Top 10 Assignment Referencing Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Here are the ten most popular questions I got from students, and these are the answers:
NO. 1: WHEN IS A REFERENCE REQUIRED?
When you:
- quote (use someone else’s exact words)
- copy (use figures, tables or structure)
- paraphrase (convert someone else’s ideas to your own words)
- summarise (use a brief account of someone else’s ideas)
NO. 2: WHY SHOULD YOU REFERENCE?
References enhance writing and assist the reader by:
- showing the breadth of research
- strengthening academic argument
- showing the reader the source of information
- allowing the reader to consult sources independently
- allowing the reader to verify data
By using references appropriately, you will avoid plagiarism, which is falsely claiming someone else’s words or ideas as your own
NO. 3: WHAT ARE THE WAYS TO CITE?
a) Author Prominent Citation
Using the author’s surname as part of the sentence with the date and all the required detail in parentheses (round brackets):
Example: Cowie (1996, p. 91) has argued that ‘socialism rejected the liberal ideals of individualism and competition’.
a) Information Prominent Citation
The other way of citing references gives prominence to the information, with all the required referencing details in parentheses:
Example: It has been argued that ‘socialism rejected the liberal ideals of individualism and competition’ (Cowie 1996, p. 91).
NO. 4: SHOULD YOU PARAPHRASE OR USE QUOTATIONS?
a) Paraphrasing preferred
A general rule in academic circles is that no more than 10% of an assignment should be in the form of direct quotations. Therefore, paraphrasing is highly recommended.
b) Quotations
Quotations should be used sparingly, selected carefully, used in context, integrated into your text, and reproduced exactly (including the words, spelling, punctuation, capitalisation and paragraphing of the original writer. A quotation is used if a misinterpretation would result from a change to the words or a major argument needs to be recorded as evidence
NO. 5: WHAT IS PARAPHRASING?
Paraphrasing means to restate accurately and succinctly something you have read. Be sure to write this in your own words as far as possible.
If your work does not refer to specific ideas on particular pages of a resource but to general themes mentioned throughout the resource, page numbers need not be shown.
Two common approaches of paraphrasing:
Studies (Tanner 1999) indicate that the economic structure today is far more unpredictable and unstable than it was thirty years ago.
Tanner (1999, p. 22) claims that the introduction of the GST in the Australian economic structure has not impacted the price of fuels.
NO. 6: WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A REFERENCE LIST AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY?
The reference list only indicates sources cited in the text of your assignment.
A bibliography uses the same format as a reference list but it includes all material consulted in the preparation of your assignment.
A reference list and a bibliography can be prepared separately.
NO. 7: HOW TO PREPARE FOR THE REFERENCE LIST?
The reference list includes full details of all the sources which you cited in the text of your assignment.
The reference list is entitled REFERENCES or REFERENCE LIST.
- This is to be written in uppercase, and in bold and centred.
- Headings are neither underlined nor punctuated.
- Present the reference list using single line spacing and hanging indent for each entry.
- Insert a blank line between each entry.
- Arrange the reference list alphabetically and place as the final page of your assignment. Do not use numbers, letters or bullet points to begin each entry. Any reference that starts with a number (e.g. 7:30 Report) precedes the alphabetical listing and is listed numerically.
For a book, the following elements should be presented in this order:
- author’s surname and initials
- year of publication
- title of book (in italics)
- the edition (e.g. 4th edn) if not the original publication
- publisher
- place of publication
NO. 8: IS THE REFERENCE FOR A JOURNAL DIFFERENT FROM A BOOK?
For a journal article, the following elements should be presented in this order:
- author’s surname and initials
- year of publication
- title of the article in single quotation marks
- title of journal or periodical in italics
- volume number where applicable
- issue number or another identifier where applicable
- page number(s)
NO. 9: SIR, WHAT IF?
- IF there is more than one author of a publication, maintain the order of their names as they appear on the title page of the publication, even if they are not in alphabetical order on the title page.
- IF a reference has no author, list it alphabetically according to the sponsoring body e.g. UNESCO
- IF there are two or more references by the same author, then list them in order of publication date with the oldest work first.
- IF references by the same author have been published in the same year, then list them alphabetically according to the title and add the letter ‘a’ after the first date, and ‘b’ after the second date (e.g. 1993a, 1993b).
NO. 10: WHAT ABOUT WEBSITES (ELECTRONIC SOURCES)?
Before you use any website as a reference, be mindful of evaluating the QUALITY AND TRUSTWORTHINESS of any electronic information on the web you wish to use in an academic assignment. Reliable sources generally include:
- Refereed articles in online journals
- Articles from databases selected by the university
- Articles published by universities, government departments, business organizations, reputable lobby groups.
a) Document on the World Wide Web (dated and author or sponsor given)
IN-TEXT REFERENCING
Brown (1994) noted that …
MODEL TO FOLLOW IN THE REFERENCE LIST
Brown, H. 1994, Citing Computer References, URL: http://neal.ctstateu.edu/history/cite.html, (accessed 3 January 2021).
b) Document on the World Wide Web (author or sponsor given but not dated)
IN-TEXT REFERENCING
Adherence to the five food groups (Jones n.d.)
MODEL TO FOLLOW IN THE REFERENCE LIST
Brown, H. 1994, Citing Jones, P. n.d., Five Food Groups, URL: http://www.food.com.au/5foodgroups/sustenance.html, (accessed 3 January 2021).
c) Document on the World Wide Web (no author/sponsor and no date)
IN-TEXT REFERENCING
As stated in Guidelines for Citing References and Electronic Sources of Information (n.d.),...
MODEL TO FOLLOW IN THE REFERENCE LIST
Guidelines for Citing References and Electronic, Sources of Information URL: http://www.eliz.tased.edu.au/refs.html, (accessed 3 January 2021).
NOTE:
- Always check the validity of a site that has no author or sponsor. The use of such sites is discouraged.
- There are no page numbers allocated to web site documents. However, it is important to indicate this by using n.p. in intext referencing. This shows the reader that the page number has not been forgotten, but rather that it is non-existent. This is ONLY valid for websites!
I hope the above has covered all the area you need to work on your references and avoid plagiarism.
In the end, Choesay "whatever style of referencing you follow, please remember to remain consistent throughout your work". You will be fine!
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References:
How to Acknowledge What You Have Read: Abbreviations n.d.,URL: www.lib.monash.edu.au/vl/cite/cite l l.htm (accessed 3 February 2021)
