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Harvard Referencing - SETU Libraries Waterford Guide: Book, article or web page that has referenced something else (secondary referencing)

I have read a book, article or web page that has referenced something else (secondary referencing)

This is called secondary referencing.

Let’s say you have read a book published in 2012 and the author is O'Sullivan. It mentions and references a good point by someone called Muller.

You can only reference what you have read (the book by O'Sullivan). You must make the situation clear in your text:

Muller (2003, cited in O'Sullivan, 2012) notes that referencing can be fun.

If you are using a direct quote don’t forget a page number:

Muller (2003, cited in O'Sullivan, 2012, p. 23) argues that “referencing is the most fun you can ever have”.

In your reference list you must include a full reference for the item you have read - the book by O'Sullivan:

O'Sullivan, J. (2012) Referencing and the meaning of life. Aberdeen: Library University Press.

You do NOT include a reference for Muller as you have not read the item by Muller - you are relying on what O'Sullivan has told you Muller has said.

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