Style Guide for ABTS Courses - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit at The University of Queensland

There are various ways of setting out references and bibliographies for an assignment. For all ABTS-coded courses we require assignments to follow the style previously known as the Harvard style based on AGPS style but now revised by Snooks & Co, 2002.

The UQ Library has a "How-to" Guide (Harvard 6th ed) for this style which summarises the main features that you need to know. If you require further information, refer to Snooks & Co. 2002, Style Manual for Authors, Editors and Printers, 6th edn, rev. Snooks & Co., John Wiley & Sons, Canberra.

Note that for non-ABTS-coded courses you should check with your lecturer/tutor for the bibliographic style preferred by the school in which your course is taught.

In addition to bibliographic style, appropriate language use is a critical part of preparing assignments in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. In preparing assignments take care with the following issues.

Terminology

Derogatory terms and abbreviations (e.g. ATSI) that may offend Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander or non-Indigenous people are not used, including:

Native
Half caste
Quarter caste
Gin
Coon
Boong
Abo
etc

The terms for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be applied as follows:

Aborigine - as the noun
Aboriginal - as the adjective
Torres Strait Islander - as the noun
Torres Strait Islander - as the adjective
Avoide the expressions "the Aboriginal people" and "the Aboriginal culture" etc, as these indicate, incorrectly, that there is a single group of Aborigines or a single Aboriginal culture.

Exotic Emphasis

Ensure that the material presented does not emphasise what may be termed the "exotic" aspects of Aboriginal life without any attempt to show how these form part of the social, physical and spiritual environment of Aboriginal groups, as this leads to the entrenching of an "exotic" stereotype of Indigenous people. These include, for example, styles of body ornamentation, performance of religious ritual, religious belief systems, concepts of family obligations, food preferences and methods of preparation and social organisation.

Thematic Studies

Material that presents aspects of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures in isolation in thematic units needs to be mindful of social, environmental and spiritual relationships, as it would be wrong to isolate one facet of Aboriginal life from these related aspects of culture.

Further Information

For further guidance on appropriate language use, please refer to A Guide to Using Inclusive Language published by the University of Queensland's Equity Office.