Each citation must be noted within the text through use of simple sequential numbers. A number enclosed in square brackets, placed in the text of the report, indicates the specific reference. Citations are numbered in the order in which they appear. Once a source has been cited, the same number is used in all subsequent references in the report. No distinction is made between electronic and print sources, except in the citation reference details. Each reference number should be enclosed in square brackets on the same line as the text, before any punctuation, with a space before the bracket.
Examples:
“. . .end of the line for my research [13].”
“The theory was first put forward in 1987 [1].”
“Scholtz [2] has argued. . . .”
“For example, see [7].”
“Several recent studies [3, 4, 15, 22] have suggested that. . . .”
Note: Authors and dates do not have to be written out after the first reference; use the bracketed number. Also, it is not necessary to write “in reference [2].” Just write “in [2].”
The preferred method to cite more than one source at a time is to list each reference in its own brackets, then separate with a comma or dash: [1], [3], [5] [1] – [5]
NOTE: Use et al. when three or more names are given for a reference cited in the text. or as nouns: as demonstrated in [3]; according to [4] and [6]–[9].
The full details of the source are given in a numerical reference list at the end of the document.