mhra referencing phd thesis

• Link to facebook
• Link to linkedin
• Link to twitter
• Link to youtube
• Writing Tips

How to Cite a Thesis or Dissertation in MHRA Referencing

• 3-minute read
• 20th November 2020

Typically, when writing an essay, you will want to use published sources (e.g. books, journal articles). But if you’re writing about an obscure topic, you might find useful information in someone else’s doctoral thesis or master’s dissertation. So, how do you cite these source types in MHRA style ?

Here, we explain formats for footnote citations and the bibliography entry.

Citing a Thesis or Dissertation in MHRA Style

In MHRA style , you cite sources with superscript numbers in the text:

Citation numbers usually go after the final punctuation, like this. 1

You will then provide full source information in a footnote the first time you cite each source. The format for a thesis or dissertation in a footnote is:

n. Author Name(s), ‘Title’ (unpublished [degree level], university, year), page number.

The degree level will usually be ‘doctoral thesis’ or ‘master’s dissertation’ in the UK. However, use the same description as the source cited (e.g. in the US , it is usually ‘doctoral dissertation’ and ‘master’s thesis’).

You can see examples of footnotes for theses or dissertations below:

1. James Brown, ‘Popular Music and Language Evolution: How Has Music Shaped English?’ (unpublished doctoral thesis, University of Manchester, 2020), pp. 17–21. 2. Alex Harker, ‘The Impact of Daylight in the Design: Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly’ (unpublished master’s thesis, University of Texas, 2019) p. 10. 3. Heather Collins, ‘Female Representation in Renaissance Art’ (unpublished doctoral dissertation, Columbia University, 2020), p. 169.

Find this useful?

Subscribe to our newsletter and get writing tips from our editors straight to your inbox.

If you need to cite the same source again later in your work, you can use a shortened footnote format to prevent repetition. For a thesis or dissertation, this is usually just the author’s surname and a page number.

Theses and Dissertations in an MHRA Bibliography

Every source you cite should be included in bibliography at the end of your document. The information to include here is largely the same as in the first footnote citation, except for two key differences:

• You should invert the author’s names (i.e. give their surname first) so you can list sources alphabetically by author surname.
• You don’t need page numbers or a full stop at the end of the entry.

The entries for the examples above would therefore look like this:

Brown, James, ‘Popular Music and Language Evolution: How Has Music Shaped English?’ (unpublished doctoral thesis, University of Manchester, 2020)

Collins, Heather, ‘Female Representation in Renaissance Art’ (unpublished doctoral dissertation, Columbia University, 2020)

Harker, Alex, ‘The Impact of Daylight in Design: Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly’ (unpublished master’s thesis, University of Texas, 2019)

As above, MHRA reference list entries typically use a small hanging indent for each line after the first. Make sure to add these where required.

Expert MHRA Proofreading

Hopefully, you now feel confident citing a thesis or a dissertation in MHRA referencing. But if you’d like an expert to check your references, we can help. Upload a trial document for proofreading today to find out more.

Share this article:

Post A New Comment

Get help from a language expert. Try our proofreading services for free.

5-minute read

Free Email Newsletter Template

Promoting a brand means sharing valuable insights to connect more deeply with your audience, and...

6-minute read

How to Write a Nonprofit Grant Proposal

If you’re seeking funding to support your charitable endeavors as a nonprofit organization, you’ll need...

9-minute read

How to Use Infographics to Boost Your Presentation

Is your content getting noticed? Capturing and maintaining an audience’s attention is a challenge when...

8-minute read

Why Interactive PDFs Are Better for Engagement

Are you looking to enhance engagement and captivate your audience through your professional documents? Interactive...

7-minute read

Seven Key Strategies for Voice Search Optimization

Voice search optimization is rapidly shaping the digital landscape, requiring content professionals to adapt their...

How to Ace Slack Messaging for Contractors and Freelancers

Effective professional communication is an important skill for contractors and freelancers navigating remote work environments....

Make sure your writing is the best it can be with our expert English proofreading and editing.

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, automatically generate references for free.

• Knowledge Base
• Referencing
• MHRA Referencing | A Quick Guide & Citation Examples

MHRA Referencing | A Quick Guide & Citation Examples

Published on 13 February 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on 28 March 2024.

MHRA style is a set of guidelines for referencing , commonly used in humanities subjects.

In MHRA, sources are cited in footnotes , marked by superscript numbers in the text. Subsequent citations of the same source are shortened, usually to just the author’s last name and the page number.

The protagonist of Silas Marner , and others of his profession, are described as resembling ‘the remnants of a disinherited race’. 1 Though Marner’s appearance is not outwardly strange, we are told that for his neighbours, ‘it had mysterious peculiarities which corresponded with the exceptional nature of his occupation’. 2

The bibliography at the end of your text contains all your sources, alphabetically ordered by authors’ last names:

Make your writing flawless in 1 upload

Be assured that you'll submit flawless writing. Upload your document to correct all your mistakes.

Table of contents

Mhra footnote references, creating an mhra bibliography, missing information in mhra references.

Footnote numbers appear in your text wherever you quote or paraphrase from a source. These numbers are usually placed at the end of a sentence, after any punctuation, and always after the quote or paraphrase they relate to:

The footnote itself then provides full information on the source, including the page number on which the relevant material appears:

A footnote always ends with a full stop.

Different types of source require different information in a footnote reference. Formats and examples for the most commonly cited types are given below.

• Book chapter
• Journal article

Shortened notes

If you cite the same source multiple times, in every subsequent footnote after the first citation, the information is shortened to save space:

MHRA recommends using the shortest intelligible form of the citation – usually just the author’s last name and a page number if relevant. Sometimes, you might still need more information to avoid confusion.

For example, a book in multiple volumes would still include a volume number along with a page number. If you’ve cited multiple books by the same author, include the title (shortened if it’s longer than four words) along with the author’s name:

Prevent plagiarism, run a free check.

At the end of your text, you include a bibliography with information on every source you cited. The bibliography lists all your sources in alphabetical order by authors’ last names.

The information here is presented similarly to that in the footnotes, with the following differences:

• For alphabetisation purposes, author names are inverted so that the last name comes first (e.g. ‘Dickens, Charles’).
• Specific page numbers are not required, because you’re now referencing the whole source rather than citing a specific passage.
• There is no full stop at the end of a bibliography entry.

For example:

Presentation of the bibliography

Bibliographies should have a hanging indent – this means that the second and subsequent lines of each entry are indented to make it clear at a glance where it ends and the next entry begins. In Word, you can find this option in the ‘paragraph’ settings.

Note that when a source lacks an author and is therefore listed by title, it is alphabetised according to the first word of the title, as with Napoleonic Wars .

Multiple works by the same author

When more than one of an author’s works are listed, the author’s name can be replaced with a double em dash (——) for the second and subsequent works:

Citing multiple chapters of a book

If you cite multiple chapters from the same edited book, or multiple articles from the same issue of a journal, they should always be listed separately in your bibliography, not combined into one entry:

You may encounter sources which do not contain all the information you need for a reference. This section covers how to deal with various missing elements of your source information.

When a source, such as a website or an older anonymous text, doesn’t list an author, MHRA recommends starting your footnotes and bibliography entry with the title. In these cases, the source is also alphabetised by title in your bibliography:

When a source does not list a publication date, the term ‘[n.d.]’ (no date) is used in place of the year. With web sources, an access date is still included at the end:

No page numbers

Websites, and some other source types such as ebooks, usually don’t have reliable page numbers.

With short texts, page numbers can usually just be omitted from a citation, but if you feel it’s necessary to refer to a particular passage, an alternative location marker like a paragraph number or heading can be used:

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the ‘Cite this Scribbr article’ button to automatically add the citation to our free Reference Generator.

Caulfield, J. (2024, March 28). MHRA Referencing | A Quick Guide & Citation Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved 11 November 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/referencing/mhra-style/

Is this article helpful?

Jack Caulfield

Other students also liked, a quick guide to harvard referencing | citation examples, vancouver referencing | a quick guide & reference examples, how to avoid plagiarism | tips on citing sources, scribbr apa citation checker.

An innovative new tool that checks your APA citations with AI software. Say goodbye to inaccurate citations!

Contents • Introduction • Changes • Quick Guide • Chapter 1 • Chapter 2 • Chapter 3 • Chapter 4 • Chapter 5 • Chapter 6 • Chapter 7 • Chapter 8 • Index

Chapter 7: References

This has always been the most frequently consulted chapter of the Style Guide, as it sets out the format for referencing a writer’s sources. ‘MHRA style’ has traditionally been understood to mean citing sources in footnotes or endnotes. Accordingly, the conventions for setting these out are dealt with thoroughly, covering as many likely source genres as is possible in a compact guide. At the same time, the MHRA has for many years also published works that use author–date referencing. Conventions for this system are also explained here and in the following chapter.

The word ‘note’ is used throughout as an umbrella term for footnotes and endnotes, which share the same format regardless of their placement on the page. While the examples in this chapter show the material to be included in a note, they are not set out as notes — with a superscript footnote number and left justification — since notes are created and set out automatically by your writing software.

