def get_feature_class(base_name, workspace):
    """
    Creates a valid ESRI reference to a shapefile or geodatabase feature class
    base_name: the name of the feature class, without any extension
    workspace: the name of the folder (for shapefiles) or geodatabase (for gdb feature classes)
    return: a text string referring to the location of the feature class
    """
    if workspace[-4:] != '.gdb':
        fc = workspace + '\\' + base_name + '.shp'
    else:
        fc = workspace + '\\' + base_name
    return fc