This section will outline how to cite sources that commonly pose difficulties for students, as they do not fit the standard mould outlined in other sections. If you still can't find what you're looking for, check the tab "where to go for further information" for more resources and contact details for your librarian.
If a book is written anonymously, place the author’s name as “Anonymous” in both the in-text citation and the reference list.
For example, the anonymously written A Warning, published in 2019 by Hachette would have a parenthetical in-text citation as follows: (Anonymous, 2019)
The reference list entry would be: Anonymous. (2019). A Warning. Hachette.
If there is no author listed whatsoever, as opposed to the author being named as anonymous, you should use the first few words of the title in lieu of an in-text citation. The reference list should omit the author’s details and alphabetise the book according to the first significant word (ie. excluding the first word excluding “the” “an”, etc.).
For example, the Oxford Dictionary of English would be cited as follows: (Oxford Dictionary, 2010).
It would be entered under “O” for “Oxford” in the reference list, following the format: Oxford dictionary of English (3rd revised ed.). (2010). Oxford University Press.
If the book's authorship is credited to a corporate entity or organisation, rather than an individual, the name of this organisation can be used as the author’s name.
For instance, the Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook, published in 2014 by Houghton Mifflen would be cited as:
(Weight Watchers, 2014).
Its reference list entry would be:
Weight Watchers. (2014). Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook (5th ed.). Houghton Mifflin.
Ordinarily, the publication date can be found on the copyright page of a book (normally the first page after the title page). If there is no date listed, you can simply write (n.d.), short for “no date” in its stead.
If a text has been translated, your in-text citations should contain the author’s name and date of publication, as normal. In your reference list, you should give the details of the translator after the title, where you would normally put the edition. If possible, you should also give details of the original publication as well as the translation you are citing.
For instance, Phillipe Ariès's book Western Attitudes towards Death: from the Middle Ages to the Present, translated by Patricia M. Ranum and published by the Johns Hopkins University Press in 1974 would have the parenthetical in-text citation: (Phillipe Ariès, 1974).
Its reference list entry would be: Ariès, P. (1974). Western Attitudes towards Death: from the Middle Ages to the Present (P.M. Ranum, trans.). The Johns Hopkins University Press.
Sometimes, particularly with classic or well-known books, new editions will appear with introductory essays by a different author than the main text. In these cases, you should list both the original publication date and the date of this edition. In the reference list, the name of the introduction's author should be placed in parentheses, next to the primary author.
Eg. A tale of two cities by Charles Dickens, with an introduction and notes by Peter Merchant, published in 1993 by Wordsworth Editions would have an in-text citation as below: (Dickens, 1859/1993)
Its reference list would contain the details of both authors, following this format: Dickens, C. (with Merchant, P.). (1993). A Tale of Two Cities. Wordsworth Editions. (Original work published 1859).