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This is the third and final part of the referencing psots. In part 1 I discussed what referencing is and why it is needed, then in part 2 I introduced one way of referencing, the Harvard method. In this part I introduce the second referencing method, Vancouver.

Int the previous referencing post, I gave a short overview of what referencing is and why it is needed. This time we will take a look at how to reference using the Harvard method.

Harvard referencing tends to be used for non-technical documentation, but can be used anywhere. Firstly, lets say you have read the book "Drupal 6 JavaScript and jQuery", but you have not quoted from it nor do you want to reference it. At the end of your report (or document, etc.) you would add a section called “Further Reading” where it would be placed. If you are going to reference it, then you place it in a section at the end of your document called “References”. Both have exactly the same format. That is:

I noted in a previous post about getting regular posts going again. Well, you may have noticed that did not happen although I am now starting to post more often. I do plan to pick up the old series of posts, the "What If", "Useful", etc. I thought I should explain why I have not been posting a lot.

So what is referencing and why should I use it?

Well simply put, referencing is referring to another piece of work. This could be your own or someone else’s. There are many reasons to use it, perhaps the two most important are that you acknowledge you have extended the work of others and secondly you also add credibility to your own work.

Now many of you will ask then, what is the difference, or is there a difference, between referencing, bibliography, further reading, etc. often found at the end of reports and books? Further reading generally lists items you have used but not directly referenced in your document. You bibliography / references section would list items you have used but and directly referenced in your document. This will become clearer when we look at some examples in parts 2 and 3.