REFERENCING - WHAT IS REFERENCING?

This information is taken from: 
Pears, R. and Shields, G. (2010) Cite them right - the essential referencing guide. 8th edition. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

REFERENCING

When writing a piece of work, whether essay, seminar paper, dissertation, project or article, it is essential that detailed and precise information on all sources consulted is included in your text and in the reference list at the end of your work. This allows the reader to locate the information used and to check, if necessary, the evidence on which your discussions or argument is based. References should, therefore, enable the user to find the source documents as quickly and easily as possible. You need to identify these documents by citing them in the text of your assignment (called citations or in-text citations) and referencing them at the end of your assignment (called the reference list ... ) The reference list only includes sources cited in the text of your assignment as in-text citations. It is not the same as a bibliography, which uses the same format or reference system as a reference list, but also includes all material used in the preparation of your work. (Pears and Shields, 2010, p.1).

WHY CITE AND REFERENCE SOURCES?

In addition to adding weight to your discussion and arguments, references also show that you have read widely on the subject and considered and analysed the writings of others. Appropriately used, references can strengthen your writing and help you attain a better mark or grade. (Pears and Shields, 2010, p.1).

WHAT IS PLAGIARISM?

Plagiarism is a specific form of cheating and is generally defined as presenting someone else's work or ideas as your own ... giving credit to the original authors by citing and referencing your sources is the only way to use other people's work without plagiarising.


All the following are considered forms of plagiarism:

  • - Using another person's work or ideas (for example, copying and pasting text or images ... ) without crediting (citing) the original source
  • - Passing off someone else's work as your own
  • - Failing to put a quotation in quotation marks
  • - Quoting, summarising or paraphrasing material in your work without citing the original source
  • - Changing words or phrases but copying the sentence structure of a source and not crediting the original author
  • - Citing sources you did not use (Pears and Shields, 2010, p.1).

REFERENCE 

Pears, R. and Shields, G. (2010) Cite them right - the essential referencing guide. 8th edition. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.