§7.1. Citation in Notes vs Author–Date Citation

In academic writing, referencing generally takes one of two forms. In the first form, a source is cited in full in a note (either footnote or endnote) when first mentioned in the author’s argument. In books, and occasionally also in journals, this full reference is then also listed in an alphabetical list of cited sources. In the second form of reference, generally known as author–date citation, a minimal reference is incorporated into the main text in a format that can easily be matched to the full reference, which appears in the alphabetical list of cited sources provided at the end of the article, chapter, or book. This style goes by various other names: ‘in-text citation’, ‘parenthetical citation’, or ‘Harvard style’.

The MHRA Style Guide has always been closely associated with the first form of reference, which uses footnotes or endnotes (accompanied, in books, by a bibliography). So strong is this association that online referencing aids will often offer a choice between ‘MHRA or Harvard’, where Harvard is shorthand for author–date referencing.

However, the MHRA has for many years also published work in fields that conventionally use author–date referencing and offers a free choice to its book authors. We therefore present the two forms of reference on an equal footing in this chapter. Because footnote and endnote references contain complete information on the cited source, that section is much longer. The simplicity of in-text references requires little in the way of explanation. Nonetheless, since bibliographies in both systems are substantially based on the information included in a footnote or endnote, those using author–date referencing will find it useful to consult the main body of this chapter when compiling their bibliographies. See §7.13 for more on the author–date system.

§7.2. Choosing Sources

A work of literature should be quoted or referred to in a satisfactory scholarly edition, if one exists. Where there is no scholarly edition, make clear whether you are quoting the first publication of a literary work or a subsequent reprint or revised edition. If an unrevised reprint is used (such as a modern facsimile reprint of an out-of-print work or a paperback reissue of an earlier book), the publication details of the original edition as well as of the reprint should be given.

Details of original publication should also be provided where an article from a journal is reprinted in an anthology of reprinted material (see §7.3 (b)).

§7.3. Citing Books, Chapters, and Literary Works

(a) citing entire books.

Full references should be given as in the following examples of monographs (i–iii), edited volumes (iv–vi), and editions of texts (vii–xi); a commentary follows.

The information should be given in the following order:

(1) Author : The author’s name should normally be given as it appears on the title page; forenames should precede surnames and should not be reduced to initials. The names of up to three authors should be given in full; for works by more than three authors the name of only the first should be given, followed by ‘and others’ (see examples v and xi). Do not use ‘et al.’. If the author’s name is included within the title (as, for example, in editions of ‘Works’), or if the book is an edited collection or anthology, the title will appear first (see examples iv–vii, and xi). In a footnote, treat your own name as you would anybody else’s: do not use ‘See my...’ as a shorthand form.

(2) Title : The title should be given as it appears on the title page (although very long titles may be suitably abbreviated) and italicized. A colon should normally be used to separate title and subtitle, even where the punctuation on the title page is different or (as often happens) non-existent. For books in English capitalize the initial letter of the first word after the colon and of all principal words throughout the title and subtitle; for titles in other languages, follow the capitalization rules for the language in question (see §3.4 ). Titles of other works occurring within the title should be enclosed in quotation marks and should not be set in roman type (see example viii). For books (usually older works) with alternative titles, punctuation before and after ‘or’ should be as follows:

• The Queen; or, The Excellency of her Sex
• All for Love; or, The World Well Lost

(3) Editor, Translator, etc .: The names of editors etc. should be treated in the same way as those of authors (as set out above) with regard to forenames and number to be given; they should be preceded by the accepted abbreviated forms ‘ed. by’, ‘trans. by’, or ‘rev. by’ (see examples iv–xi). If the book has an introduction or preface, give details of its author only if this information is significant (see iii). For multi-volume works where there is both a general editor and an editor for each individual volume, the information should be conveyed as in example xi. In this example, the twentieth volume of a twenty-seven-volume edition is being cited; this volume has its own editor (Jochen Schubert), and the edition as a whole has a general editorial team (Árpád Bernáth and others).

(4) Series : For a monograph or edited volume that is produced in a numbered series, it is not normally necessary to give the series title and number, except where this is likely to be useful to your reader. This might be the case for a multi-volume edition of an author’s works, where the edition is a byword in your field (see example xi), or if it is likely that a library would file the volume under the series title. If given, series titles should not be italicized or put between quotation marks. The series number should be given in arabic numerals. For instance:

(5) Edition : If the edition used is other than the first, this should be stated in the form ‘2nd edn’, ‘5th edn’, ‘rev. edn’ (see example vi). Do not use superscript for the ordinal even if your software automatically does so (‘2nd’ not ‘2 nd ’).

(6) Number of Volumes : If the work is in more than one volume, the number of volumes should be given in the form ‘2 vols’ (see examples vii, ix, and xi). Foreign equivalents, such as ‘tomes’, ‘Bände’, or ‘tomos’, should usually be rendered as ‘vols’.

(7) Details of Publication : The name of the publisher and the date of publication should be enclosed in parentheses separated by a comma. While MHRA style does not require the place of publication to be given, scholars writing about the early era of printing may wish to include the place of publication of historical texts where this information is of use to readers in their field. Similarly, in some print cultures there is no publisher in the modern sense but it may be useful to give the name of a printer, where this is known. Any detail of publication which is not given in the book itself but can be ascertained (for instance from a colophon in early books) should be enclosed in square brackets, e.g. ‘[Paris]’, ‘[1787]’. For details that are assumed but uncertain, use the form ‘[Paris?]’, ‘[1787?]’. If any detail is unknown and cannot be ascertained, the following abbreviated forms of reference should be used: ‘[n.p.]’ (= no place; needed only if place of publication is being given for analogous texts), ‘[n. pub.]’ (= no publisher), ‘[n.d.]’ (= no date). Do not use square brackets in a reference for any other purpose (for example, when the reference is already in parentheses), otherwise the impression may be conveyed that the information in square brackets is uncertain.

The name of the publishing house should be given without secondary matter such as an initial definite article, ‘& Co.’, ‘Ltd’, ‘S.A.’, or ‘GmbH’. The words ‘Press’, ‘Verlag’, ‘Editorial’, etc. are usually omitted where the name of the house is that of its proprietor or founder. Do not abbreviate ‘University Press’ to ‘UP’. Thus for example:

Éditions de la Femme, Harvester Press, Oxford University Press, Clarendon Press, Blackwell, Mellen, Laterza, Mitteldeutscher Verlag

It is not normally necessary to include forenames or initials of publishers, unless there are two or more with the same surname:

• Brewer ( not D. S. Brewer)
• Heinemann ( not William Heinemann)
• Peter Lang ( to distinguish from Herbert Lang)

A book which has been jointly published by two or more publishers should be referred to as in example viii.

Details of facsimile reprints should be given as in example ix where the original publisher is responsible for the reprint, and as in example iii where different publishers are involved.

A reference to a work in several volumes published over a period of years but now complete should state the number of volumes and give inclusive dates of publication as well as the date of the volume specifically referred to: see example xi. If a work in several volumes is still in the process of publication, the date of the first volume should be stated followed by a dash and a space, and the date of the individual volume being cited should be added in parentheses after the volume number. In some instances (for example, if each volume of a set has a different editor) it may be more appropriate to give publication details only for the volume cited.

(8) Volume Number : In a multi-volume work the number of the volume referred to should be given in small capital roman numerals, followed where necessary by the title and editor of the volume (if any) and by the year of publication in parentheses (see examples vii and xi).

(9) Page Numbers : To cite a particular point in or passage of a book, use ‘p.’ or ‘pp.’ to abbreviate ‘page’ or ‘pages’. If an entry relates to several successive pages, the first and last page numbers of the span should always be stated:

pp. 201–09 not pp. 201 ff.

Where no pagination is present (for instance in early printed books) use whatever information is present, such as signature marks or folio numbers. The abbreviated and superscript forms for ‘recto’ and ‘verso’ are preferred. For example:

Note that ‘sig.’ and ‘fol.’ are abbreviations, and thus are followed by a full stop, but the plurals ‘sigs’ and ‘fols’ are contractions, and thus are not followed by a full stop.

Referring to a position in an ebook can be difficult. Most academic ebooks are derived from an original publication which has been typeset in the traditional way, with an imprint page (giving information on the publisher and date of publication) and fixed pagination throughout. Cite as if you are citing a printed book, following the guidelines given above. There is no need to give the name of the ebook format or reader through which you accessed the work. Give page numbers or section details only if these are fixed and stable. Some ebook formats have no pagination and others give different pagination in different screen readers or formats (so that, for instance, the pagination might be different if the book is read on a phone versus on a tablet). If that is the case, do not give a page number. Instead, provide as much information as you can to enable your reader to locate the citation on any device. If you quote from the work, this should be sufficient to allow your reader to search for the location. If not quoting, consider including a chapter number or the text of a subheading.

(10) DOI : Some recently published books have a DOI. It is good practice to cite this if available (as in example iv).

Citations of online-only editions of authors’ works should follow the rules for print books as far as possible: give as much of the information above as is available and applicable. Unless the edition is hosted at the site of a print publisher such as a university press, it may not be possible to give a publisher. In this case it is not necessary to use [n. pub.] since websites are not considered publishers for referencing purposes. However, if the edition does not specify the date(s) of its production, give [n.d.]. Where an online edition has no DOI, give a URL and access date, as for a website. For instance:

(11) In citation in notes, all citations are normally given in footnotes or endnotes rather than in the main text. An exception may be made when a large number of quotations and citations refer to a single, key text (nearly always a book). In this case, an initial footnote is used to give the publication details, establishing an abbreviated form of reference to be used thereafter, in parentheses, in the main text. Where relevant, this may include also a published translation of the text. A first footnote would take the following form (with wording adjusted to the case):

A reference in the main text would then follow the pattern:

The impression of the fountain when viewed ‘de près’ is of geometry and collage ( ALR , iii , p. 56).

