Creating accurate and properly formatted references (citations) is essential to give credit to the sources you’ve used in your MBA project report and to allow readers to locate those sources if they want to explore the referenced materials further. The specific citation style (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard) you use may have unique requirements, so it’s important to consult your institution’s guidelines or your professor’s recommendations for the correct format.
However, here’s a general guide on how to write references in a typical APA format:
- Start a New Page: Begin your reference page on a new page at the end of your report, separate from the main body of the document. The title should be “References” and centered at the top of the page.
- Order of Entries: List your references in alphabetical order by the last name of the first author. If there is no author, use the title of the work to alphabetize.
- Formatting: Use a hanging indent format, where the first line is flush with the left margin, and subsequent lines are indented by 0.5 inches (or as specified by your citation style).
- Book References: Here’s the general format for citing a book:Author(s). (Year of publication). Title of the book. Publisher.For example: Smith, J. (2019). Strategic Management: Concepts and Cases. McGraw-Hill Education.
- Journal Article References: When citing a journal article, use the following format:Author(s). (Year of publication). Title of the article. Title of the Journal, Volume(Issue), page range. DOI or URLFor example: Johnson, L. A., & Brown, D. S. (2020). Leadership in turbulent times. Harvard Business Review, 98(4), 54-61.
- Website References: For web sources, provide the following information: Author(s) or organization. (Year of publication or update). Title of the webpage. Website Name. URLFor example: McKinsey & Company. (2022). Global trends: Digital transformation. https://www.mckinsey . com/business-functions/
- In-Text Citations: In your main text, use in-text citations to indicate when you are referencing a source. The format for in-text citations depends on the citation style you are using (e.g., (Smith, 2019) or (Johnson & Brown, 2020)).
- DOI (Digital Object Identifier): Whenever possible, include the DOI for academic articles. DOIs provide a permanent and stable link to the source. If a DOI is not available, use the URL.
- Access Date: In APA style, you typically do not need to include an access date for online sources. However, some other citation styles may require this.
- Editions and Page Numbers: If you are referencing a specific edition of a book or a particular page in a source, include this information in your reference.
Conclusion:
Remember that different citation styles may have specific requirements for formatting and elements, so always refer to the appropriate style guide (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago) for detailed instructions. Consistency and accuracy in your references are crucial to maintain the integrity of your project report and avoid issues related to plagiarism.
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