MHRA referencing guide for UK students

Written By

John Miller

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The process of receiving and responding to feedback from your supervisor is one of the most valuable parts of the dissertation journey, yet many students find it difficult to translate written comments into concrete improvements in their work. When you receive feedback, try to approach it as an opportunity to develop your academic skills rather than as a judgement of your intelligence or your worth as a student, since supervisors give feedback because they want you to succeed. If you receive a comment that you do not understand or disagree with, it is entirely appropriate to ask your supervisor to clarify their feedback or to discuss your response with them in a meeting or by email. Keeping a record of the feedback you receive throughout the dissertation process and revisiting it regularly will help you to identify patterns in the areas where you most need to improve and to track your progress over time.

Keyword: MHRA referencing UK

MHRA referencing comes from the Modern Humanities Research Association. You're likely encountering it if you're studying history, literature, or humanities disciplines in the UK. It resembles OSCOLA in some ways but diverges . Understanding those divergences matters.

MHRA uses footnotes similar to OSCOLA. Your superscript numbers correspond to footnotes. Each citation includes full information. But where OSCOLA focuses on legal authority, MHRA accommodates books, articles, manuscripts, and creative works. It's more flexible. It's also more complex initially.

#### Understanding MHRA Footnote Structure

Your first citation of a source includes complete information. Subsequent citations use shortened forms. For example, your first footnote might read: Michael Holroyd, Bernard Shaw: A Life (London: Chatto & Windus, 1988), p. 45.

Your subsequent footnote would read: Holroyd, p. 67.

Notice the structure of the first citation: Author first name last name, Title in Italics (Place of publication: Publisher, Year), page number.

Journal articles follow: Author first name last name, 'Title of Article in Single Quotes', Journal Title in Italics, Volume (Year), page range, accessed page number.

The specificity varies by source type. Books, journal articles, web sources, and archival materials each have slightly different requirements. Your humanities library provides guidance specific to each type.

Academic integrity is a principle of higher education that your university will take seriously, regardless of whether any breach was intentional or the result of careless academic practice. Plagiarism is not limited to copying passages from other sources without attribution; it also includes paraphrasing someone else's ideas without proper citation, submitting work that has been completed by another person, or submitting work you have previously submitted for a different module. Developing good habits of academic integrity from the beginning of your studies will protect you from the anxiety of submitting work when you are unsure whether your referencing and attribution practices meet the required standard. If you are ever in doubt about whether a particular practice constitutes plagiarism or another form of academic misconduct, the most sensible course of action is to consult your university's academic integrity guidelines or speak to your module tutor.

#### Building Your Bibliography with MHRA

Your MHRA dissertation includes footnotes and a bibliography. The bibliography lists all sources alphabetically by author surname. The format differs slightly from footnote format.

Books in bibliography: Surname, First Name, Title of Book (Place of publication: Publisher, Year).

Journal articles: Surname, First Name, 'Title of Article', Journal Title, Volume (Year), page range.

Websites: Author/Organisation, 'Title of Page', Website Name, accessed [date], [URL].

Because humanities research often extends across centuries, your bibliography might include ancient texts, medieval manuscripts, and contemporary publications. Each requires appropriate formatting. That diversity is what makes MHRA simultaneously complex and elegant. It accommodates virtually any source your research demands.

#### Handling Quotations in MHRA

Allocating sufficient time for each stage of the dissertation process, from initial reading through data collection to writing and revision, ensures that no single phase is rushed at the expense of the others.

Direct quotations in MHRA footnotes include page numbers always. Format: Author surname, Title, page number. When your quotation spans multiple pages, indicate the full range. Author surname, Title, pp. 45-47 indicates pages 45, 46, and 47.

For block quotations (over 50 words), indent the quotation and include the footnote. Your footnote appears at the end of the block quotation, outside the final full stop. This placement differs from in-line quotation footnoting. Clarity matters. Your reader should understand which footnote belongs to which quotation.

