: the act of mentioning something in speech or in writing : the act of referring to something or someone. : the act of looking at or in something for information. : a person who can be asked for information about another person’s character, abilities, etc.

An Example of Science Writing: “Stripped for Parts”: “Sustaining a dead body until its organs can be harvested is a tricky process requiring the latest in medical technology. But it’s also a distinct anachronism in an era when medicine is becoming less and less invasive.

Basic format to reference journal articles

1. Author or authors. The surname is followed by first initials.
2. Year of publication of the article.
3. Article title (in single inverted commas).
4. Journal title (in italics).
5. Volume of journal.
6. Issue number of journal.
7. Page range of article.

APA Style provides fairly comprehensive guidelines for writing academic papers regardless of subject or discipline. However, traditionally, APA is most frequently used by writers and students in: Social Sciences, such as Psychology, Linguistics, Sociology, Economics, and Criminology. Business.

The APA referencing style is an “author-date” style, so the citation in the text consists of the author(s) and the year of publication given wholly or partly in round brackets. Use only the surname of the author(s) followed by a comma and the year of publication.

APA in-text citation style uses the author’s last name and the year of publication, for example: (Field, 2005). For direct quotations, include the page number as well, for example: (Field, 2005, p. 14).

What to Include on a Reference List

1. Your name at the top of the page.
2. List your references, including their name, job title, company, and contact information, with a space in between each reference.
3. Include at least three professional references who can attest to your ability to perform the job you are applying for.

A reference list is arranged alphabetically by author. If an item has no author, it is cited by title, and included in the alphabetical list using the first significant word of the title. A reference list is generally placed at the end of a work. Commas are used to separate each item of the reference/citation.

Consider these eight people when making your reference list:

• Recent bosses.
• Co-workers.
• Professors.
• Friends… but only if they’re a professional reference.
• Group members.
• Any place you’ve volunteered.
• The person you babysat for or whose lawn you mowed every summer.
• High school teacher or coach you still talk to regularly.

The lack of references might not always hinder you from your job search, or from applying to some of the jobs that interest you. Instead, you could try to get the job you want without the professional references some employers may ask for.

Ask your favorite teacher or the coach if they will be a reference as you start your first career move. Explain what position you are applying for and why you are excited about the job. They will probably be happy to help you by writing a letter or sharing their contact information with your prospective employer.

What to do if you don’t have professional references:

1. Start by looking at your professional network.
2. Have you done any internships, volunteer work, or freelancing?
3. Do you really need references?
4. Ask people to recommend you on LinkedIn.
5. Answer questions proactively in your resume, cover letter, and interview.

The preferred approach is for you to suggest one or two references most relevant for the job you’ve applied to. If the employer asks for more names, or makes a specific request – such as wanting to speak to your most recent boss – you can respond accordingly.

Hiring managers generally assume your parents can’t give an objective view of your work history or how you’ll behave as an employee, so don’t put them down as references. “We are interested in your prior work experience, work ethic and your moral character. Your family’s opinion will always be biased.”

While you might want to ask your parents or your best friend, your first port of call for references should always be previous employers, preferably your last one. Steer clear of family members if you can as some employers want personal references to be unrelated.

don’t list your spouse as a job reference (and don’t lie about it if you do) A reader writes: This happened the other week — Candidate for manager job interviews great. His second level interview goes great as well.

Don’t use a neighbour, friend or family member as a referee. Your prospective employer will view them as biased and discount their opinions. Referees could include contacts from Saturday jobs, temporary work or volunteer positions.

Here are some of the questions that may be asked during a reference check:

• When did (name) work for your company? Could you confirm starting and ending employment dates?
• What was her/his position?
• Could I briefly review (name’s) resume?
• Why did (name) leave the company?
• What was her/his starting and ending salary?