Referencing Alternatives and Side Notes

A problem that has plagued many authors and publishers has been the need to cite information sources and to make note of information related to the primary topic that the writer believes is important to provide to his or her readers that may not fit into the aesthetic flow of the main document. Various techniques have been employed over the years to address these needs and may be summarized into several basic categories.

Parenthetical Referencing

In-line parenthetical referencing, also known as Harvard-style referencing, is used to reference source citations listed in an end-of-document bibliography. The typical parenthetical reference will contain the author’s name and the date of the publication, along with a notation of what pages the cited information may be found. Variations of this technique exist to cover specific, extenuating conditions.

Though this technique has gained wide acceptance since its first use in 1881, there are some who feel that parenthetical referencing is flawed. Critics describe Harvard referencing as doing more to expand the physical size of the document than effectively documenting the sources of information since it does not address the issue of citation formatting of the bibliographic materials the references point to.

In part, the inability to include relevant information that may not fit in the aesthetic flow of the document may also influence this opinion. This issue is often reflected in the continued, widespread use of other referencing techniques frequently found in parallel to parenthetical referencing.

Footnotes

Predating parenthetical referencing, footnotes offer the ability to reference source material citations while simultaneously allowing the inclusion of information that, though relevant, may not fit comfortably into the aesthetics of the related paragraphs. This technique does have a significant drawback in that its use had been excessive in many cases, with some footnotes extending over 5 to 10 pages.

In early usage, publishers used font “daggers” in the text to point to the related footnotes. Though still found today, this technique has fallen into disfavor. In modern footnote usage, footnotes are numbered and the in-text dagger replaced with a numerical reference marker.

Endnotes

Considered the younger sibling of footnotes, endnotes document the same types of information as footnotes. However, the related notes are placed at the end of the document, normally just before any appendix materials. One advantage to endnotes is they do not break the aesthetic flow of the document. However, this is also a disadvantage in that the reader, should he or she wish to read the notes as they progress through the document, must turn repeatedly to the end materials to read what is being noted. This can be problematic since the reader has no way of knowing if the referenced notation will contain additional, useful information or if it is merely a source citation marker.

Sidebars

Sidebars are used to contain information that is relevant to the main document but does not fit directly into the main document. Often the information provided has an indirect relationship to the text, such as giving the background on an in-text mentioned individual or event, or offers an expounding of in-text data or facts. Sidebars are also used in some cases to contain a bio of the author. Sidebars are relatively uncommon in books, with some exceptions, but are frequently used in scholarly journals or popular magazines.

Appendix Materials

Appendix sections contain information directly relevant to the main document, but are placed into the appendix due to the length of the information. Typical types of appendix materials may include glossaries, technical details related to the main topic, and expanded explanations of research findings, though this list is hardly inclusive of all possible uses. Some appendix materials are simple statements of fact, such as charts or diagrams supporting the main document or reference tables of data mentioned within the document.

How These Might Affect Your Assignment

Appropriate use of these techniques can significantly affect the academic standing or professional appearance of your document. The key is usually the reason for and content of the materials contained within them. The decision between the uses of Harvard referencing and footnote or endnote citation referencing, for example, has little effect regarding your assignment, as long as the citations themselves are in order. Most instructors will not include them in word counts or document length expectations, considering them only as bibliographic materials and professional supervisors may consider them nothing more than documentation of your research thoroughness, adding to your professional image but bearing little relevance to the document itself.

Inclusion of additional, relevant information in footnotes, endnotes or sidebars may be viewed as additional material by some instructors and be considered in the document length and quality equation. Most readers view appendix materials such as charts, graphs, and tables as part of the main document and will consider the materials in the document quality and length expectations.

How Our Company Can Help

Many individuals have great difficulties in knowing when these referencing and informational techniques are appropriate in the preparation of scholastic or professional documents. Our stable of seasoned writers takes great pride in being able to assist with such matters. With their extensive experience, each of them has a working knowledge of the use (and limitations) of each of these techniques. As our writers prepare each assignment, they carefully consider whether the use of each would be appropriate and, should a given situation require a judgment call on the part of the client, will willingly advise the client regarding such matters in a professional manner.

The use (or misuse) of these techniques can make or break a document by directly or indirectly affecting the instructor’s or supervisor’s opinion of the overall document. Our writers are fully aware of this fact and work very hard to ensure that each document is not only technically sound, but aesthetically appealing as well, balancing between the concepts of informational prose and readability.

It is the care and skill of our writers in balancing pure writing skills with the various aesthetic considerations of such techniques that has earned our company one of the highest reputations in the industry. The ability to obtain and maintain such a balance is seldom a natural talent and is a difficult skill to teach in the classroom. It normally takes years of experience to master. Contact us today and let us apply our talents and experience to your next academic or professional assignment.