A reference is an indication that allows access to the source of information.
Originating in the Latin referens , the concept of reference refers to the act and consequence of pointing out or referring to something or someone . The verb refer, for its part, allows us to mention the act of making a certain thing known; organize or lead something to a certain end; or put something in relation to another object or a person.
By reference, therefore, it is understood as a narrative, information , data or news that indicates something or the link, relationship, dependence or similarity of one thing with respect to another. For example: “I have the best references about this film,” “The president believes that the attack has no reference to the events that happened last Wednesday,” “Excuse me, but we have no references about it.”
Identification element
In a text, the reference is an indication or call that cites the place, whether from the content itself or from 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 investigations” .
In this meaning, 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 complete certainty that it was she who was mentioned who wrote the book.
There are specific fountain pen models that can be used to make this 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
In this same idea, a cross reference is a call that allows the reader to access more information about the topic they are reading about . It can take you to other chapters of the same work or to a different book, so that you can expand the idea of what is being talked about, without having to make a complex mention of it on that precise 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 turn to another section, chapter or work to delve deeper into the information.
The use of references is common in computing.
The notion in psychology and programming
In psychology , within the definition of schizotypal personality disorder there is one of the attitudes manifested in a patient who suffers from it that is known as ideas of reference ; This refers to the fact that for this disease to be diagnosed, it is necessary for the individual to make incorrect interpretations of certain casual incidents, making them extremely relevant to them.
This disorder is characterized by presenting a social deficit caused by significant anxiety that reduces the individual's abilities to relate to their environment.
In programming , passing a reference to an object or variable as a parameter to a function means allowing the original to be modified, as opposed to providing it with a copy to take its contents as a guide.
Other uses of the concept of reference
It should be noted that the reference can also be the basis of a measurement or comparison: “You have to solve the equation according to the reference angle” , “To create the model, you can take this photograph as a reference” , “I tried to build the cage to the canary with the reference on the box, but it didn't fit me well."
In the business world, it is also known as a reference to the report that gives indications about the solvency or quality of an individual or company , which is usually given by a third party: “Call Dr. Nelson Pipis and ask him for references about the company Gortuzoy Hermanos ” , “They have given me the best references about you: it will be a pleasure to work with you” .