Authors who wish to submit to this journal must ensure that their submissions conform to the following bespoke referencing style guide below. A downloadable document is also available and can be accessed by clicking here.

Books

References to books should give the initial(s) without punctuation, the surname(s) of the author(s), comma, the title in full (italicised) followed by only a space and (within brackets) the place of publication, followed by a colon, space, the publisher, comma, and the date of publication, followed by a comma and the page(s) referred to and a full stop. For example:

J Keegan, War and our World (New York: Vintage Books, 2001), 66–67.

More than one author is indicated with the ‘&’ symbol, not written out as ‘and’. For example:

KL Surrey & L Bank, Women in Modern Warfare (London: Brothers Inc, 2001), 67.

All subsequent references to the same book should use the surname(s), no initials, of the author(s) and a short title, followed by the page numbers. For Example:

Keegan, War and our World, 67.

Edited Book

If referring to an edited collection, it should be written as follows: initial(s) and surname(s) of the editor(s), (ed.) or (eds.), comma, the title in full (italicised), the place of publication, the publisher and the date of publication (within brackets). For example:

KL Bank & JJ Granger (eds.), Magical Creatures of the Underworld (Cape Town: Double Storey, 2006).

D Vader (ed.), The Rise and Fall of the Republics (Tatooine: Galaxy, 2006).

All subsequent references to the same source should use the editor’s surname and a short title:

Vader (ed.), The Rise and Fall of the Republics.

This reference style is only used if referring to the source in a general sense in its entirety, for instance, in a literature review. The chapter should be referenced as shown below if referring to specific pages or sections in the book.

Chapter in Edited Collection

When referencing a chapter in an edited book, you should give the initial(s) and surname(s) of the author(s), the title of the article (within single inverted commas), followed by the full details of the book as shown above. If referring to the chapter in its entirety, the pages need to be referenced accordingly. For example:

N Mashatola & P Bester, ‘Posttraumatic Growth: New Opportunities for the South African Military’, in NM Dodd, PC Bester & J van der Merwe (eds.), Contemporary Issues in South African Military Psychology (Stellenbosch: SUN PReSS, 2020), 205–232.

All subsequent references to the same source should use the author’s surname and a short title:

Mashatola & Bester, ‘Posttraumatic Growth’, 209.

Journal Articles

References to journal articles should give the initial(s) and surname(s) of the author(s), the title of the article (within single inverted commas), the title of the journal in full (italicised), and the volume, issue number, date in brackets and page number(s). For example:

IJ van der Waag, ‘Smuts’s Generals: Towards a First Portrait of the South African High Command, 1912–1948’, War in History, 18, 1 (2011), 22–61.

Subsequent references to the same source should use the surname(s) of the author(s) and a short title:

Van der Waag, ‘Smuts’s Generals’, 28.

Honours Treatises, Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Before referencing an unpublished treatise, thesis, or dissertation, make sure that the study has not already been published in a book format or that the chapter has not been published as an article since it is preferable to cite the most recent source material. If the material has not been published, then the original study can be referenced as indicated below.

References to a treatise/thesis/dissertation should give the initial(s) and surname of the author, the title of the study (italicised), and the degree, the university where it was awarded and the date (within brackets):

B Mokoena, Conflict and Peace in Burundi: Exploring the cause (s) and nature of the conflict and prospects for peace (MA Thesis, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, 2006), 160–167.

Subsequent references to the same thesis should use the author’s surname and a short title:

Mokoena, Conflict and Peace in Burundi, 182.

Archival References

Archival references should indicate the archival depot, library, or museum and identify the collection or group of documents or papers. The abbreviations for the various government archive depots can be found online (click here). Full stops should not be used in citing archival references; for example, use DOD, not D.O.D.

Archival material is referenced first by writing the depot’s name, followed by the abbreviation in brackets, the archival group name, followed by the abbreviation in brackets, the box number, the file number, the name of the file, and the date. For example:

Department of Defence Archives (hereafter DOD Archives), Union War Histories Civil (hereafter UWH Civil), Box 607, File 1A, Interview with Private Venter re Tobruk, 10 July 1947.

