Reference 49717 225825236 2008-07-15T16:01:30Z Onorem 622881 Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/Pink!Teen|Pink!Teen]] ([[User talk:Pink!Teen|talk]]) to last version by Masao {{Citations missing|date=February 2008}} {{for|citing references in Wikipedia|Wikipedia:Citing sources}} In general, a '''reference''' is a relation between objects in which one object designates by linking to another object. Such relations as these ''may'' occur in a variety of domains, including logic, computer science, art and scholarship. Although the objects which the term reference applies may be of a varying character ranging from concrete examples such as reference work which includes pointers or symbols. The nature of reference as a role in language and thought has been around since the 19th Century. During this time, applying itself as an important topic of discussion. An object which is referred to as a reference (where the reference leads) is called a '''referent'''. The term '''reference''' is used with different specialized meanings in a variety of fields, as follows: == Semantics == In [[semantics]], reference is generally construed as the relation between [[noun]]s or [[pronouns]] and objects that are named by them. Hence the word ''John'' refers to John. The word ''it'' refers to some previously specified object. The object referred to is called the ''referent'' of the word.<ref>{{citation | title = Semantics | first = John | last = Saeed | page = 12 | publisher = Blackwell | isbn = 0631226931}}</ref> Sometimes the word-object relation is called ''[[denotation]]''; the word denotes the object. The converse relation, the relation from object to word, is called ''[[exemplification]]''; the object exemplifies what the word denotes. In syntactic analysis, if a word refers to a previous word, the previous word is called the ''[[antecedent]]''. === Meaning === [[Gottlob Frege|Frege]] argued that reference cannot be treated as identical with meaning: "[[Hesperus]]" (an ancient Greek name for the evening star) and "[[Phosphorus]]" (an ancient Greek name for the morning star) both refer to [[Venus (planet)|Venus]], but the astronomical fact that '"Hesperus" is "Phosphorus"' can still be informative, even if the 'meanings' of both "Hesperus" and "Phosphorus" are already known. This problem led Frege to distinguish between the [[sense and reference]] of a word. === Absent referent === {{main|Absent referent}} Words can often be meaningful without having a referent. Fictional and mythological names such as "Bo-Peep" and "Hercules" illustrate this possibility. For those who argue that one cannot directly experience the divine (e.g. God), the sign "[[God]]" can serve as an example of a reference with an absent referent. Additionally, certain sects of [[Judaism]] and other religions consider it sinful to write, discard, or deface the name of the divine. To avoid this problem, the signifier [[G-d]] is sometimes used, though this could be seen as a sign which refers to another sign with an absent referent. In mathematics, the absent referent can be seen with the symbol for zero, "0" or the empty set, "{ }". === Linguistic sign === {{main|Sign (linguistics)}} The semantic sign can be considered a subset of a more general concept, the [[Sign (linguistics)|linguistic sign]], first elucidated by [[Ferdinand de Saussure‎]]. A sign contains two parts, the [[signified]] (a thought which represents an object), and the [[signifier]] (the sound or written word). Both have a referent (the actual physical object). The sign is a building block for texts that supplies sound and meaning. The smallest building block is called a [[morpheme]] and may be [[lexical]] (or referential, carry lexical/encyclopedic meaning, i.e. refer to real-life entities). This kind of extra-linguistic reference is called [[deixis]] after a Greek word meaning "to point". In contrast, grammatical morphemes express reference to more abstract categories such as time ([[tense]]) or location ([[locative]]). Certain parts of speech exist only in order to express reference, viz. [[anaphora]], i.e. typically [[pronouns]]. The subset of reflexives [[reflexive]] express co-reference of [[agent]] (actor) and patient (acted-upon), as in "The man washed himself". {{Sectstub|date=May 2008}} == Art == In [[Art]], a reference is an item from which a work is based. This may include an existing artwork, a reproduced (i.e. photo) or directly observed (i.e. person) object, or the artist's memory. == Academic writing == In academic literature, a reference is a previously published written work within [[academic publishing]] which has been used as a source for theory or claims referred to which are used in the