An example involving a published translation would look like this:

The corresponding reference in the main text would take this form:

The narrator writes that during his childhood his older brother was ‘gegenwärtiger als andere Tote’ (‘more present than other dead people’) ( BmB , p. 8; MBS , p. 2).

In a book-length study, the abbreviations may be established in a list or note in the preliminaries rather than in individual footnotes. For abbreviations of book titles see also §2.9 . For the format of translated quotations see also §2.12 .

(b) Citing chapters in edited collections

Full references should be given as in the following examples:

When a second item from a volume previously mentioned is to be listed, use an abbreviated form of the volume details, as in this example referring to the volume in i above:

The bibliographical information for a chapter in a book should be given in the following order:

• Author’s name, exactly as it appears in the book
• Title of chapter in single quotation marks
• The word ‘in’ (preceded by a comma) followed by the collection/volume title, ‘ed. by’ editor’s name, and full publication details of book
• First and last page numbers of chapter cited, preceded by ‘pp.’
• Page number(s), in parentheses and preceded by ‘p.’ or ‘pp.’, of the particular reference (if necessary)
• DOI. Some recently published books have DOIs. It is good practice to cite this if available (as in examples ii–iv)

A colon should be used to separate the title and subtitle of the chapter title. In cases where the author has intentionally used unusual capitalization, follow the author’s preference. Otherwise, always use the following practice. For titles in English and German, capitalize the initial letter of the first word after the colon and all principal words (in German, all nouns) throughout the title (including the subtitle) (see examples); for titles in other languages, follow the capitalization rules for the language in question (see §3.4 ).

The titles of works of literature occurring within the titles of chapters or articles should be italicized or placed within quotation marks, whichever is appropriate (see examples i, ii, and iii). If quotation marks are used within the chapter title, they should be double (see example iv), since single quotation marks have been used to enclose the title itself.

If a particular page within a chapter is to be indicated, the full page span should be given in the first full citation and a reference to the particular page or pages added in parentheses (see examples i and iii).

Reference to an article in a book which has previously been published in a journal should take one of the following forms:

When citing a single-author book, it is not generally necessary to give the title of the chapter from which you are citing. This might, however, be useful where individual chapters cover different topics and only one is relevant, provided that this information is also of use to your reader. Thus, an analysis of Annie Ernaux’s prose (but not a more general analysis of autobiographical writing), might usefully give:

The author’s surname is repeated before the book title to clarify that they are the author of both the chapter and the book.

A single poem in an anthology is cited in the same way as a chapter in a book:

Where a longer work such as a book-length poem or play is cited within an anthology, its title should still be italicized even though it is now part of a larger book. For example:

(c) Citing plays and longer poems

The first full reference to a play or other long, subdivided work (e.g. a poem in cantos) should indicate the edition used. Small capital roman numerals should be used for the numbers of acts of plays, and for the numbers of ‘books’, cantos, and other major subdivisions. Smaller subdivisions (scenes, chapters, etc.) and line numbers are usually indicated by arabic numerals. Later references and the identification of quotations should be given in the form: Macbeth , iii . 4. 99–107, Samson Agonistes , i . 819. Note that figures in references should be separated by full stops (not commas) and spaces, e.g.:

• The Merchant of Venice , ii . 3. 10
• The Faerie Queene , iii . 8. 26
• Paradise Lost , ix . 342–50
• Aeneid , vi . 215–18
• Gerusalemme liberata , iii . 9
• City of God , xix . 2

(d) Citing the Bible

References should be in the following form:

• Isaiah 22. 17
• ii Corinthians 5. 13–15

Books of the Bible are not italicized. Small capital roman numerals are used for the numbers of books before the book title. Arabic numerals, separated by a full stop and a space, are used for chapters and verses.

§7.4. Citing Journal Articles

The first reference should be given in full in a form similar to that in the following examples:

• Author’s name, exactly as it appears in the article (for multiple authors see §7.3 (a)).
• Title of article, in single quotation marks.
• Title of journal, italicized.
• An indication of the series in cases where the journal has had more than one series, e.g. ‘n.s.’ for ‘new series’.
• Volume number, in arabic numerals.
• Full point and part number, in arabic numerals, if the volume has multiple parts. If two part numbers have been published together, this should be cited as in example ii. It is not necessary to give the season or month of publication, e.g. (Spring 2020).
• Year(s) of publication, in parentheses. Omit parentheses if there is no volume number.
• First and last page numbers of article cited, preceded by ‘pp.’.
• Page number(s), in parentheses and preceded by ‘p.’ or ‘pp.’, of the particular reference (if necessary).
• DOI, if one is available, preceded by ‘doi:’. There is no space between the colon and the number. Almost all scholarly articles now have DOIs, even if published before the digital age, but there are exceptions. With a DOI, it is not necessary to give an access date. A URL should only be given where there is no DOI. Do not give the name of the database through which you accessed the article, e.g. JSTOR or EBSCO.

The use of the colon to separate the title and subtitle in an article, the norms for capitalization within the title and subtitle, the treatment of the titles of works of literature occurring within the titles of articles, and references to particular pages within an article are, as the examples illustrate, treated in the same way as for chapters in edited collections (see §7.3 (b)).

Journals follow their own capitalization rules for the titles of articles, which can vary widely; disregard these in favour of the rules presented here, in order that your references are consistent. For example, an article printed in the journal Science as ‘Mortality risk from United States coal electricity generation’ would be cited in MHRA style as ‘Mortality Risk from United States Coal Electricity Generation’.

Only the main title of a journal should be given. Any subtitle and the place of publication should be omitted unless they serve to distinguish between two journals of the same name. An initial definite or indefinite article should be omitted except when the title consists of the article and one other word, e.g. La Linguistique . The titles of journals should be abbreviated only when the abbreviation is likely to be more familiar to readers than the full title (e.g. PMLA ), otherwise the title should be given in full. If the journal title is abbreviated to initials, full stops should not be used (see example i; for rules on stops in abbreviations, see §2.10 ). For the proceedings of learned societies, etc., the name of the organization should be italicized as part of the title (e.g. Proceedings of the British Academy ).

The volume number should be given in arabic numerals, no matter what the style preferred by the journal (e.g. Medium Ævum , 58, not lviii ). The number should not be preceded by ‘vol.’.

If the journal describes itself as covering an academic year rather than a calendar year, this should be indicated as in example vi.

An article that has been published online by a journal but not yet assigned to a volume should be cited as in example xi. Do not give the volume number as 0 or 00.0 even if the publisher or journal host presents the citation data in this format.

To cite a complete issue of a journal (for instance, a special issue on an author or topic), give the title and editors as you would for a book, followed by ‘special issue of’ and the journal data. For example:

§7.5. Citing Websites and Social Media

This section covers the procedures for citing websites and social media which do not have DOIs. To cite journal articles, which have DOIs, see §7.4 ; for general information about the role of DOIs and URLs, see §6.1 ; on formatting URLs, see §6.3 . Follow these examples:

In general, give as much of the following information as is available and applicable:

(1) Author name, followed by username, where relevant, in parenthesis; if only a username is present, this can be given in place of the author name (with no parenthesis). Follow the capitalization employed by the user.

(2) Title of page or article, in single quotation marks. For shorter posts such as those on social media, the post itself can be given as the title; starting at the first word, cite the shortest portion that makes sense. Spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and italicization should follow that used in the original. Include emojis, #hashtags, and @usernames where present.

(3) Platform or publisher. This can be either the platform that hosts the text or the website on which the page is located. Names of services or platforms such as YouTube, Snapchat, or TikTok should be given in roman type. Names of websites are generally given in roman (e.g. British Museum, Deutscher Bundestag) but may be given in italics if the website is the equivalent of a print publication (e.g. FiveThirtyEight , art21 magazine ). If a social media platform changes its name, give the name that was current at the time the original post was made.

(4) Date. Give as much information as is present. If the page is undated, give ‘n.d.’. Including the time of day (e.g. for a social media post) is not usually necessary.

(5) URL, in angle brackets (see §6.3 ).

(6) Date of access, in square brackets. The most recent date on which you accessed the page or post.

For entries in major reference works with a search function, give the search term and the URL of the main website only:

Comments on online material can be cited via the username of the comment author, then ‘comment on’, followed by the full reference to the original post as above. The date remains the date of the original post, rather than of the comment:

§7.6. Citing Newspaper Articles

References to articles in newspapers or magazines (periodical publications other than scholarly journals organized by volume and/or part) follow the same general rules as journal articles (see §7.4 ), but normally require only the date of issue (day, month, and year).

Initial ‘ The ’ or ‘ A ’ is normally omitted when citing English-language newspapers and magazines, with the exception of The Times .

The date of issue (with the month always in English) should be given between commas, not parentheses.

Page numbers are normally only necessary for older or archival material.