Omitted words within quotations use ellipsis. If you quote a sentence but remove some words, use three full stops. Author's brackets indicating your additions appear within square brackets. "He felt [increasingly anxious]..." shows you've added the clarification "increasingly anxious" to the original text.

The choice between qualitative and quantitative research methods should be determined by the nature of your research question and the kind of evidence that would best help you answer it convincingly and thoroughly.

The quality of your dissertation conclusion will often determine the final impression your work makes on your marker, as it is the last thing they read before forming their overall assessment of your academic achievement. A strong conclusion does more than simply repeat the main points of your dissertation; it synthesises your findings in a way that demonstrates the overall contribution your research has made to knowledge in your field. You should also take the opportunity in your conclusion to reflect on what you would do differently if you were conducting the research again, as this kind of reflexivity demonstrates intellectual maturity and an honest assessment of your work. Ending with a clear statement of the implications of your research and the questions it leaves open for future investigation gives your dissertation a sense of intellectual momentum and leaves your reader with a positive final impression.

#### Secondary Sources and Manuscript Materials

When citing a source quoted in another work, MHRA requires careful attribution. Footnote format: Author of original, Title, page, quoted in Author of secondary, Title, page.

The structure of your dissertation should reflect the logic of your argument rather than the chronological order in which you conducted your research, because what matters to the reader is the coherence of your reasoning.

Archival materials use: Archive name, Collection name, Reference number, Date (if available).

Dissertations and theses cite: Author surname, first name, Title of Dissertation (Unpublished PhD dissertation, University Name, Year), p. page.

Because many humanities dissertations rely on archival research, you'll encounter sources without obvious authors or publication information. Your institution's library provides guidance for unusual sources. Ask your research supervisor. They've guided students through similar challenges.

#### Managing Ibid. and Short Citations

Ibid. indicates the immediately preceding source. If footnote 7 cites Smith, and footnote 8 cites Smith again, your footnote 8 reads: Ibid.

The ability to synthesise information from multiple academic sources into a coherent and persuasive argument that advances your own position on the topic is perhaps the single most valuable skill that the scholarly engagement process develops in students regardless of their specific discipline.

You'll find that regular writing sessions aren't just about word count; they're about maintaining momentum.

If footnote 8 cites Smith but a different page: Ibid., p. 67.

If several footnotes separate your citations of Smith, don't use Ibid. Use the short form: Smith, p. 89.

Some MHRA guidance discourages Ibid. in favour of repeated short citations. Check your institution's preference. Modern humanities practise leans towards short citations because they're clearer. But Ibid. remains acceptable when the immediately preceding footnote cites the same source.

Data analysis is the stage of the dissertation process where many students feel most uncertain, particularly those who are new to qualitative or quantitative research methods and are analysing data for the first time. For quantitative studies, it is important to select statistical tests that are appropriate for the type of data you have collected and the hypotheses you are testing, and to report your results in a format that your reader can understand. Qualitative data analysis requires a different kind of rigour, involving careful attention to the themes and patterns that emerge from your data and a transparent account of the analytical decisions you have made throughout the process. Whatever approach to analysis you take, you should ensure that your analysis is guided throughout by your original research question, so that the connection between what you set out to investigate and what you actually found remains clear.

#### Online Sources and Digital Humanities

Websites in MHRA include URLs and access dates. Footnote format: Author/Organisation, 'Title of Page', Website Name, accessed [Day Month Year], [URL].

Ebooks cite like printed books but include the digital location identifier or URL. Author surname, first name, Title (Place: Publisher, Year), accessed [date], [URL], p. page number.

The final stages of completing your dissertation, including proofreading, formatting, and preparing your bibliography, require careful attention because errors in these areas can undermine the positive impression created by strong content.

Digital archives (like Early English Books Online) require special attention. Your institution probably provides guidance. Librarians specialising in digital humanities can clarify requirements.

