Citing and referencing: Dictionaries/Encyclopedias/Guides

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

Reference works (Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, Guides)

Notes:

  • For a print copy indicate edition and number of volumes (if multi-volumes).
  • Do not indicate edition if it is the first.
  • For articles without author begin the reference with the title of the article.
  • If an online reference work has a DOI then reference that in preference to the URL.
  • If no DOI, use an abbreviated URL string with a forward slash (i.e., / ) at the end.
  • If an online work is updated regularly, include a retrieved from date.
  • When the author and publisher are the same enter the name only once in the author position.

 

Entire reference work (print)

Formats with editor or author

Editor, A. A. (Ed.). (Copyright year). Title of work (xx ed.). Publisher.

Editor, A. A., & Editor, B. B. (Eds.). (Copyright year). Title of work (xx ed.). Publisher.
Format with no author or editor

Title of work. (Copyright year). (xx ed.). Publisher.
Example

Martin, E. A. (Ed.). (2007). Concise colour medical dictionary (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.

Merriam-Webster's medical desk dictionary. (2005). (Rev. ed.). Merriam-Webster.

 

Entire reference work (online)

Formats with editor or author

 

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Copyright year). Title of work (edition). Publisher. https://doi.org/xxxxx

OR

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Copyright year). Title of work (edition). Publisher. https://xxxxx

OR

Editor, A. A., & Editor, B. B. (Eds.). (Copyright year). Title of work (edition). Publisher. https://doi.org/xxxxx
OR
Editor, A. A., & Editor, B. B. (Eds.). (Copyright year). Title of work (edition). Publisher. https://xxxxx
Format with no author or editor

Title of work. (Copyright year). (xx ed.). Publisher. https://doi.org/xxxxx or https://xxxxx
Examples

Law, J., & Martin, E. (Eds.). (2020). Concise medical dictionary (10th ed.). Oxford Reference. https://doi.org/10.1093/acref/9780198836612.001.0001

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved September 1, 2020, from https://www.merriam-webster.com

 

Chapter in a book or entry in a reference work (print)

For the reference work containing the chapter or entry being referenced, the author or editor's initials should precede the family name(s).

Format

Author, A. A. (Copyright year). Title of chapter or entry. Title of work (Vol. xx, pp.xxx–xxx). Publisher.
Format with no author or editor

Title of entry. (Copyright year). Title of reference work (pp. xxx–xxx). Publisher.
Example

Fire. (1981). Penguin-Hellenews English-Greek dictionary (pp. 313). Hellenews-Paidia.

 

Chapter or entry in a reference work (online)

Format with DOI

Author, A. A. (Copyright year). Article name. In Title of work. Publisher. https://doi.org/xxxx 
Format without DOI

Author, A. A. (Copyright year). Article name. In Title of work. Publisher. Retrieved Month DD, YYYY, from https://xxxxx
Examples

Dalleck, L. C. (2017). Balance training. In The Gale Encyclopedia of Fitness (2nd ed., Vol. 1, pp. 83–86). Gale. Retrieved July 24, 2020, from https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX3663000031/GVRL?u=monash&sid=GVRL&xid=f637eb38

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Social distancing. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved September 1, 2020, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/social%20distancing

Utiger, R. D. Gestational diabetes mellitus. (2020). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved July 24, 2020, from https://www.britannica.com/science/gestational-diabetes-mellitus

 

Several volumes in a multivolume work

Use (YYYY–YYYY). as the format for a range of years of publication

Format

Editor, A. A., & Editor, B. B. (Eds.). (Copyright year). Title of work (xx ed.,Vols. xx–xx). Publisher. https://doi.org/xxxx or https://xxxxx

Example

Olendorf, D., Jeryan, C., & Boyden, K. (Eds.). (1999). The Gale encyclopedia of medicine (Vols 1–5). Gale Research.

 

Entry in a drug guide (print)

Format

Article name. (Copyright year). In Title of work (xx ed.). (pp.xxx–xxx). Publisher.
Example

Perindopril. (2018). In Australian medicines handbook (pp. 263–264). Australian Medicines Handbook. 

 

Entry in a drug guide (online)

Format

Author, A. A. (Copyright year). Article name. In A. A. Editor (Ed.), Title of work (Vol. xx). Retrieved Month DD, YYYY, from https://doi.org/xxxx or https://xxxxx

Format with no author or editor

Article name. (Copyright year). In Title of work (xx ed.). Retrieved Month DD, YYYY, from https://doi.org/xxxx or https://xxxxx
Examples

Jenkins, A. J., & Valentine, J. L. (2012). Antimicrobial drugs. In A. Mozayani & L. P. Raymon (Eds.), Handbook of drug interactions: A clinical and forensic guide. Retrieved September 11, 2020, from https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007%2F978-1-61779-222-9

Lanoxin. (2019). In MIMS online. Retrieved September 11, 2020, from https://www-mimsonline-com

Paracetamol, Warfarin sodium. (2021). In MIMS online. Retrieved June 24, 2021, from https://www.mimsonline.com.au/

 

Entry in evidence summary

Format

Author, A. A. (Copyright year). Article name. Name of database. Retrieved Month DD, YYYY, from https://doi.org/xxxx or https://xxxxx
Format with no author or editor

Article name. (Copyright year). Name of database Retrieved Month DD, YYYY, from https://doi.org/xxxx or https://xxxxx
Examples

Diabetes mellitus type 1. (2019). DynaMed Plus. Retrieved August 30, 2020, from https://www.dynamed.com/condition/diabetes-mellitus-type-1-39

Egan, B. M. (2017). Patient adherence and the treatment of hypertension. UpToDate. Retrieved August 19, 2020, from  https://www.uptodate.com/contents/patient-adherence-and-the-treatment-of-hypertension/

Hueston, W.J. (2018). Acute bronchitis. BMJ Best Practice. Retrieved September 1, 2020, from https://bestpractice-bmj-com