When citing articles in literary magazines, treat them as you would journal articles (with ‘p.’ or ‘pp.’ before the page number(s)), but use the system used by the magazine itself for identifying issues.

§7.7. Citing Manuscripts

Names of manuscript repositories and collections should be given in full in the first instance and an abbreviated form should be used for subsequent references. The degree of abbreviation which may be acceptable will depend upon the frequency with which a particular repository, collection, or manuscript is referred to and upon any possible ambiguities. The names of manuscript collections should be given in roman type without quotation marks and the citation of manuscripts within collections should be according to the system of classification of the repository.

The following examples show a suggested method of citation for first references and possible models for later references. Note that, because of the danger of ambiguity, ‘fol.’ and ‘fols’ are preferred to ‘f.’ and ‘ff.’. The abbreviated and superscript forms for ‘recto’ and ‘verso’ are also preferred:

fol. 3 r , fol. 127 v , fols 17 v –22 r , fols 17 r–v

§7.8. Citing Music, Film, Television, and Software

References to specific recordings of music or speech should incorporate the following items, as applicable: composer, author, or performing artist; title of song, in roman and single quotation marks; title of piece, compilation, album, etc., in italics (preceded by ‘from’ if an individual song or section is being cited as well); orchestra, conductor, etc., separated by commas; recording company and date in parentheses.

With modern music which originates as recordings by an artist or group, give the artist name first, then the title of the track in single quotes, and then details of the album on which it was first released, as in examples iv–vi. In the case of a single not drawn from an album, give the title of the single, as in iii. It is not normally useful to cite the song’s composer, since commercial music services are searchable primarily by the song or artist name, not by the songwriter’s. In example vi, Cale’s cover version of Leonard Cohen’s much-covered standard ‘Hallelujah’ thus appears under Cale’s name, not Cohen’s. If relevant, the original composer/songwriter may be given after the song title, as in the following example:

For films, the reference should include, as a minimum, title, director, country, and date. If relevant to your discussion, you may add information such as details of a subsequent release or extra material on a DVD. For example:

Only cite a DVD or Blu-Ray release if you are quoting from material specific to that release, e.g. a director’s commentary.

For television series and programmes, cite as follows:

Give the date of a broadcast only if this is relevant, which might be the case with a current affairs or news programme, or a historically significant broadcast. For example:

For music and video on general release, do not cite the website of the streaming service you used to access it.

References to software should provide the author or designer (if identifiable), the title in italics, the studio (if other than the author), the date, and the platform, e.g.:

§7.9. Citing Works of Art

References to works of art should include at least the name of the artist (if known), the title of the work in italics (see §3.8 ), its date (if known), and the medium of composition. Titles should normally be given in their most customary English-language form, where there is one. Depending on the medium, the dimensions (in cm) and a current physical location or source may also be given. When giving dimensions, note the use of a multiplication sign, not a lower case ‘x’, and the spaces around it. For example:

See §1.3 (b) for the wording of captions to illustrations, which follow a different format.

Reference an exhibition catalogue as you would any other book, e.g.:

§7.10. Citing Theses and Other Unpublished Scholarship

The titles of unpublished theses and dissertations should be in roman type within single quotation marks; capitalization should follow the conventions of the language in question (see §3.4 ). The degree level (where known), university, and date should be in parentheses. A URL should be given if available:

American universities distinguish between a master’s ‘thesis’ and a doctoral ‘dissertation’:

Generally, it is preferable to cite scholarship that has been peer-reviewed and published. Scholarship available in open-access preprint repositories may be cited using the conventions for citing online material. If citing a conference paper that you have attended, endeavour to find or secure a written copy. This can then be cited as for online material (see §7.5 ) or personal correspondence (see §7.11 ). If it is not possible to secure a written copy, the material can be cited as follows:

§7.11. Citing Interviews and Correspondence

An interview previously published can be cited as normal, for instance as a journal article, newspaper article, or online video. Follow the source in assigning authorship to the interviewer, the interviewee, or both. If it is unclear, treat the interviewer as the author. If the title of the interview does not make clear who is being interviewed, add ‘interview with X’ after the title. For example:

In the case of a published letter, give the writer as the author and if possible the addressee. For example:

If you have access to unpublished interviews or correspondence (for example, if an author has written to you directly or you have recorded a conversation with a director or artist), cite it as follows:

• Derek Walcott, email to the author, 23 March 2012.
• Maggie O’Farrell, interview with the author, 14 November 2020.
• Alison Bechdel, letter to the author, 20 August 2021.

Note that copyright in a letter or email resides with the writer, even if the letter was written to you, so that you cannot reproduce it in print without the permission of the author. The same normally applies to interviews, conversations, etc., even if you were personally involved.

§7.12. Abbreviated References to Works Already Cited

In all references to the same source after the first, the shortest unambiguous form should be used. A shortened reference signals that a full reference has already been given and your reader must be able to match the shortened form to the earlier full form.

In a monograph or thesis, treat each chapter independently for this purpose. That is, give a full reference for a source at its first mention in the chapter, and shortened references later in that chapter. If it occurs again in a later chapter, give the full reference again at its first mention there.

The abbreviated reference will normally be the author’s name followed by the title (abbreviated where appropriate, for example by dropping any subtitle), volume number (if applicable), and page reference:

• Kokobobo and McFadden, ‘The Queer Nihilist’, p. 125.
• Pimentel, From Arcadia to Revolution , p. 56.
• Ireton, ‘Adalbert Stifter’, p. 220.
• Wirshba, review of Naama Harel, p. 140.
• Zerka, ‘Constructing Poetic Identity’, p. 279.

Sometimes, particularly in the case of editions of an author’s works or collections of essays, a short-title form of reference may be more appropriate:

• Simone de Beauvoir: Mémoires , ii , p. 35.
• Chaucer, Langland, Arthur , pp. 212–44 (p. 229).
• Homeri Ilias , ii , pp. 78–79.

Where you have already cited in full a collected volume of essays and now wish to cite a second essay from the same volume, you may shorten the title and editors’ names, and omit the publication details of the volume:

Sabine Nöllgen, ‘The Darkness of the Anthropocene: Wolfgang Hilbig’s Alte Abdeckerei ’, in Readings in the Anthropocene , ed. by Wilke and Johnstone, pp. 148–66.

A second reference to the same essay would then appear as:

• Nöllgen, ‘The Darkness of the Anthropocene’, p. 155.

The expressions ‘loc. cit.’ and ‘op. cit.’ are too vague and should not be used. The term ‘ibid.’ should be used very sparingly and limited to those situations where there is no possibility of confusion, such as after a second reference which is separated from its predecessor by no more than four lines of typescript. Do not use ‘ibid.’ to abbreviate only part of a reference: use ‘Ibid., pp. 45–71’ not ‘Jones, ibid., pp. 45–71’. Use the capitalized form ‘Ibid.’ at the start of a note. Do not use ‘id.’ or ‘eadem’.

For repeated references to medieval manuscripts, a more formal system of abbreviations can be used: see §7.7 .

§7.13. The Author–Date System

The author–date system uses short in-text references that can be readily matched to a corresponding bibliography item containing the publication details in full. The bibliographical references are placed at the end of the book, article, or thesis.

References in the text should give, in parentheses, the surname(s) of the author(s) (adding initials if needed to distinguish authors with the same surname), the publication date of the work, and, where necessary, a page reference, which should be preceded by a colon. If two or more works by the same author have the same publication date they should be distinguished by adding letters after the dates (‘2017a’, ‘2017b’, etc.). For example:

While the word ‘disability’ was certainly part of a Romantic-era vocabulary, its use in that period does not match its use today, which means that care must be taken when applying the word retrospectively (Joshua 2020: 1–2).

There is ample evidence that ‘early moderns relied on human–plant similarities to think through the perceived risks and benefits of transplantation’ (Biggie 2022: 174).

Recent studies of literary motherhood (notably Rye and others 2017) stress the role played by literary texts in exploring maternal ambivalence.

Rosi Braidotti’s thinking on posthumanism has been widely applied to literary texts, for instance to Bowen’s ‘The Demon Lover’ (P. Mukherjee 2021).

Áine O’Healy identifies a new wave of Italian film in which ‘immigration is envisioned neither as a novelty nor a pressing emergency but rather as part of everyday urban life’ (2019a: 178).

When the author’s name is given in the text, it need not be repeated in a reference given in the same sentence: e.g., do not write ‘Smith (Smith 2021) argues that...’. In such cases, the reference either follows the name or, if this seems stylistically preferable, may come at some other point in the same sentence:

• Smith (2022: 66) argues that [...]
• Smith, who was known for his contentious views, replied (2022: 75) that [...]
• Smith regards this interpretation as ‘wholly unacceptable’ (2022: 81).

The bibliography in a book takes slightly different forms according to whether the citation with notes system or the author–date system has been used in the main text: see §8.3 and §8.4 respectively.

Contents • Introduction • Changes • Quick Guide • Chapter 1 • Chapter 2 • Chapter 3 • Chapter 4 • Chapter 5 • Chapter 6 • Chapter 7 • Chapter 8

• Untitled Bibliography current
• Create new list

Bibcitation is a free citation generator that creates bibliographies, references and works cited. Automatically generate MLA, APA, Chicago and other citations and create an accurate bibliography in one click.

