Proper referencing and in-text citation

The South African prides itself on publishing information that is consistently accurate, thoroughly verified and grounded in fact.

This means that sources need to be contacted, investigated and scrutinised. Sourcing information – from other online resources, print publications or spokespeople – should be done respectfully and responsibly.

Always mention (cite) sources used in the creation of your content by name. The only exception is when a source speaks on condition of anonymity, in which case, we  revert to:  “According to a source close to the matter, who has requested to remain anonymous, …”

Nothing is published on-site as fact without being verified by multiple sources. Take a look at some examples of the correct way to  cite sources:

“As reported by The Citizen on 12 November 2019, …”
“Speaking to SABC News, …”
“ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe confirmed that …”
“Gauteng police spokesperson Kay Makhubele explained …”

Note that in some cases, elaborated on in further modules, original digital sources (other news sites) need to be hyperlinked to the exact content post/URL from which the information was gathered.

External links are only allowed from the third paragraph (one per paragraph – note: two or more sentences, going into three lines, is a paragraph).

• Must open in new tab

• Non-news media, non-government links must be marked as no-follow

Attributing sources is not only important on an ethical basis, but also in terms of covering your own back.