When do we reference

Skip to main content University links. Close quicklinks. Library Study and research support Referencing Referencing explained. Show all contents Contents. View video using Microsoft Stream link opens in a new window, available for University members only These webpages explain what referencing is, why it is important and give an overview of the main elements of how to reference.

What if I can't find a reference for the exact point I want to make? How do I do it correctly? The simplest way to think of referencing is to imagine that your reader might want to find out more about a piece of information, or check the facts for themselves.

Your reference shows them where to look. It is important to provide correct references for any information which you give in your essay. Information could include ideas, facts, phrases, or anything else. This means that you need to include references for all information , even if it is from something which you do not consider 'academic', such as an unregulated website.

Technically, it is probably best to avoid these sources of information anyway. You need to provide a reference whether or not you are using the exact words. Even if you change the words, someone might want to find out more about the information you are referring to. If you use the same words as the original, you need to use quotation marks around this section, followed by the reference. If you do not use the same words, you do not need the quotation marks, you only need the reference itself.

Make sure you include a list of references at the end of your essay. See the referencing guidelines for how to do all of this. Further reading: Beginner's Guide to Paraphrasing. They are found in bibliographies and reference lists and are also collected in article and book databases. Citations consist of standard elements, and contain all the information necessary to identify and track down publications, including:.

Citations may look different, depending on what is being cited and which style was used to create them. Choose an appropriate style guide for your needs. Here is an example of an article citation using four different citation styles. Notice the common elements as mentioned above:. Author - R. Source Title - Science.

Volume and issue - Vol , issue Publication Date - That is, it provides support to your own assertions. Moreover, it allows interested readers to locate other studies in your research area. However, if you write the same article for a general magazine, you should add a reference since your entire audience would not necessarily know this information.

A: Err on the side of caution. Please enter your details and we will email a quote to you. Formatting refers to the layout of your document and things like font, line spacing, page margins, and the presentation of headings.