Citing and referencing: Manuscript/Letter/Diary

A guide to the styles recommended by Monash schools and departments for students and researchers

Manuscripts/Letter/Diary

Note: When citing a manuscript use the following abbreviations: 'p.' for page, 'pp.' for a range of pages, 'fol' for folio number, 'fols.' for a range of folio numbers.

 

Manuscript (Print)

Rule for Notes

Note Number. Authors First Name, Authors Last Name (if available), Title of document. Format. City: Publishing Company (if available), copyright date (if available), Document number (if available), page number(s) or folio number(s) (if available), Source, Collection.

 
Example of Note entry

1. Helen Keller. Helen Keller to John Hitz, August 29, 1893. Letter. Series MSS51268, p.2, Library of Congress, The Alexander Graham Bell Family Papers, 1862-1939. 
Subsequent Note entry

2. Keller, p.2.
Rule for Bibliography

Authors Last Name, Authors First Name (if available). Title of document. Format. City: Publishing Company (if available), copyright date (if available). Document number (if available). Source. Collection. 
Example of Bibliography entry

Keller, Helen. Helen Keller to John Hitz, August 29, 1893. Letter. Series MSS51268. Library of Congress. The Alexander Graham Bell Family Papers, 1862-1939.

 

 

 Manuscript (Online)

Rule for Notes

Note Number. Authors First Name, Authors Last Name (if available), Title of document. Format. City: Publishing Company (if available), copyright date (if available), Document number (if available), page number(s) or folio number(s), Source, Collection, modified/revised/accessed date, URL.
Example of Note entry

 1. Arnold John Peter: SERN 1120: POB Adelaide SA: POE Adelaide SA: NOK F Arnold John Peter. Personal Record. Series: B2455  Control Symbol: AHERN E D., p.6, National Archives of Australia, First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers 1914-1920, accessed 16 July, 2014, http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/Imagine.asp?B=3023028.
Subsequent Note entry

2. Arnold John Peter, p.12.
Rule for Bibliography

Authors First Name, Authors Last Name (if available). Title of document. Format. City: Publishing Company (if available), copyright date (if available). Document number (if available). Source, Collection, last modified/revised/accessed date. URL.
Example of Bibliography entry

Arnold John Peter: SERN 1120: POB Adelaide SA: POE Adelaide SA: NOK F Arnold John Peter. Personal Record. Series: B2455  Control Symbol: AHERN E D. National Archives of Australia. First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers 1914-1920, accessed 16 July, 2014. http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/Imagine.asp?B=3023028. 

 

 

 Letter (In a print collection)
Note: If citing the original letter or a scanned version from an archive collection use the rules for Manuscript.

Rule for Notes

Note Number. Authors First Name and Last Name 'to' Recepients First Name and Last Name, Date of Letter, 'in' Title of collection, 'ed.'  First and Last name of editor (City: Publishing Company, copyright date), page number(s).
Example of Note entry

     1. John O’Neill to Thomas Jefferson, October 30, 1805, in To His Excellency Thomas Jefferson: Letters to a President, ed. Jack McLaughlin (New York: Avon Books, 1991), 60.
Subsequent Note entry

 2. John O’Neill to Thomas Jefferson, 61.
Rule for Bibliography

Authors Last Name and First Name. Authors First Name and Last Name 'to' Recepients First Name and Last Name. Date of Letter. 'In' Title of collection. Edited by First and Last name of editor. Page range. City: Publishing Company, copyright date.
Example of Bibliography entry

Neill, John. John O’Neill to Thomas Jefferson. October 30, 1805. In To His Excellency Thomas Jefferson: Letters to a President. Edited by Jack McLaughlin. 59-61. New York: Avon Books, 1991.

 

 

Letter (Online)

Rule for Notes

Note Number. Authors First Name and Last Name 'to' Recepients First Name and Last Name, Date of Letter, Title of collection, 'ed.' Editor of collection (if available), last modified/revised/accessed date, URL.
Example of Note entry

1. Frederick I to Leopold of Austria, 1189, in Hanover Historical Texts Collection: The Middle Ages, Letters of Cruisaders, last modified March 2001, http://history.hanover.edu/texts/frederic.html.
Subsequent Note entry

 2. Frederick I to Leopold of Austria.
Rule for Bibliography

Authors Last Name and First Name. Authors First Name and Last Name 'to' Recepients First Name and Last Name. Date of Letter. 'In' Title of collection. Edited by First and Last name of editor (if available), last modified/revised/accessed date. URL.
Example of Bibliography entry

Frederick I. Frederick I to Leopold of Austria. 1189. In Hanover Historical Texts Collection: The Middle Ages Letters of Cruisaders, last modified March, 2001. http://history.hanover.edu/texts/frederic.html.

 

 

 Diary (Print)
Note: If citing the original diary or a scanned version from an archive collection use the rules for Manuscript

Rule for Notes

Note Number. Author First Name and Last Name, Title of Diary, 'ed.' Editors First and Last Name (Place of Publication: Publisher, Date), page number(s).
Example of Note entry

1. Thomas Larkham, The Diary of Thomas Larkham, 1647-1669, ed. Susan Hardman Moore (Woodbridge: Boydell, 2011), 13.
Subsequent Note entry

2. Larkham, 23.
Rule for Bibliography

Author First Name and Last Name. Title of Diary. 'Ed.' Editors First and Last Name. Place of Publication: Publisher, Date.
Example of Bibliography entry

Larkham, Thomas. The Diary of Thomas Larkham, 1647-1669. Ed. Susan Hardman Moore. Woodbridge: Boydell, 2011.

 

 Diary (Online)

Rule for Notes

Note number. Author First Name and Last Name, Title of Diary. Date of Publication/Diary Entry Date, Title of Website, Associated Organisation (if available), last modified/revised/accessed date, URL.
Example of Note entry

1. Thomas Burton, Diary of Thomas Burton esq, volume 4: March - April 1659, 4 March 1658-9, British History Online, last modified November 2013, http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=36922&strquery=diary.
Subsequent Note entry

2. Burton, 4 March 1658-9.
Rule for Bibliography

Author Last Name and First Name. Title of Diary. Date of Publication/Diary Entry Date. Title of Website. Associated Organisation (if available), last modified/revised/accessed date. URL.
Example of Bibliography entry

Burton, Thomas. Diary of Thomas Burton esq, volume 4: March - April 1659. 4 March 1658-9. British History Online, last modified November 2013. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=36922&strquery=diary.