No citations yet

Our Complete Guide to Citing in MHRA Format

Welcome to our MHRA citation guide, a tool created to demystify the complexities of citing in humanities and arts research. This guide will aid you in generating precise MHRA citations, either manually or using popular citation machines.

Master the art of creating comprehensive bibliographies, with our in-depth explanation and examples.

We hope that by the end of this guide, you'll be adept at generating MHRA citations, compiling bibliographies, and enhancing the authenticity of your research work.

Discover More Bibcitation Guides

Mhra referencing style overview.

The MHRA referencing style is renowned in humanities disciplines, offering a uniform method for acknowledging sources ranging from books to film and art. This method not only helps to establish the credibility of an argument but also provides a consistent and organized way for readers to trace and verify references.

Within the MHRA framework, citations are primarily handled through footnotes and an end-of-document bibliography.

Footnotes: In the MHRA system, footnotes serve as the principal medium to create citations. These are detailed annotations, pinpointing exact pages or specific sections of the utilized sources, appearing at the bottom of each page where a reference is made.

Bibliography: Essential for an MHRA-styled document, the bibliography generator consolidates all footnoted references, providing a comprehensive list at the conclusion of the paper. It's a tool that ensures readers have a one-stop repository of all sources, facilitating easier access and verification.

Embracing the MHRA style through the use of a citation generator is imperative for crafting meticulous and authoritative pieces in the humanities. It not only fortifies your arguments with well-sourced information but also elevates the overall readability and credibility of your work. So, whether you're an emerging scholar, seasoned academic, or anyone venturing into humanities research, utilizing an MHRA bibliography generator is pivotal in producing compelling and trustworthy writing.

MHRA Footnote Formatting Guide

• Footnotes in the MHRA style are placed at the bottom of the page where a reference is made.
• Use a horizontal line to separate footnotes from the main body text.
• Footnotes should be numbered consecutively throughout the document using Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, etc.).
• Footnotes should be in the same font as the main text but reduced in size (usually by 2 points).
• Example: If the main text is 12-point Times New Roman, footnotes should be 10-point Times New Roman.
• Format: Author's first name Last name, Title (Place of Publication: Publisher, Year), page number.
• Example: John Smith, History of Art (London: Artistic Press, 2005), p. 45.
• Format: Author's first name Last name, 'Article Title', Journal Name, volume number (Year), page number.
• Example: Jane Doe, 'Exploring Modern Art', Art Journal, 20 (2007), p. 123.
• For works that are cited more than once, use a shortened form after the first full citation.
• Format: Author's Last name, Shortened Title, page number.
• Example (from our previous book citation): Smith, History of Art, p. 47.
• Separate each citation within a single footnote using a semi-colon.
• Example: Smith, History of Art, p. 47; Doe, 'Exploring Modern Art', p. 125.
• "Ibid." (Latin for "in the same place") is used if you're referencing the same source (and same page number) as the immediately preceding footnote.
• If you're referencing the same source but a different page, use "Ibid." followed by the new page number.
• Examples: Ibid. or Ibid., p. 48.
• If referencing a book that's edited or translated, include the editor or translator's name after the title.
• Format for editor: Title, ed. by Editor's first name Last name (Place of Publication: Publisher, Year), page number.
• Example: Artistic Trends, ed. by Emily Stone (London: Creative Publishers, 2009), p. 32.
• Format: Author's first name Last name, 'Chapter Title', in Title of Book, ed. by Editor's first name Last name (Place of Publication: Publisher, Year), page number.
• Example: Mike Brown, 'Impressionism and Its Roots', in Artistic Styles of the 19th Century, ed. by Emily Stone (London: Creative Publishers, 2010), p. 59.
• Format: Author's first name Last name, Title [online], (Year), URL [accessed Date].
• Example: Alice Green, Digital Art Trends [online], (2012), www.greenart.com [accessed 20 April 2023].

Remember, while the above provides a good overview of footnotes in the MHRA style, always refer to the latest edition of the MHRA Style Guide for comprehensive and updated guidance.

MHRA Bibliography Formatting Guide

• Situate the bibliography at the conclusion of your document.
• It offers a cumulative list of all the sources you've referenced throughout your work.
• The bibliography should be headed with the word "Bibliography," centrally aligned.
• Consistency is key: ensure that the font and size of the bibliography match that of the main text.
• Typically, a legible font like Times New Roman in 12-point size is used.
• Every entry within the bibliography should be single-spaced.
• Separate distinct entries with one blank line to enhance readability.
• Use a hanging indent for bibliography entries. This means that the first line of each entry aligns flush with the left margin, but any subsequent lines in the same entry should be indented by about 0.5 inches or 1.27 cm.
• Organize the entries alphabetically based on the surname of the author or editor. When a source lacks an author or editor, utilize the title to determine its placement.
• Maintain standard margins, which are typically set at 1 inch (or 2.54 cm) on all sides of the page.
• Ensure uniformity across entries, especially concerning punctuation and capitalization.
• For multiple works by the same author, use the author's name for the first entry only. For subsequent entries, substitute the author's name with a long dash (—) before the title.
• For works accessed online, ensure URLs are provided in full. However, avoid underlining them or using any special color. They should be in plain text.

Remember, while the above provides a foundational structure for the MHRA bibliography formatting, it's essential to refer to the MHRA Style Guide for any intricate details or clarifications.

Cite Books in MHRA

Nestled in the academic world, the MHRA style of referencing is the beacon of clarity, particularly for those delving into humanities research. Known for its precision and structure, the MHRA style not only ensures that your work maintains integrity but also displays your respect for the original authors' intellectual property. When it comes to books, a cornerstone of most humanities research, referencing them properly is both an art and a necessity.

For example:

Multiple authors. If a book boasts multiple authors, simply list them in the order they appear on the title page, and separate each author with 'and':

Edited books: If you're referencing an edited book, which is a collection of works by various authors, the format is slightly tweaked.

Multi-volume books: When referencing books that stretch over multiple volumes, it's crucial to indicate the specific volume you're referring to. This ensures the reader can trace your source with precision.

Translated books: For books that have been translated, you need to give credit not just to the original author, but also to the translator who brought the work into the language you accessed.

Pro Tip: Double-Check for Accuracy

When referencing specialized sources like multi-volume or translated books in the MHRA style, always double-check for accuracy. These sources often have multiple details that are easy to overlook, but each is crucial for the reader's ability to trace your research. Using citation generators like Bibcitation can ensure you nail the format every time!

Cite Journal Articles in MHRA

Celebrated for its detailed and robust structure, MHRA showcases a writer's commitment to acknowledging the pioneers of their field. When it's about journal articles, the lifeblood of continuous academic conversation, it's vital to get the referencing spot on. With MHRA's guidance, one can effortlessly sail through the tides of accurate citation, ensuring every scholarly contribution gets its due recognition.

Online journals. For articles accessed electronically, you'll need to provide access information, making it easy for readers to follow in your digital footsteps:

Citing a journal article without an author, issue or volume number. When these details are missing, simply omit this information from the citation:

Pro Tip: Keep Track of Missing Details

Always ensure the accuracy of your references, especially when working with articles missing standard details. When information like author, volume, or issue number is absent, cross-check the article details with the journal's official website or database. Proper referencing not only makes your work trustworthy but also aids readers in tracing back to your original sources.

Cite Websites in MHRA

In today's digital age, the World Wide Web is a vast ocean of information, waiting to be tapped by eager scholars and researchers. The challenge, however, lies in ensuring that these digital footprints are traced back to their origin. With MHRA (Modern Humanities Research Association) style in your toolkit, crediting online sources becomes a seamless endeavour, ensuring that every digital breadcrumb is appropriately acknowledged.

Website without a named author. Some websites don't explicitly name an author. In such cases, lead with the title of the webpage, followed by the site's name, publication date, and then the URL.

Webpage with no date. In instances where the publication date is missing, it's recommended to use 'n.d.' (no date) in its place. This ensures the reader understands that the omission is intentional and not an oversight.

Pro Tip: Keep Receipts

Due to the transient nature of online content, web pages can often undergo modifications or even disappear. Always ensure you note the access date of a website. It's a safeguard, ensuring your readers can trace the version of the content you cited, even if changes occur later.

Cite Book Chapters in MHRA

The nuanced world of academic writing often requires us to dive deep into specific chapters of a book, illuminating a fragment of knowledge while still acknowledging the vast tapestry from which it was drawn. In the realm of the MHRA (Modern Humanities Research Association) style, the art of referencing book chapters carries its own distinct cadence, one that resonates with both precision and respect for authors. Here's your step-by-step guide to ensuring each chapter citation harmoniously blends into your research narrative.

Chapter in a multi-volume book: Sometimes, books span multiple volumes, each a tome of its own. In such cases, ensure the volume is clearly indicated.

Chapter in a translated book: If you're delving into translated works, it's vital to acknowledge both the author and the translator to ensure the integrity of your reference.

Pro Tip: to Cite or Not to Cite?

If the chapter you're referencing contains several notable points, don't hesitate to cite multiple page numbers. This not only adds depth to your research but also guides readers who wish to explore these insights further. Remember, referencing isn't merely an obligation; it's an academic courtesy that weaves connectivity into the fabric of research.

