In a method and apparatus for recording a magnetic resonance data record in a capture region of an examination object, the capture region being composed of multiple slices, an imaging technique is implemented that uses reference data in the reconstruction of magnetic resonance images, wherein, for all the slices, at least two partial data records are recorded with respectively different contrasts. For thus purpose, a first partial data record is recorded without a preparation pulse and a second partial data record is recorded with a preparation pulse, in particular an inversion pulse. The reference data for at least one first slice for the first partial data record are recorded during a waiting time after the preparation pulse for at least one other, second slice, from which reference data relating to the second partial data record are to be recorded.