Online journals cite like printed journals. Include volume, issue, and page numbers if available. If pagination isn't available, include article number or DOI instead.

#### Integrating MHRA into Your Dissertation

Dissertation Homework supports humanities students working through MHRA. Your citations shouldn't distract from your argument. They should strengthen it. When you cite correctly, readers trust your scholarship. They focus on your analysis, not on wondering whether you've referenced properly.

Universities like University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, University of Manchester, University College London, and School of Oriental and African Studies teach MHRA in their humanities programmes. Your institution provides resources. Attend your library's referencing workshops. Ask questions. Your supervisor becomes your guide when you're uncertain.

The relationship between your research question and your theoretical framework is one of the most important aspects of any dissertation, as the theoretical perspective you adopt will influence how you collect data and interpret your findings. Students sometimes treat theory as an abstract exercise that is disconnected from the practical work of research, but in reality your theoretical framework provides the conceptual tools that allow you to make sense of what you observe. Reviewing the theoretical literature in your field will help you identify the major schools of thought that have shaped current understanding and will allow you to position your own research within that intellectual landscape. Your marker will expect you to demonstrate not only that you are aware of the relevant theoretical debates in your field but also that you have thought carefully about how those debates relate to your own research design and findings.

FAQ

Q1: What's the difference between MHRA and Chicago referencing?

MHRA and Chicago (specifically the Notes-Bibliography system) are nearly identical. MHRA is the UK version. Chicago is the American version. Both use footnotes. Both include bibliographies. Minor formatting differences exist, particularly in punctuation and date formats. UK universities teach MHRA in humanities programmes. If you're studying humanities in the UK, learn MHRA. Chicago suits American universities and international contexts. Your institution specifies which system to use. Most UK universities recommend their preferred system in student handbooks. University of Cambridge and Oxford both teach MHRA in their humanities faculties. Learning one of these systems gives you foundation knowledge for the other. The principles transfer easily.

Starting with an outline that maps your argument from beginning to end gives you a framework to write within and makes it much easier to maintain focus and coherence across the many thousands of words your dissertation requires.

Q2: Do I need to include page numbers for every quotation in MHRA?

Yes, always. Direct quotations require page numbers. Your footnote includes the specific page where the quotation appears. Paraphrased ideas don't require page numbers in MHRA, though many supervisors appreciate them for precision. Page numbers for quotations allow readers to verify your accuracy. They also help you when revising. You can quickly locate the source material you quoted. Dissertation Homework recommends page numbers for all quotations regardless of referencing system. Page numbers strengthen academic integrity.

Q3: Can I cite contemporary websites the same way I cite printed books?

No. Websites have different structures than books. They often change over time. Your citation must include the access date so readers know when you viewed the content. Format: Author/Organisation, 'Title of Page', Website Name, accessed [Day Month Year], [URL]. Printed books have stable content. Websites don't. This difference necessitates recording when you accessed the material. Academic websites like university repositories may have version information. Include it if available. News articles and blogs benefit from access dates because content changes frequently.

Q4: How should I cite an image or artwork in MHRA?

Artist/Creator surname, first name, Title of Work (Date created, Medium, Location if relevant). For images in books: Artist surname, first name, Title, in Author surname, first name, Title of Book (Place: Publisher, Year), p. page. Museums and galleries often provide citation formats for their collections. Use their suggestions. Your institution probably has guidance on visual source citations. Humanities research increasingly incorporates visual materials. Getting these citations right matters for academic integrity.

Q5: How do I cite a manuscript or archival document in MHRA?

Format: Archive name, Collection name or MS reference, description of document (if helpful), Date. For example: British Library, Add. MS 12345, Letter from X to Y, 15 March 1678. Your institution's special collections or archives provide specific guidance for their materials. Email them with your source. They'll provide a model citation. Archivists specialise in source citation. Use their expertise. Many manuscript collections have online description pages showing proper citation formats. Your dissertation's credibility depends on citing archival sources correctly.