Cite Newspapers & Magazines in MHRA

Within the kaleidoscope of academic sources, newspapers and magazines shimmer with real-time relevance and cultural insights. In the MHRA (Modern Humanities Research Association) referencing style, capturing these ephemeral but essential voices requires a specific approach. A snapshot in time, these citations help authenticate your arguments, adding a dimension of immediacy to your research. Here's how to seamlessly weave these references into your academic tapestry.

Online newspaper or magazine article: Digital versions often include URLs and may lack page numbers. Always provide the date you accessed the article online, as content can change or be removed.

Article without a known author: Occasionally, articles might not credit a specific author. In such cases, begin your citation with the article title.

Pro Tip: Form an Opinion

Newspaper and magazine articles are typically not peer-reviewed and may contain opinion-based content. Always ensure the credibility and relevance of the article in the context of your research. While they offer contemporary perspectives, ensure your core arguments are supported by a mix of primary and other reliable secondary sources.

Cite Conference Papers in MHRA

In the vast theatre of academic scholarship, conference papers are akin to live performances: vibrant, dynamic, and filled with current research. These documents, delivered at academic gatherings, contain insights and findings that are yet to undergo the rigorous test of journal publication. The MHRA style gracefully captures these nuances, ensuring that scholars get due credit for their academic endeavours. Here's how to bring these conference notes into the limelight of your research.

Online conference paper: The digital age brings with it the convenience of online conferences, enabling scholars from around the world to share knowledge without geographical limitations. Citing papers from such conferences requires a little extra detail, primarily the URL and the access date.

Pro Tip: Capture the Moment

As with all online sources, it's pivotal to include the date of access. Websites can be updated, or content might be moved or removed, and specifying when you accessed the material ensures clarity regarding the version you are referencing. When considering an online conference paper, it's also a good practice to check if there's a published or peer-reviewed version available, providing a more finalized perspective on the topic.

Cite Theses & Dissertations in MHRA

The culmination of years of research, a thesis or dissertation, is a comprehensive document that represents the depth of one's academic commitment. Just as a researcher has delved deep into their subject, ensuring that these critical pieces of scholarly work are correctly cited is paramount. The MHRA style understands this importance and provides a clear framework for referencing such resources.

Online newspaper or magazine article: Many universities are now making theses and dissertations available online, making it easier for researchers and scholars to access these resources from anywhere in the world.

Pro Tip: Trace Your Steps

When citing an electronic thesis or dissertation, it's essential to capture the exact URL where the document is hosted. This not only helps the reader trace back to the original source but also acknowledges the university's repository, a treasure trove of scholarly works. Furthermore, as with other online materials, always remember to note the date you accessed the thesis, as online content can sometimes be updated or moved.

Cite Social Media Posts in MHRA

In today's digital age, social media isn't merely about socializing or sharing holiday snaps. It's become a platform where ideas, news, and scholarly opinions are frequently exchanged. With the academic realm recognizing the validity of these platforms as sources of information, knowing how to reference them appropriately becomes indispensable. MHRA, ever-evolving, has adapted its style to guide researchers on citing these new-age platforms with traditional precision.

Citing Twitter posts: A tweet is a post made on the Twitter platform, and its transient nature makes it essential to capture not just the content but also the time of the post.

Citing Facebook posts: Facebook is a vast platform, with both individuals and organizations sharing valuable insights.

Citing Instagram posts: Instagram, primarily a visual platform, often has posts that can be pertinent, especially in fields like art, fashion, and pop culture studies.

Cite Films in MHRA

The world of academia isn't confined merely to texts. Films, as visual narratives, offer rich insights into culture, history, artistry, and human behavior. When incorporating these cinematic gems into research, it becomes crucial to acknowledge their creators accurately. The MHRA style, traditionally rooted in humanities, recognizes this and offers a structured approach to citing films with the gravitas they deserve.

Citing a film from an online platform: With streaming platforms becoming the norm, it's often required to cite films watched on platforms like Netflix or Amazon.

Pro Tip: Highlighting a Performance

For films with multiple notable actors, you can include up to three primary performers in the "perf." section. If you wish to highlight more actors or emphasize a specific performance, it's advisable to discuss it in the main body of your work and ensure they're acknowledged in the citation. Always remember to cite the version of the film you've viewed, especially if various cuts or editions are available.

Cite Music & Songs in MHRA

Music, a universal language, touches the soul, narrates stories, and captures moments in time. When one ventures into academic discussions involving music, it becomes essential to cite these melodious pieces with accuracy and respect. Whether you're referencing Beethoven's symphonies or the Beatles' hits, the MHRA style provides a structured pathway to ensure the creators and performers are rightfully acknowledged.

Citing an entire album: If you're discussing an entire album, the citation differs slightly.

Citing songs on online music platforms: Digital music streaming is the norm today, and songs or albums accessed through platforms like Spotify or Apple Music have a modified citation.

Pro Tip: Choose What's Important

If you're discussing classical compositions, remember that the emphasis might shift from the performer to the composer. For instance, citing Beethoven's Ninth Symphony would prioritize Beethoven over the orchestra or conductor. Always ensure you're highlighting the most relevant contributor in your citations, based on your academic discourse.

Cite YouTube Videos & TED Talks in MHRA

In this digital age, platforms like YouTube and TED have transformed how we consume knowledge and entertainment. These platforms host a myriad of voices, ideas, and perspectives that often find their way into academic discourses. Acknowledging these digital troves of information in your work requires precision, and the MHRA style is here to ensure that these online creators and speakers receive their due credit.

Citing a YouTube video: Whether it's an educational lecture or a DIY tutorial, when referencing a video from YouTube, ensure you capture the essentials.

Citing a TED Talk (From TED Website): TED Talks are renowned for their insightful content. When citing them from the TED website, follow this structure:

Citing a TED Talk (From YouTube): Sometimes, TED Talks are viewed on YouTube. When citing them from YouTube, the citation slightly changes.

Pro Tip: Pay Attention to Credibility

Consider the credibility of the content you're referencing from platforms like YouTube or TED Talks. Not all content uploaded to these platforms undergoes rigorous peer review. When choosing to cite a video, evaluate the expertise and qualifications of the creator or speaker, and the accuracy and relevance of the content to your research topic. This ensures that you're integrating reliable sources into your academic work.

Cite Plays & Long Works in MHRA

In the labyrinth of literary scholarship, plays and long works hold a distinguished position, echoing the timeless narratives of human existence. With the MHRA (Modern Humanities Research Association) style, scholars have a reliable tool to navigate this intricate realm, attributing due credit to playwrights and authors. Navigating this intricate genre requires precision, and the MHRA style ensures your references for plays and long works are both clear and respectful.

Citing a printed play: When citing a play, begin with the playwright's name, followed by the title of the play (in italics), the act, scene, and line numbers (if available), and finally, details of the publication.

Citing modern editions or anthologies of plays: For plays sourced from modern editions or anthologies, mention the editor's name.

Citing epic poems and long works: Epic poems and other extensive literary works can be cited similarly to plays, focusing on sections, chapters, or stanzas.

Pro Tip: Check Your Edition

When referencing plays, particularly those with multiple editions, it's crucial to be consistent in your references. If you're using a specific edition or translation of a play or long work, always cite from that edition to ensure continuity in your references.

Cite Poems in MHRA

Poetry, a sublime form of expression, captures the human spirit in verses and rhymes. When it comes to anthologies, they are a curated collection of these artistic gems, reflecting myriad voices and themes. In the academic world, giving credit to these individual voices, as well as to the curators of these collections, is paramount. The MHRA (Modern Humanities Research Association) style offers a structured way to do just that, ensuring each poem is acknowledged with the precision it deserves.

Citing a single poem from an anthology: When referencing a single poem from an anthology, start with the poet's name, the title of the poem (in single quotes), followed by the title of the anthology (in italics), the editor's name, the place of publication, publisher, year, and finally, the pages where the poem can be found.

Citing multiple poems from the same anthology: If citing multiple poems from the same anthology, a consolidated reference to the anthology can be made after individually listing each poem.

Pro Tip: Hold Your Work to a Standard

When referencing multiple poems from the same anthology, ensure you maintain a consistent order, usually alphabetical by poem title or as they appear in the anthology. This helps maintain clarity and ensures readers can easily locate the referenced works.

Cite Religious & Sacred Texts in MHRA

Religious and sacred texts are the ancient heartbeat of countless civilizations, presenting beliefs, ethics, and narratives that have shaped societies for millennia. These texts, both captivating and profound, deserve due respect in academic and literary circles. And when it comes to referencing them in your work, precision is essential. The MHRA referencing style provides an elegant method to ensure that scholars, theologians, and general readers alike can trace back your references to the original sources of spiritual wisdom.

Citing the Bible: Given the unique structure of the Bible with its books, chapters, and verses, the MHRA style recommends citing specific passages without needing a bibliography entry.

Citing the Quran: Similar to the Bible, the Quran has a unique structure with its Surahs (chapters) and Ayahs (verses).

Pro Tip: Citing Other Sacred Texts

For other religious texts that might have a more standard book structure, you would reference them similarly to other books. However, it's crucial to provide specific details to ensure clarity.

