Writing_Magazine_-_November_2019_UserUpload.Net

RESEARCH TIPS

follow your publisher’s style guide

to the letter. Generally speaking, the

more academic the publication is,

the more detailed your attribution is

likely to be. In the example above,

some publications might have

requested that I also include the page

number (p11) and/or the year of

publication (1973).

Reference lists and

bibliographies

For certain publications, such as

books and some of articles, you’re

required to produce a reference list or

a bibliography. Make sure you know

which one you’re required to compile:

a reference list refers to sources that

you’ve cited in your writing while a

bibliography additionally includes all

the background material you’ve read,

even though you have not directly

cited them.

To create a reference list or a

bibliography, you need all the relevant

reference information handy. You

should get into a habit of jotting down

these details whenever you consult

new sources. It’s so much easier to do

this at the time and not have to retrace

the information afterwards (see the

box-out for what to record).

The entries in a reference list

are usually arranged alphabetically

by author’s last name or in the

order they were cited. Longer

bibliographies are sometimes

organised by categories (such as

books, articles and archival sources),

but within each category the

alphabetical arrangement by author’s

last name tends to be the norm. As

BEHIND THE TAPE

Expert advice to get the details right in your crime

fiction, from serving police officer Lisa Cutts

If you

have a query

for Lisa, please send it

by email to enquiries@

lisacutts.co.uk

Q

If an adult male disappeared from a hotel room, at what

point would the police consider him a missing person?

A few more details:

The character has no known mental health issues or learning difficulties.

His wife would be the one reporting him missing (she was also

staying in the hotel room) – she considers him to have no reason to

‘walk out’.

He has left all his possessions behind, including his mobile phone.

Nicki Robson via email.

A

If his wife contacts the police, he would be classed as a

missing person. Anyone whose whereabouts cannot be

established will be considered as missing until they’re located

and their wellbeing or otherwise confirmed. 

In your scenario, the CAD (Computer Aided Dispatch – the log

created when his wife calls the police) will be marked up as High

rather than Immediate as it would be thought he had merely left

the hotel rather than any mental health issues putting him in

immediate danger. Someone for instance who was voluntarily at

a mental health clinic and left would probably be considered as

Immediate Risk. Self-harm or a danger to others would be a major

consideration.

There would also be cross-border checks and inter-agency liaison

if applicable. 

I think from what you’ve described, it would suit your plot if his

wife reports him missing and the police mark it up accordingly, alert

local patrols in the area, tell local CCTV operators and try calling his

phone, depending on how quickly, if at all, you want him found.

Q

Whose responsibility is it to speak to and provide information

to the press in a murder investigation?

JM Smith via email

A

The Senior Investigating Officer, the DCI or DI, will liaise with

the press officer for that particular force and they will put

together a press release. If there is a media appeal, that will

again be organised by the press officer with the SIO. At the end of a

trial, local journalists usually approach the senior officer as she or he

comes out of court for them to make a comment for that evening’s

local news.

http://www.writers-online.co.uk NOVEMBER 2019 71

for the exact way in which reference

information is presented, there are

different styles that are used. Ask

your publisher for their style guide

and follow it meticulously. If you’re

not given a specific style, choose

one that is commonly used in the

subject area you’re writing about.

The book in the above example

could be referenced in line with

the APA style as: Huff, D. (1973).

How to Lie with Statistics. London:

Penguin Books. You can get an

overview of the different styles at

https://writ.rs/citation.

Although referencing may seem

confusing, it’s actually rather

straightforward: if you’re explicit when

using someone else’s work and follow

a style guide when acknowledging it,

you’re on the right track.