How do I write a secondary reference … in the NLM style?
22/01/2026
Secondary referencing is used when you’re reading a work which includes a quotation from another author, and you – the researcher – can’t obtain the original source. We always advise, where possible, to try to obtain and read the original source document. When this is not possible, however, you will need to write a secondary reference.
The way to do this in the NLM style is to use the phrase “as cited by” within the running text of your work, and add the reference to the original work within your reference list.
For example:
Giddens as cited by Webster (4, p.280) uses the theory of reflexive modernization to…
At the end of your document, the reference list will include only the sources that you read directly, so your reference would be for Webster, not Giddens:
- Webster F. Theories of the information society. 4th ed. Abingdon: Routledge; 2014.
For all your referencing questions – please contact Cranfield Libraries.
Please note: Cranfield supports two different referencing styles – APA7 (Author-date) and Numbered (NLM). Please make sure you use the style preferred by your supervisor or lecturer.
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