Subsequent reference to this archive and/or archival group use the abbreviation of the archive depot and archival group as follows:

DOD Archives, UWH Civil, Box 607, File 1A, Interview with Private Venter re Tobruk, 10 July 1947.

A diary or journal found in the archives should be referenced as archival depot, box or collection number, name, and item type, followed by the entry date. For example:

NASAP, A164 Captain RC Forbes Collection, Diary, Tuesday 25 July 1936.

Books, pamphlets, government reports and other items found in archives or museums should be independently referenced as you would if found in a library.

Government Publications

Government Reports

Blue books, white papers, commissions of inquiry and other similar government reports are referenced by first noting the series, for instance, UG (Union of South Africa) or SC (Select Committee), followed by the number in the series, the abbreviated year of publication, the title in italics, the publisher, the year of publication and either a full stop or page number(s). For example:

UG 10-’15, Report on the Outbreak of the Rebellion and the Policy of the Government with Regard to its Suppression (Fouche Report) (Pretoria: Government Printing and Stationary Office, 1915), 23.

Subsequent references can be cited as follows:

UG 10-’15, Report on the Outbreak of the Rebellion, 34.

Another example:

UG 35-’32, Annual Report of the Department of Defence for the Year ended 30 June 1932 (Pretoria: Government Printer, 1933), 1.

Subsequent references can be cited as follows:

UG 35-’32, Annual Report of the Department of Defence

Another example of a different series:

SC 2-’11, Report of the Select Committee on Hansard (Cape Town: Cape Times Limited, 1911), 2.

Subsequent references can be cited as follows:

SC 2-’11, Report of the Select Committee on Hansard, 56.

Parliamentary Debates

When referring to parliamentary debates, the country is noted first, then parliament’s name, the session and parliament is noted, the dates that parliament was in session, the place, publisher and date in brackets. For example:

Union of South Africa, House of Assembly. Debates of the Second Session of the First Parliament, 1912. Comprising the period 26^th January to 24^th June 1912 (Cape Town: Cape Times Limited, 1912), cols. 15-16.

Subsequent references can be cited as follows:

House of Assembly Debates, 7 September 1948, col. 1727.

Government Gazettes

Government notices and proclamations published in government gazettes are cited by first noting the number of the notice/proclamation, the title, the date it was signed, government gazette in italics, the number and volume of the gazette, the publication date and the page number. For example:

Government Notice No. 54 – Military Pensions Commissioner, 13 January 1916, Government Gazette, No. 705, Vol. XXII, 14 January 1916, 47.

Please take special care of the difference between the two dates: one for when the government notice/proclamation was signed, the second for the publication of the Government Gazette – in other words, the date of actual publication. This is important, for some matters are implemented from the date of signing, others from the date of publication.

Legislation

Legislation is italicised in the main text and the endnotes, followed by the number and year of promulgation in brackets. For example, the Defence Act (No. 13 of 1912). Where applicable, refer to the specific section, article or clause. For example:

Section 134 of the Defence Act (No. 13 of 1912).

Legislation is subsequently referred to as the Defence Act or Section 134 of the Defence Act.  

Newspapers and Magazines

Newspaper articles and magazines are cited similarly to journal articles and the government gazette. The author’s initial is cited first, followed by the surname, the article’s title in single inverted commas, the newspaper and magazine name in italics, the date of publication and the page number. For example:

A Mazinsky, ‘The Tactical Application of Airpower in Modern Times’, Strategy Weekly, 28 October 2009, 45-46.

If the magazine has various issues and volumes, it should be included as with journal articles/government gazettes. Subsequent reference to this source can be made as follows:

Mazinsky, ‘The Tactical Application of Airpower’

Internet Sources

Internet sources should be avoided, especially where their origins or accuracy is uncertain. In cases where reputable internet sources are used, they should be cited with the full URL and the date the site was accessed.

