Primarily, the referencing system that should be applied in Xamk’s bachelor’s and master’s degree theses is the text-based system described in detail in the other tabs of this this writing guide. However, in some engineering degree programmes it is also possible to use a numerical reference system. Before you apply a numerical system in your thesis, request an approval from your thesis supervisor.
The advantage of the numerical system is the brevity of text references, and a variety of numerical systems is available. This guide presents instructions on the use of the Vancouver system. If you choose to use another numerical system, make sure you consistently follow the conventions of that system.
In the Vancouver reference system, sources are numbered in the order they appear in the body text. In other words, the entry /1/ or [1] (ie. either slashes or square brackets around the number) indicates the first source reference in the text, and this source must be placed first in the numerical list of references (see a sample list below). The in-text reference must indicate page numbers if the pages of the source are numbered, for example: /4, 34–35/ or [4, 34–35]. The numerical reference system allows the writer to introduce the author in the narrative in the same manner as in the text-based system, e.g. "According to Huhtinen [6, 27]..."
When the reference ends a sentence, the use of punctuation is identical to the text-based system (see tabs "Referencing in one sentence" and "Referencing in multiple sentences") with the author's name being replaced with a number, and the round brackets being replaced with slashes or square brackets. If a reference was made only in one sentence, a full stop is placed outside the last slash or square bracket to close the sentence: /10, 25/. If the reference applies to more than one sentence, for example, to a full paragraph, it is placed at the end of the last full stop and has another full stop before the closing slash or square bracket: /23, 55−57./
The sources are entered in the list of references in the order in which they are introduced in the text, and the sequence number is stated in front of the reference.
See the punctuation in the sample list below, and carefully follow that model. The key differences in comparison to the text-based Xamk referencing system are:
- If the author has initials for two first names, they are written together without any full stops (A.B.Ceedee --> Ceedee, AB)
- multiple authors are all separated with a comma (A.B.Ceedee, J. Park & M.D. Frog --> Ceedee, AB, Park, J, Frog, MD)
- the names of magazines, newspapers and journals are not italicized
- the year of publishing is placed at the end of the entry
- the page numbers of magazines, journals and newspapers are separated form the date by a colon
- for books and ebooks, the year of publishing is separated from the publisher by a semi-colon
- for online references, availability is stated with the phrase 'Available from'
- for ebooks, the year of publishing is followed by stating in square brackets the date the material was studied: [cited Year Monthabbreviated Day]
- for online references, the publishing date and the date of studying the materials are presented after the title inside the same square brackets separated with a semi-colon: [updated Year Monthabbreviated Day; cited Year Monthabbreviated Day]
- the title of online articles is followed by [type of document on the Internet]
Sample list of references composed in accordance with the Vancouver system
1. Bailey, S. Academic Writing. 3rd edition. London and New York: Taylor & Francis Group; 2011.
2. Sharma, R. Where the market goes next. Newsweek 19-20/2009: 71.
3. Weekers, J. Embracing one’s archrival: A case study on the role of ideas and preferences in the German reunification process [master's thesis on the Internet]. Radboud University; 2016 [cited 17 Sep 2019]. Available from: https://theses.ubn.ru.nl/bitstream/handle/ 123456789/2165/Weekers%2c_Jim_1.pdf?sequence=1 .
4. Carey B. Psychiatrists revise the book of human troubles. New York Times [newspaper on the Internet]. 2008 Dec 17 [cited 2008 Dec 19]. Available from: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/18/health/18psych.html?_r=1&em.
5. Sengupta D, Chattopadhyay MK. Metabolism in bacteria at low termperature: a recent report. J Biosci [journal on the Internet]. 2013 Jun [cited 2019 Aug 23];38(2):409-12. Available from: http://www.ias.ac.in/jbiosci/jun2013/409.pdf.
6. James and the peanut allergy [webcast]. Salt Lake City (UT): University of Utah, Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library; 2011 Mar 31 [cited 2017 Jul 11].Video: 52 sec. Available from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoCAizDEKlM&feature=player_embedded.
7. The wings of a butterfly; children, teenagers and anxiety [podcast]. Sydney (Austalia): ABC Radio National; 2005 Sep 10 [cited 2015 Dec 3]. Available from: http://www.abc.net.au/podcast/default.htm#mind.