Citing our collections in your research

Regardless of the type of academic research you are undertaking, it’s vital that you clearly identify information and ideas in your writing which come from original source materials, such as those found in our collections. This is essential to ensure you avoid plagiarism and acknowledge other people’s ideas. It also helps people reading your published work identify where they can find your original sources, should they wish to see them for themselves.

Before you publish any transcripts or images from our collections, you will need to contact us for more information on the process, and for a copy of our Permission to Publish form. This will need to be signed off by an archivist before you can publish your work, so please give us as much notice as you can. This process also needs to be followed for undergraduate and Masters dissertations, and PhD theses.

On this page you will find some examples of the types of information you will need to include when you reference or cite archival sources. It’s important to note that the examples we’ve given include all the key information you would expect to find in an archival reference, but they are not exhaustive. You may also need to modify the examples to fit the particular referencing style required by your publisher, university, school or college. If you are a University of York student, you can find out more about the referencing style used in your department in our Practical Guide to Referencing Styles.

Examples of citing archival sources:

Report of a Visit by D. Robertson (Product Development Manager) and R.W. Rose (Engineering Research Manager) to US Industries Inc, Maryland, America, 1964. Rowntree & Co Archive. Borthwick Institute for Archives, University of York. GB 193 R/DT/1
Guard Book: Assorted Products, 1957 - 1958. Rowntree & Co Archive. Borthwick Institute for Archives, University of York. GB 193 R/DD/SA/33/AB3
Female Case Book, 3 April 1857 - 27 July 1861. Clifton Hospital Archive. Borthwick Institute for Archives, University of York. GB 193 NHS/CLF/6/5/5/3
Letters to Lady Elizabeth Ponsonby from her brother, the 4th Duke of Devonshire, 1748-1759. Halifax Family and Estate Archive. Borthwick Institute for Archives, University of York. GB 193 HALIFAX/A1/1/1
Askham Bog Nature Reserve General site file 1966-1973, 1966-1973. Yorkshire Wildlife Trust Archive. Borthwick Institute for Archives, University of York. GB 193 YWT/5/1/1/3/2
Tithe Award and Map, 1850-1851. Parish Records of Seaton Ross. Borthwick Institute for Archives, University of York. GB 193 PR/S/R/11
Walter de Gray: major roll, 1225-1235. York Diocesan Archive: Archbishops’ registers. Borthwick Institute for Archives, University of York. GB 193 Abp Reg/1A
WaterWatch, 1996-1997. Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust Archive. Borthwick Institute for Archives, University of York. GB 193 JRRT/4/797

Citing original wills from our collections:

Reference the will in the following format:

[Name of court or jurisdiction], York Diocesan Archive. Borthwick Institute for Archives, University of York, GB 193 [Court reference number] [Name of person and location] [Date].

For example:

Prerogative Court of York Wills, York Diocesan Archive. Borthwick Institute for Archives, University of York, GB 193, PCY John Smith of Helmsley, March 1824.
Exchequer Court of York Wills, York Diocesan Archive. Borthwick Institute for Archives, University of York, GB 193, ECY John Smith of Leeds, Ainsty Deanery, January 1725/6.
Dean and Chapter of York Wills, York Diocesan Archive. Borthwick Institute for Archives, University of York, GB 193, D/C wills John Smith of Misterton, 1825.
Probate Peculiar Jurisdictions, York Diocesan Archive. Borthwick Institute for Archives, University of York, GB 193, Wistow wills John Smith of Cawood, 1624.

Citing parish registers from our collections

Reference the register in the following format:

[Register Title and Covering Dates]. Parish records of [Parish Name], [date]. Borthwick Institute for Archives, University of York, GB 193, [reference number] [insert page or folio number or specific date here as applicable].

For example:

Marriage Register, 1838-1908. Parish Records of York, St Helen, Stonegate, 1568-1995. Borthwick Institute for Archives, University of York, GB 193, PR/Y/HEL/7.

Citing an indexed entry from our hospital case books

WHITE, Margaret, 15 April 1857. Clifton Hospital Archive. Borthwick Institute for Archives, University of York. GB 193 NHS/CLF/6/5/5/3/446