item.
Photograph album
Click here to see the Hākena record for this item.
Photograph in an album
If you need to reference a photograph in a photograph album, use the same format as a single photograph.
Click here to see the Hākena record for this item. For this citation from the Photography collection, note the name or description of the photograph first, and the date of the photograph. After this note the photograph album and continue with the same information you would use for the photograph album.
Photograph on Hocken Snapshop
Hocken Digital Collections still includes material from our original Recollect site Hocken Snapshop. These Snapshop images are of a lower quality and have more minimal metadata than the newly available material but are slowly being replaced with higher quality images.
Hocken Snapshop includes photographs that are held at Hocken Collections, and photographs that are held at other institutions. Some photographs on Hocken Snapshop are only held as copy prints in the reader access files and it is not known where the original image is held. If there is information on where the item is held, include this in your citation, but if there is no information then only reference the online image.
This photograph is accessible via Hocken Snaphop but is held in the Hocken Photography collection (see the Hākena record here). After the photograph date add the date you accessed it online. After the photographer's life dates add the URL to link back to the image on Hocken Snapshop. Include the reference number of the original photograph, as well as information for Hocken Collections.
The above citation is for an image held in another institution where the digital copy is also held on Hocken Snapshop. In the citation after the Hocken Snapshop information, note the image is a copy of an original photograph and then provide the information from the original holding institution's record, including title, medium (in square brackets), date, institution name and the institutions reference number for the item.
The above citation is for an image only held in Hocken Collections' reader access files and it is not known where the original photograph is held. There is no date for this image, so use n.d. This photographer in unknown, so use 'Unknown Photographer'.
Postcards
Click here to see the Hākena record for this item. There is no requirement to note this is a postcard as the title notes the format. As the date and photographer are not noted, use n.d., and Photographer Unknown
Locate the record for the item you are referencing on Hākena as this should provide the details needed for your reference.
References should include the following information (but the order it is presented will depend on the citation style used):
All references should include the following details for the collection name, archive/library and city:
Please ask library staff, or email the Curator of Art, for assistance.
Below are some examples for referencing artworks.
Artwork by a known artist
Click here to see the Hākena record for the item.
Click here to see Hākena record for the item.
Click here to see Hākena record for the item. This item has no date listed, so use n.d.The work has two dimensions for the print and the original plate, so use both measurements, but put in brackets what medium or item relates to the specific measurement.
Artwork by an unknown artist
Click here to see the Hākena record for the item. This item has no known artist, but the sketchbook is compiled by John Halliday Scott. Scott's name (and dates) as the compiler are included after 'Artist Unknown'.
Click here to see the Hākena record for the item
Locate the record for the item you are referencing on Library Search|Ketu as this should provide the details needed for your reference.
References should include the following information (but the order it is presented will depend on the citation style used):
Below are some examples on how to cite maps:
Click here to see the Library Search | Ketu record.
Click here to see the Library Search | Ketu record. The title is not on the map but has been supplied by the cataloguer so include it in square brackets. The record states that the publisher is not known.
Click here to see the Library Search | Ketu record.
Click here to see the Library Search | Ketu record.
Please note that there are also maps and plans in the archives collection. They should be referenced as items, or items in collection groups, as instructed in the box 'How to cite archives'.