An appendix is a section of an assignment that includes materials supporting the essay. It may include images, tables, or survey questions. It should only be included when necessary to add context helping the reader to understand your argument or research. They would be included at the end of your work and would be categorized alphabetically (e.g. Appendix A, Appendix B, etc.)
The way that an item in your appendix would be referenced depends on if it is your work, someone else's work, or adapted from somewhere else.
If it is your own work in the appendix (e.g. survey questions or an image you may have created), you would not include it in the reference list, you would only refer to it in text by the appendix number like so:
In-text citation
All research participants were required to fill in the consent form (see example in Appendix A).
Appendix entry
Appendix A - Research Participation Form
SCHOOL OF INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
Research participation consent
Project title: Examining the adoption and use of graphic novels as a learning resource in Hamilton schools
▢I have been given and have understood an explanation of this research project.
If the appendix item is another source, you would refer to it in text by its label, but also include an in-text citation and reference list entry. The reference list entry would look exactly like a regular entry and not require any mention of it being an appendix item.
In-text citation
The impact of COVID lockdowns has reduced considerably the number of students stood down from school and can be seen clearly in Appendix B (MoE, 2021).
Reference list
Ministry of Education. (September, 2021). Education indicator: Student engagement/participation: Stand-downs, suspensions, exclusions and expulsions from school. Education Counts. https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/statistics/stand-downs,-suspensions,-exclusions-and-expulsions
Appendix entry
Appendix B - Graph of school standowns 2018-2020
"Fewer onsite school days in 2020 due to the COVID-19 is likely one of the important reasons for the decrease in stand-downs" (MoE, September 2021).
When you have used an appendix item in your work but adapted it, you need to mention that in your text, plus include an in-text citation and reference list entry, like so:
In-text citation
The convicts sentenced to transportation from Uckfield have been summarised and adapted from information in Appendix C (Davey, 1988).
Reference list
Davey, R. (Ed.). (1988). East Sussex sentences of transportation at Quarter Sessions, 1790-1854. Friends of the East Sussex Record Office.
Appendix entry
Appendix C - Uckfield residents sentenced to transportation
Adapted from Davey (1998).