9 Sources and referencing
When writing an assignment, you will need to support your ideas with information and evidence from reputable sources. The finding, reading and use of these sources is the ‘research’ element of an assignment.
Reading
Some subjects will provide a reading list for an assignment, though often you’ll be expected to find sources on your own (see the Finding information chapter).
Many students find reading for academic purposes difficult. The language of an academic book or journal article is different to sources we read every day such as social media, emails, or news articles. While it might seem hard at first, there are strategies you can use to help you become a more effective reader.
Referencing
You might notice when reading academic texts that the authors refer to other authors and sources in a particular way. This is called referencing or citing and it benefits everyone in the academic community.
- Referencing gives proper credit to the author.
- Referencing is evidence of your research.
- Referencing enables readers to find and read the sources you have used to learn more about the topic.
- Style conventions help the writer to include all the elements of a source when referencing (e.g. APA, Harvard, etc.)
Quoting, summarising and paraphrasing
At university, you are expected to think critically and analyse different viewpoints as we discussed in the Critical thinking chapter. You often need to have a position or thesis statement in your writing, but your ideas and arguments must be supported by reference to books, journals, experts’ opinions and other reputable sources. For some assessments you may also be required to analyse factual data rather than present your own position on a topic.