Cite Lecture Notes in MHRA

From the echoing halls of universities to the intimate spaces of small seminar rooms, lectures are the backbone of the academic experience. They convey ideas, spark discussions, and help anchor foundational knowledge. Lecture notes, often the unsung heroes of academia, capture these fleeting moments of enlightenment. In the realm of research, it's vital to credit these resources appropriately. With the MHRA (Modern Humanities Research Association) referencing style at your disposal, the task becomes straightforward and precise.

Citing printed lecture notes: When you've received a printed copy of lecture notes or a handout, you'll want to treat it similarly to a printed source.

Citing online lecture notes: With the rise of digital education platforms, accessing lecture notes online has become more common. Ensure you mention the URL and the date you accessed these notes.

Pro Tip: Always Ask Permission

Always ensure that you have the lecturer's permission before citing their notes, especially if they are unpublished. This maintains academic etiquette and respects the intellectual property rights of the lecturer.

Cite Personal Communications in MHRA

The art of referencing isn't confined to just books or scholarly articles. In the realm of humanities research, many insights emerge from personal interactions — conversations, letters, emails, and more. These insights often become integral to a researcher's thesis or argument. Recognizing the value of such personal exchanges, the MHRA (Modern Humanities Research Association) style provides guidelines on how to bring these unique, sometimes fleeting, communications into the formal academic landscape. Let's delve into the appropriate method to cite personal communications under the MHRA style.

Citing letters: When citing personal letters, mention the author of the letter first, followed by the descriptor "letter to", then the recipient's name, and the date.

Citing emails: Citing emails is similar to letters, but it's important to include that it was an email communication.

Citing unpublished conversations: When referencing a conversation or information gleaned from a private discussion, it's necessary to indicate it was a personal communication, ensuring clarity.

Pro Tip: Use Personal Insights Wisely

Always remember that personal communications do not have a public archival source, making them non-verifiable for readers. Hence, while they provide valuable insights, use them judiciously and in contexts where their absence won't undermine your argument's credibility. Additionally, be meticulous in noting details at the time of the communication to ensure accuracy when referencing later.

MHRA Style: Final Notes

Navigating the intricacies of the MHRA referencing style can seem daunting, especially with such a variety of sources to cite. From books to personal communications, each source type presents its unique set of rules and challenges. However, with the comprehensive guide we've journeyed through, mastering the MHRA style becomes a seamless endeavour. It's not merely about conforming to academic standards, but also about respecting and acknowledging the intellectual efforts of others.

As you proceed with your writing, always remember the importance of accurate citations; they lend credibility to your work and ensure you are part of the scholarly conversation in an ethically sound manner. Whether you're citing a YouTube video or a revered sacred text, every reference counts.

In the ever-evolving world of academic writing, keeping track of referencing rules and citation formats can often prove to be a Herculean task. This is where Bibcitation.com steps in as the knight in shining armour. Designed with meticulous attention to detail, Bibcitation.com is a state-of-the-art citation generator that promises to simplify the intricate world of referencing. No longer do you have to fret about misplaced punctuation or incorrect formatting; our tool ensures that every citation is structured perfectly in line with the MHRA guidelines.

Whether you're a student juggling multiple assignments or a seasoned researcher diving deep into a scholarly investigation, Bibcitation.com is your trusted companion. Its user-friendly interface allows for quick and efficient generation of citations, alleviating the stress of manual citation creation. Moreover, with its expansive database and support for various referencing styles, including MHRA, it caters to a wide audience spanning different academic disciplines.

In essence, while understanding the nuances of the MHRA referencing style is essential, tools like Bibcitation.com offer a safety net, ensuring you never miss a beat when it comes to accurate and consistent citations. By integrating this invaluable tool into your research and writing process, you're not only guaranteeing the integrity of your work but also saving precious time that can be better invested in honing your arguments and ideas. Embrace the future of academic writing with Bibcitation.com and let your citations reflect the excellence of your research.

• Subject Guides

Referencing styles - a Practical Guide

• Referencing AI

MHRA referencing style

Used by: Theatre, Film, Television and Interactive Media (along with others)

Introduction to MHRA referencing style

The MHRA referencing style is set by the Modern Humanities Research Association. This guide is based on the 3 rd edition of the MHRA style guide.

In-text citations

MHRA uses a footnote citation system.

In the text, a reference number is added in superscript 1  after the information or the end of the sentence, after any punctuation. The reference numbers increase in sequence throughout the assignment (or chapter of a long piece of work).

Full details of the source are given in a reference in a footnote at the bottom of the page it's cited on. Include the page number(s) if you're quoting or referring to specific information.

The information to include in footnote references depends on the type of source - see examples for details.

Bibliography

A bibliography is a list of all sources cited that appears at the end of the document. You usually don't need to include a bibliography in assignments  - however, a bibliography is needed for some assignments, such as the Dissertation, so check your assessment instructions.

Useful resources

• MHRA referencing style guide TFTI's downloadable MHRA style guide
• MHRA Style Guide Online The official guide to MHRA referencing and formatting styles

Guidance for all source types

Formatting author names correctly, formatting of names.

In the footnote, names are given in Forename Surname order:

In a bibliography, the first author's surname is given first in the bibliography to allow for alphabetic listing:

Number of authors

If a source has one, two or three authors or editors, include all of their names in full, in the order they appear on the source.

For a source with four or more authors or editors, give the name of the first author followed by 'and others'.

Referencing the same source repeated times

If you refer to the same work on more than one occasion, you have three options, depending on context.

Citing the same work directly after the original reference

You can use the Latin abbreviation ‘ibid.’. This means ‘in the same place’, and you footnotes might look like this:

Refer to the same source at different points of your essay.

Here you are free to abbreviate the original reference to something intelligible to the reader, as in the following example:

Then after some other references:

Frequent references to the same source

If you frequently refer to the same source, eg, when quoting from the same play throughout an essay, you can signal in the first footnote that you will be including an ‘in-text’ references for all subsequent mentions:

A subsequent example in the essay may look like this:

There is no longer need for a footnote in this case.

No author name or publication date

No author name.

It is important to use quality sources to support your arguments and so you should consider carefully the value of using any source when you cannot identify its author. For online sources, look carefully for named contributors, such as in the ‘about us’ sections. For printed material, try to locate authors in the publication/ copyright information which is often on the inside cover of a book or back page of a report.

If you can't find the author information, you can use ‘Anon.’ in place of a name.

No publication date

Knowing when a source was created, published, or last updated is important as this helps you to determine the relevance and reliability of the source. Sacred and classical works where dates are not given (precisely) are, however, also commonly used. For online sources, look carefully for created and/ or last updated dates on the page(s).

If you can't find a publication date, use ‘n.d.’ for no date in place of the year.

Direct quotes

Quotations are word-for-word text included in your work and they must always be copied with exact accuracy. This includes, for instance, precise transcription of the smallest details of both punctuation and typography (the use of italics, say, or capitalisation, etc.). Do not italicise quotations unless they appear in italics in the original. Quotations should always be carefully identified as quotations.

If your chosen quotation is relatively short (i.e., no more than two lines in length), use a brief phrase within your paragraph or sentence to introduce the quotation before including it inside single quotation marks ‘ ’. For longer quotations, you should indent the quotation in full, so that it appears as an indented paragraph of its own, and no quotation marks are needed around the text. A footnote should follow both forms of quotation.

Quoting a person quoted in a source

For example, you may find an interesting quotation from a named person in a newspaper article, interview or other published material. In this case, the person quoted is different from the person writing the source itself.

Quoting from plays

Quoting from a single character’s speech involves simply putting the line in single quotation marks. When quoting dialogue , you should include the characters’ names, as in the following example:

This would then be followed by a footnote.

When quoting from a play with line numbers , such as a play by Shakespeare, include the line number in the footnote (in the form: p. x, l. y). For example:

Corresponding footnote:

Citing a source you've read about in a different source (secondary referencing)

When you want to cite a comment about one author's work quoted in another author's work. 

Secondary referencing should be avoided as far as possible and the original source consulted and cited. If it is essential to use a secondary reference follow these guidelines:

Bibliography : 

Note:  Only list the source that you have actually read in your bibliography. 

Questions about referencing?

Contact your Faculty Librarians if you have any questions about referencing.

Commonly used sources

Examples of footnotes and reference list entries for key source types.

Use these examples alongside the information given in the 'Guidance for all source types' box.

Information to include Author name, Title, including subtitle if one exists , # edn* (Place of publication: publisher, year), page number or page numbers quoted.

Footnote  Names are given in Forname Surname order.

Bibliography:

The first author’s surname is given first in the bibliography to allow for alphabetic listing.

*include edition number only if it is not the first edition.

Chapter or article in an edited book

These are usually books that contain a number of essays by different contributors, compiled by an editor or editors.

Information to include: Author name, ‘Title of essay in full’, in Title of book , ed. by Editors’ names or name (Place of publication: publisher, year), page range of the essay (page or pages quoted).

Footnote:  

Articles which are republished later in an edited edition should take one of the following forms:

Journals’ first and last pages aren’t preceded by pp.

See MHRA Style Guide 11.2.3 for more details. 

Edited book

Footnote: 

Notes: • If an entry refers to a span of pages, the first and last pages should be given eg. 17-25. • Specific pages within that should be indicated by pages numbers within brackets eg (pp.18-19).

More details are in the MHRA Style Guide 11.2 

Journal article / paper

Journal article / paper (print copy).

