Referencing and Style Guides, May 2007 Podcast Transcript
When writing an assignment it is essential to identify the source of any ideas or words that are not your own. Whether you are quoting directly from the author, or putting their ideas into your own words, you must acknowledge where you got the ideas from.
Referencing is used to show the reader where you have obtained your information and how your ideas have been formed. It also allows the reader to identify and retrieve the sources for their own use.
A reference contains information that can easily identify a particular source and includes details such as author, title, and date of publication.
Referencing is done within the body of the text, as well as in the form of a list at the end of your work. This list is known as a bibliography or reference list.
You should reference all information that you have used in your work from such sources as books, journals, newspaper articles, diagrams, films, music, webpages, and lecture notes.
It is important to know how to reference properly to avoid plagiarism. This is a serious offence which can result in failure of your work or unit, or even expulsion from the university.
There are many different styles of referencing. The style you use will depend on the requirements of your unit. You will need to check with your lecturer or your unit guide on what style should be used. Common styles used are Harvard and APA. Whichever style is used, the most important thing is to be consistent and accurate.
Further information, as well as an online tutorial, is available on the library’s homepage, under ‘Help’.