text. References contain complete bibliographic information so the interested reader can find them in a library. References can be added either at the end of the publication, or as [[footnote]]s. == Computer science == {{main|Reference (computer science)}} In [[computer science]], [[reference (computer science)|reference]]s are [[datatype]]s which refer to an object elsewhere in memory, and are used to construct a wide variety of [[data structure]]s such as [[linked list]]s. Most [[programming language]]s support some form of reference. The [[C++]] programming language has a specific type of reference also referred to as a ''reference''; see [[reference (C++)]]. == Geometry == A '''reference point''' is a location used to describe another one, by giving the relative position. Similarly we have the concept of [[frame of reference]] (both in physics and figuratively), [[benchmark (surveying)|benchmark]] (in surveying and figuratively), etc. == Libraries == In a [[library]], the word ''reference'' may refer to a [[dictionary]], [[encyclopedia]], or other [[reference work]] that contains many brief articles that cover a broad scope of knowledge in one book, or a set of books. However, the word ''reference'' is also used to mean a book that cannot be taken from the room, or from the building. Many of the books in the ''reference department'' of a library are reference works, but some are books that are simply too large or valuable to loan out. Conversely, selected reference works may be shelved with other [[library circulation|circulating]] books, and may be loaned out. References (see also [[citations]]) to many types of printed matter may come in electronic or machine-readable form. For books there exists the [[ISBN]], for journal articles, the [[digital object identifier]] (DOI) is gaining relevance. Information on the [[Internet]] may be referred to by a [[uniform resource identifier]] (URI). Librarians also conduct [[reference interview|reference interviews]] at [[library reference desk|library reference desks]] to help people find the information they seek. Help may also be available outside the library though [[virtual reference]] and [[digital reference services]]. == Scholarship == In scholarship, a reference may be a [[citation]] of a text that has been used in the creation of a piece of work such as an essay, report, or oration. Its primary purpose is to allow people who read such work to examine the author's sources, either for [[valid]]ity, or simply to learn more about the subject. Such items are often listed at the end of an article or book in a section marked [[Bibliography]] or in a section marked [[References]]. A [[Bibliography]] section will often contain work not cited by the author, but used as background reading or listed as potentially useful to the reader. A section labeled [[References]] should contain ''all'' and ''only'' work ''cited'' in the main text. Copying of material by another author without proper citation or without required permissions amounts to '[[plagiarism]]'. == Work references == In the [[labour market]] potential employers often ask job applicants for references so that their suitability can be verified independently. The references can be a written [[letter]] but are often a contact [[telephone]] number. Employers can ask for 'professional' references which are from former employers or for 'character' references which are from people of distinction, such as doctors or teachers, who are known to the applicant and can vouch for their employability. == Canadian law == {{main|reference question}} A [[Reference question]], or "Reference" is a procedure through which the government of [[Canada]] can submit legal questions to the [[Supreme Court of Canada]] and provincial governments to the provincial courts of appeal. == See also == * [[Antecedent (grammar)]] * [[Exemplification]] * [[Generic antecedents]] * [[Library reference desk]] * [[List of reference tables]] * [[Reference work]] * [[Self-reference]] ==External links== * [http://www.reference.com/ Reference.com] - a multi-source encyclopedia search service, and language reference products provider * [http://www.references.net/ References.net] - a directory of multidisciplinary reference resources on the web * [http://dir.yahoo.com/Reference/ Reference Resources] - reference related websites in the Yahoo! Directory ==References== {{Wiktionary|reference}} {{reflist}} [[Category:Reference]] [[Category:Semantics]] [[es:Referencia]] [[fa:مرجع‌شناسی]] [[gl:Referencia]] [[io:Refero]] [[ia:Referentia]] [[it:Reference]] [[ja:参考文献]] [[he:רפרנט]] [[ru:Референт]] [[simple:Reference]] [[sk:Referencia]] [[sv:Referens]] [[th:การอ้างอิง]] [[vi:Tham khảo]] [[yi:רעפערענץ]]