Internet sources should be cited by initial(s) and surname of the author, the webpage’s title in single inverted commas, the site owner in italics, date. <URL> Accessed on date with day, month and year. For Example:

L Engelbrecht, ‘Analysts Welcome Defence Budget Boost’, DefenceWeb, 28 October 2009. <http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option= =4918&Ite=379> [Accessed on 3 June 2022].

Line breaks in URLs should be avoided as far as possible, and the copyeditor will indicate breaks in the final text. Subsequent reference to this internet source can be made as follows:

Engelbrecht, ‘Analysts Welcome Defence Budget Boost’

Conference, Symposium Seminar Papers

Cite conference, symposium and seminar papers by first noting the initials, last name, followed by the title in single inverted commas, full stop, then ‘Paper presented at’ Name of Conference/seminar/symposium, place, date with day, month and year. For example:

B Heuser, ‘Strategy Making: The Theory vs the Practice’. Paper presented at the First South African Conference on Strategic Theory, Stellenbosch, 11 June 2009.

Subsequent reference to this source can be made as follows:

Heuser, ‘Strategy Making: The Theory vs. the Practice’.

Films

Films/videos/documentaries are cited similarly to books. The director’s initials and surname, followed by dir in brackets, the title of the film in italics, original release date, city (if available), production company, and year edition in brackets, followed by the medium type. When referring to a specific time frame, these should be cited in minutes and seconds, like a page number.

BG Hutton (dir), Kelly’s Heroes (1970; Hollywood, United States: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 2002), DVD.

Subsequent reference to this video can be made as follows:

Hutton (dir), Kelly’s Heroes.

In the case of an online video, first cite the title in single inverted brackets, the file type, name of the Website where it is posted in italics, followed by ‘Posted’ by poster, date posted, time frame in MM:SS followed by a full stop. Then the URL and date accessed. For example:

‘Feature Interview - Part 1 - Professor Peter Leahy AC, University of Canberra’, Online Video on Youtube. Posted by WA Defence Review, 11 April 2018, 5:02. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJzU3NjDikY >[Accessed on 3 June 2022].

Line breaks in URLs should be avoided as far as possible, and the copyeditor will indicate breaks in the final text. Subsequent reference to this internet source can be made as follows:

‘Feature Interview - Part 1 - Professor Peter Leahy AC, University of Canberra’, Online Video on Youtube.

Using 3rd party material

Authors should note that it is their responsibility to obtain the necessary written permission to include copyright material in their article owned and held in copyright by a third party as part of their Author Publishing Agreement with Scientia Militaria. Such material may include, for example, an archival photo or published cartoon. Other examples may include but are not limited to, proprietary text, illustration, table, or other material, including data, audio, video, film stills, screenshots, musical notation, and any supplemental material.

Understanding copyright for journals

It is every author’s responsibility to make themselves fully aware of any copyright implications that protect original creative work, including academic articles. Copyright allows the creator of a work to decide whether and under what conditions their work may be used, published and distributed by others. As such, it governs how others can use, publish and distribute articles.

Copyright Notice

Authors, and copyright holders, may use the published version for teaching purposes in books, theses, dissertations, conferences and conference papers. A copy of the authors’ published version may also be hosted on the following websites:

Non-commercial personal homepage or blog.

Institutional webpage.

Authors Institutional Repository.

The following notice should accompany such a posting on the website: This is an electronic version of an article published in Scientia Militaria, Volume XXX, number XXX, pages XXX - XXX, DOI. Authors should also supply a hyperlink to the original paper or indicate where the original paper (http://scientiamilitaria.journals.ac.za) may be found.

The authors’ published version, affiliated with Stellenbosch University, will be automatically deposited in SUNScholar, the University’s Institutional Repository.

Articles, as a whole, may not be re-published in another journal, without written consent from the Editor. 

The following license applies:

Attribution CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

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