Information to include Author name, ‘Title of article / paper in full’, Title of journal , volume number: part number (year), page range of the article / paper (page or pages quoted).

• Reverse the order of the first author’s surname and first name in the bibliography, but not for subsequent authors. This is so that works can be placed in author order in the bibliography.
• First and last pages of journal articles / papers cited do not use pp. unless referring to specific pages within that span. Indicate specific pages referred to in brackets using p. or pp.

Journal article / paper (electronic copy)

Use the information for the print version if that is available. Only provide URLs and DOI for material that can only be obtained via the web.

Note: if there are no page numbers, refer using ‘para’, for paragraphs.

Further sources

Examples of footnotes and reference list entries for other source types, organised alphabetially.

Book (translated to English)

Book (read in another language).

Present the information in the language of origin if the book was read in that language. for a translated book, see specific advice). Use the language conventions for capitalisation.

Conference papers & proceedings

Give conference paper in single inverted commas and the title of the conference in Italics. If the paper has been published, give the details of the publisher and the page references. If it hasn't been published, just give the location of the conference.

Give details of the type of digital file and give pages numbers where possible.

Film (movie)

Graph, chart, figure or table.

Use the term Figure and arabic numerals (1,2,3 etc) to identify graphs and figures and if necessary, allocate a footnote to them.

Interview (conducted by someone else)

Lecture notes, musical score.

n.d is used to indicate no date known.

Newspaper or magazine article

Indicate date of issue, section (where relevant) and page numbers. Omit ‘The’ or ‘A’ when citing newspapers or magazines with the exception of  The Times . Newspapers and magazines use pp. to indicate the first and last pages of the article, unlike journal article citations.

Online video (eg YouTube) & other online digital media

References to online digital media should include the author, the title in italics, the type of source, the title of the website, the date of publication, the URL, and the date of access, e.g.:

Plays and long works

Small roman numerals should be used for the numbers and acts of plays eg iv. Smaller subdivisions such as scenes, chapters etc. are indicated by Arabic numbers eg 1,2,3. The first footnote should give full details, subsequent footnotes can use the title.

Poem (in an anthology)

Religious & sacred texts.

Give full details in the first footnote. Subsequent footnotes can indicate book, chapter, verse etc. Titles of books from the Bible are not italicised. Book numbers are given in roman numerals, chapter and verse numbers are given in arabic numerals (1,2,3 etc) separated by a full stop.

Sound recording (CD, vinyl, cassette)

Include composer or author; title of piece in italics; artist, orchestra etc separated by commas; recording company, CD reference, date in brackets().

First names of composers, artists, conductors, may be omitted if not deemed necessary.

Television & radio programmes

Give the title of the specific episode if there is one in single inverted commas. Give the title of the series in italics.

Do not cite a web source unless there is no other version of that source. Cite the print version if that is available. Do not give a web address unless the source is only found via the web.

Short posts on X or Facebook: ‘“X post or Facebook post.” #hashtag(s) [if present in original post]’ (@handle, date).

List the post by the first major word

• << Previous: IEEE
• Next: MLA >>
• Last Updated: Oct 16, 2024 5:55 PM
• URL: https://subjectguides.york.ac.uk/referencing-style-guides

MHRA referencing guide (Online)

Myuni library essentials - referencing, referencing guides, library skills classes, academic integrity.

• MHRA or APA?
• Elements of the Style
• Elements of the Reference
• Secondary Referencing
• Use of Ibid.
• Formatting MHRA in Word
• Try some exercises
• Book with One Author
• Book with Two or Three Authors
• Book with More Than Three Authors
• Book with an Author and an Editor
• Edited Book
• A Chapter/Section/Article in an Edited book
• Translated book
• Book that is part of a multi-volume set
• Sacred Texts
• Dictionary/Encyclopedia Entry
• Book Review
• Foreword, afterword, epigraph, epilogue, etc.
• Archival Material
• Journal Articles
• Newspaper / Magazine Articles
• Pre-prints / In-press Articles
• Acts of Parliament
• Conference Papers
• Theses and Dissertations
• Private Communications
• A Single Television Programme
• An Episode of a Television Programme/Series
• Radio Programme
• Images (photos, illustrations, diagrams, tables, etc.)
• Oral History
• Graphic Novel
• Music Track
• Online Digital Media
• Copyright statement

Welcome to this guide on how to reference correctly using the Modern Humanities Research Association (MHRA) referencing style.  If you are new to the MHRA style of referencing start with the   guide's Introduction  tab, where you can familiarise yourself with the style's elements, watch a short video on how best to use the guide, and print out a pdf version of it.

• MHRA Style Manual (online or as a free downloadable pdf)

This course is made up of videos and tutorials designed by your Librarians. You can work your way through the complete course to ensure a good working knowledge of your referencing style. You can always come back to this course whenever you want a refresher.

• MHRA referencing guide (Brief) (PDF)
• MHRA referencing guide (Full) (PDF)
• MHRA checklist (PDF)
• MHRA Checklist (Word)
• Full Library Skills Programme

It is important you read the  Swansea University Academic Misconduct Procedure.  Failure to acknowledge another person’s work (i.e. properly citing it in a paper) will result in serious consequences.  Plagiarism  is defined as using, without acknowledgment, another person's work and submitting it for assessment as though it were one's own work; for instance, through copying or unacknowledged paraphrasing. This constitutes plagiarism whether it is intentional or unintentional. For additional advice on avoiding plagiarism complete the online tutorial  Academic Success: Skills for learning, skills for life  available via Canvas.

• Swansea University Academic Misconduct Procedure
• Next: Introduction >>
• Last Updated: Nov 6, 2024 5:06 PM
• URL: https://libguides.swansea.ac.uk/MHRA

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.

• Exhibitions
• Visit and Contact
• UCD Library
• Current Students
• News & Opinion
• Staff Directory
• UCD Connect

Academic Integrity - Referencing, Citation & Avoiding Plagiarism: MHRA Style Guide

• Introduction
• Academic Integrity Tutorials
• Plagiarism Examples
• Common Knowledge
• Paraphrasing Explained
• Plagiarism and the Internet
• What is in-text citation?
• School Citing Styles
• APA Style Guide
• Harvard Style Guide
• Chicago Style Guide
• Vancouver Style Guide
• MLA Style Guide
• MHRA Style Guide
• OSCOLA Style Guide
• UCD Writing Centre
• International Students Study Skills
• Critical Thinking
• Taking lecture notes
• Active reading and note-taking
• Time management
• Writing Strategies
• Open Book Exams and Referencing
• Exams and Revision
• Writing Dissertations or Theses

Languages and Cultures from the School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics use the MHRA Style . The guide is freely available online or as a PDF download, linked below.

• MHRA Style Guide: A Handbook for Authors, Editors, and Writers of Theses, 4th Edition, 2024 The MHRA Style Guide has been widely used by scholarly authors writing about the Humanities since its first edition in 1971. It offers practical guidance on how to cite sources from medieval manuscripts to software and social media. Rules are provided to help working authors deal consistently with issues from quoting weights and measures (‘5kg’, or ‘5 kg’?) to the spelling of European city names (‘Lyons’, or ‘Lyon’?). There is detailed advice on indexing and on the compilation of bibliographies, including thorny issues around how to alphabetize names.

Introduction to Citing Generative AI

This citation and referencing advice should be used only when your module coordinator or school allows the use of ai tools in the creation of academic assignments. if you have used an ai tool in the creation of an assignment, you must acknowledge this use and cite and reference the tool appropriately to ensure you are adhering to  ucd's student plagiarism policy., please also be aware that generative ai is a tool and not an academic or original source..

This advice was created for text-based generative AI systems and does not include other AI-generated content. Advice about citing and referencing AI tools is constantly evolving, and this guide created on October 10th 2023, will be updated as soon as further information becomes available.

For the purposes of this guidance, generative AI is defined as a tool that “can analyze or summarize content from a huge set of information, including web pages, books and other writing available on the internet, and use that data to create original new content” (Weed).

Generative AI often provides citations and sources that do not exist, or are inaccurate. All such references must be checked by the user to ensure the legitimacy of the references/citations provided by AI tools.  

As of the creation of this guide the editors of the MHRA citation style have not yet published guidance for citing generative AI. In the absence of guidance from the editors, UCD Library recommends treating the use of generative AI in the same manner as for citing private communications  

Example for Citing Generative AI with MHRA Style

Private communications are included as in-text citations with numbered footnotes. Inclusion in the list of references is not required.

In an era when literacy was limited, complex illuminations played a pedagogical role. They helped illiterate or semi-literate individuals understand and remember the contents of the manuscript. Images and visual cues were used to convey the narratives and teachings within the text, making it accessible to a broader audience. 1

1. OpenAI, ChatGPt's response to John Doe, 19 October 2023.  

Works Cited

Weed, Julie. “Can ChatGPT Plan Your Vacation?” The New York Times, 16 Mar. 2023,  www.nytimes.com/2023/03/16/travel/chatgpt-artificial-intelligence-travel-vacation.html.

• << Previous: MLA Style Guide
• Next: OSCOLA Style Guide >>
• Last Updated: Sep 4, 2024 3:35 PM
• URL: https://libguides.ucd.ie/academicintegrity