V.Repeated references
A. Repeated footnote references
B.Use of ibid.
C.Shortened references
D.Repeated footnotes in tables and figures
A reference is given the first time that a source or item is mentioned in the text. In resolutions, a reference is given once only, the first time that an item is mentioned, whether in the preamble or in the operative part. Once a reference has been given, it is repeated only when necessary for the sake of clarity or to change a specific element in the reference, such as a section or paragraph number.
A. Repeated footnote references
In a change from past practice, numbered footnote indicators are no longer repeated in resolutions. When a reference must be repeated, a new footnote with the identical text should be inserted.
Example:
The General Assembly,
. . .
Having consideredthe reports of the Secretary-General,1,2the report of the Office of Internal Oversight Services3and the note by the Secretary-General,4
. . .
1.Takes noteof the reports of the Secretary-General, the report of the Office of Internal Oversight Services and the note by the Secretary-General;
2.Approvesthe measures outlined in the report of the Secretary-General;5
1A/74/89.
2A/74/112.
3A/74/244.
See AlsoWhat is IQ? | Mensa InternationalFunctions of Each Device - ibisPaint01. Introduction - How to use ibisPaintIBISWorld – GZ Consulting4A/74/341.
5A/74/112.
Repeated footnote indicators may be used inexplanatory footnotes. This is the practice, for example, in the preliminary list of items for inclusion in the agenda of the General Assembly, the provisional agenda and the draft agenda (see e.g.A/BUR/72/1, para. 88), where the same explanatory footnote applies to several items:
16. The role of the United Nations in promoting a new global human order.8
_______
8This item, which has not yet been considered by the General Assembly at its seventy-first session, remains on the agenda of that session. Its inclusion in the provisional agenda of the seventy-second session is subject to any action the Assembly may take on it at its seventy-first session.. . .
36. Protracted conflicts in the GUAM area and their implications for international peace, security and development.8
* * *
4. Election of the President of the General Assembly [P.4].9
5. Election of the officers of the Main Committees [P.5].9
6. Election of the Vice-Presidents of the General Assembly [P.6].9
_______
9In accordance with rule 30 of the rules of procedure, the General Assembly will hold these elections for its seventy-second session at least three months before the opening of that session.
In documents and publications, it is preferable to avoid repeated indicators and to use a shortened version of the original reference in a new footnote (seeShortened referencesbelow).
Repeated footnotes indicated by asterisks and other symbols.When asterisks and other symbols are used as footnote indicators in a list or table of contents, the same symbol can be repeated as necessary when the footnote applies to more than one item. The footnote itself need not be repeated.
B.Use of ibid.
"Ibid." (the abbreviation for "ibidem", meaning "in the same place") refers to the work cited in the preceding footnote or to the preceding work within the same footnote. The term should not be used when the preceding footnote includes more than one source.
"Ibid." is used when repeat footnote indicators are not used and to replace those elements that are identical in the preceding footnote or the preceding work within the same footnote. It is never used solely to replace the name of an author. When different works by the same author are cited in consecutive footnotes, the author’s name is repeated in full each time.
Examples:
1United Nations,Treaty Series, vol. 75, No. 973.
2Ibid., vol. 2187, No. 38544.
3Official Records of the General Assembly, Fifty-eighth Session, Supplement No. 20(A/58/20), para. 239; and ibid.,Sixty-first Session, Supplement No. 20(A/61/20), paras. 245 and 260.
4Paul Kennedy,The Parliament of Man: The Past, Present, and Future of the United Nations(New York, Random House, 2006).
5Paul Kennedy,Preparing for the Twenty-first Century(New York, Random House, 1993).
6Ibid.
"Ibid." may be used to replace document symbols in text notes when the document symbol is repeated and no other references intervene.
Example:
1. The establishment of one P-5 post for the Conventional Arms Branch is proposed under subprogramme 3 (A/60/6 (Sect. 4), para. 4.35).
. . .
4. One General Service post is proposed for abolishment under subprogramme 1 in the Conference on Disarmament secretariat and Conference Support Branch in Geneva (ibid., para. 4.26).
C.Shortened references
In documents and publications, once a reference has been given in full, a shortened form can be used when the same source is cited again in non-consecutive footnotes. The abbreviations "op. cit." and "loc. cit." are not used.
The shortened reference should include:
- Author’s last name, or, in the case of an organization as author, acronym
- Shortened version of title
When the footnotes are widely separated, a cross reference to the original footnote may also be included.
Examples:
3Peter Lloyd-Sherlock, "Population ageing in developed and developing regions: implications for health policy",Social Science and Medicine,vol. 51, No. 6 (15 September 2000).
. . .
18Lloyd-Sherlock, "Population ageing" (see chap. II, footnote 3).
19World Health Organization (WHO),WHO Recommendations: Intrapartum Care for a Positive Childbirth Experience(Geneva, 2018).
. . .
25WHO,WHO Recommendations: Intrapartum Care for a Positive Childbirth Experience.
For works without an author, the shortened title alone is sufficient.
Examples:
10Handbook on Geographic Information Systems and Digital Mapping(United Nations publication, 2000).
. . .
14Handbook on Geographic Information Systems.
For legal references, the above guidance also applies:
Example:
6European Court of Human Rights,F.G. v. Sweden.
D. Repeated footnotes in tables and figures
Source notes.In tables and figures, references to sources are normally given in full (seeTables/Notes to tables).When the same general source is used repeatedly for a series of tables, a shortened reference and a cross reference to the first table containing the full reference can be given in the source note. "Ibid." should not be used to refer to a source in a previous table.
Example:
Source:World Economic and Social Survey 2006(see table 1).
Footnotes within tables and figures.Footnote indicators are repeated within a given table or figure after every item to which the footnote applies (seeTables/Notes to tables). Lower-case letters are normally used as footnote indicators (seeFootnote indicators/Footnotes indicated by lower-case letters).
