What Is A Reference?
Reference is understood as the relationship that exists between a linguistic expression, such as a word or a phrase, with its correlate in the real world, that is, its referent. It is a fundamental relationship for language, which operates by replacing things with words, which is why we can talk about what is not there or what does not exist instead of having to point out everything with gestures.
References are also indications signs, that provide people who know how to interpret them with a framework (exactly: “frame of reference” or “reference system”) that serves as a guide in something. This is widely used in relativistic physics, for example, since a reference system is necessary to be able to determine specific characteristics of a physical phenomenon: its position, its speed, etc.
This also applies to other knowledge production systems, such as academic and bibliographic systems, for which it is essential to clarify to the reader where the information presented came from or which sources were consulted. Thus, a degree thesis or an academic report presents at the end a “bibliography” or “references” section (like this article) where the source of the information is detailed.
The latter can be easily verified in reference databases, such as those available in libraries and information retrieval institutes. These sites contain a vast amount of organized data, which can be accessed by means of a reference or key, that is, by means of some partial data that allows one to find the correct source(s) of the information sought.
Identification element
In a text, a reference is an indication or call that cites the place, whether in the content itself or in another source, to which you want to refer readers: “You have to look at the reference on page 40 to interpret the drawing”, “The report is somewhat confusing: there are too many references to other research”.
In this sense, a reference is used to relate one topic to another, offering bibliographic elements such as the author, title, publication date, etc., with the aim that whoever reads said reference can obtain a unique identification and access the work in question without any problem and with total certainty that it was the one mentioned by the person who wrote the book.
Some specific stylographic models serve to make such an appointment, so when you want to make one of them, it is necessary to consult them in order to make an accurate call that any reader can understand.
Cross-reference
Along these same lines, a cross-reference is a call to action that allows the reader to access more information on the topic they are reading about. It can take them to other chapters in the same work or to a different book so that they can expand on the idea of what is being discussed without having to make a complex mention of it on that specific page.
Some of the ways in which a cross-reference is indicated are with a “V” (see), with “Cfr” (compare) and other marks that allow the reader to refer to another section, chapter or work to delve deeper into the information.