CSE Style - Academic Skills - Trent University

Council of Science Editors Citation Basics

When and What to Cite
Style Variations

When and What to Cite

Academic writing synthesizes original work with the work of others. To avoid plagiarism, give credit for anything taken from another source. Cite information or data that is not common knowledge, someone else's research, conclusions, arguments or ideas.

Style Variations

CSE supports three different referencing style variations. Check with the professor, the department, or a leading journal to determine which CSE style is preferred for your specific course or discipline.

Harvard Style (Name-Year System)

The Harvard style uses in-text parenthetical citations that identify author surname and publication date and an alphabetical reference list. The CSE favours the Harvard Style (not to be confused with Harvard law style).

Example of in-text citation

The NIH has called for a change in smallpox vaccination policy (Fauci 2002) that…..

Example of end reference

Fauci AS. 2002. Smallpox vaccination policy–the need for dialogue. N Engl J Med. 346(17):1319-1320.

How to create citations and end references

Vancouver Style (Citation-Sequence System)

The Vancouver system (citation-sequence system) uses numbers to refer to a numerical reference list. This style was developed in Vancouver in 1978 by editors of medical journals and well over 1,000 medical journals (including ICMJE members BMJ, CMAJ, JAMA & NEJM) use this style.

The Vancouver style uses either a superscript or a number on the line in parenthesis. Each source is numbered in the sequence in which they first appear in the text. Each subsequent use of that source in the text has the same number and uses that number for the end reference list.

Example of in-text citation

Common forms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) include the unexpected loss of a love one and seeing someone badly injured.¹

Example of end reference

1. Van Ameringen M, Mancini C, Patterson B, Boyle M. Post‐Traumatic Stress Disorder in Canada. CNS Neurosci Therapeutics. 2008 14:171-181.

How to create citations and end references

Citation-Name System

In the citation-name system the list of the end references must be completed first and then sequenced based on alphabetical order. The numbers assigned to the end references are then used for the in-text references regardless of when that reference appears in your text. This means that Armstrong comes before Brown and is the first source on your reference list. You would use (1) to refer to the Armstrong article, but it may appear anywhere in your paper. You may use either superscript or an on-line numbering for the in-text citation.

Example of In-Text Citation:

Traumatic life events and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are endemic among American Civilians (22). Each year…..

Example of end reference:

22. Kessler RC, Sonnega A, Bromet E, Hughes M, Nelson CB. Posttraumatic stress disorder in the National Comorbidity Survey. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1995 Dec;52(12):1048-1060.

How to create citations and end references