Difference between revisions of "Principles of Referencing"

From Hull AWE
Jump to: navigation, search
Line 3: Line 3:
 
'''Referencing''' strikes fear into the hearts of many students.  The topic is strongly emphasised by many lecturers, and blood-curdling threats of draconian [~ very strict] penalties are issued.  Students should realise that referencing is a serious business, and failures in referencing may be taken very seriously by any educational institution.
 
'''Referencing''' strikes fear into the hearts of many students.  The topic is strongly emphasised by many lecturers, and blood-curdling threats of draconian [~ very strict] penalties are issued.  Students should realise that referencing is a serious business, and failures in referencing may be taken very seriously by any educational institution.
  
However, when you have realised this, you may relax a little.  To produce a perfect reference is a matter of concentration  - close concentration - on detail; but the art may be reduced to four '''Principles of Referencing''':
+
However, when you have realised this, you may relax a little.  To produce a perfect reference is a matter of concentration  - close concentration - on detail; but the art may be reduced to four '''Principles of Referencing'''.  (It may be worth pointing out that reducing a complex subject to four fundamentals is something that the particular teacher who wrote this has known to work.  Other teachers, and other writers, put it in different ways.  It is not uncommon to see bulleted lists with 5, 6, 7 or even more 'basics' of referencing.  But the thinking is similar.)
  
 
'''1  Be honest.'''  The reason for the threats is the crime of [[Plagiarism|plagiarism]].
 
'''1  Be honest.'''  The reason for the threats is the crime of [[Plagiarism|plagiarism]].
Line 9: Line 9:
 
'''2  Make it possible for your reader to find and check any source you have mentioned.'''  This is the best reason for referencing.
 
'''2  Make it possible for your reader to find and check any source you have mentioned.'''  This is the best reason for referencing.
  
'''3  Use your Department's system (for an overview see [[Systems of Academic Referencing]]) - with great care and attention to detail'''
+
'''3  Use your [[Systems of Academic Referencing|Department's system]] - with great care and attention to detail'''
  
 
'''4  Be consistent'''
 
'''4  Be consistent'''
  
If you follow the first two principles above, you will probably have avoided the sin of plagiarism.  To please the teachers and assessors in your University subject, follow the third with great care.  When you have to make a choice, make a consistent choice - following the last principle.
 
 
[[category:referencing]]
 
[[category:referencing]]

Revision as of 13:44, 30 September 2006

Principles of Referencing

Referencing strikes fear into the hearts of many students. The topic is strongly emphasised by many lecturers, and blood-curdling threats of draconian [~ very strict] penalties are issued. Students should realise that referencing is a serious business, and failures in referencing may be taken very seriously by any educational institution.

However, when you have realised this, you may relax a little. To produce a perfect reference is a matter of concentration - close concentration - on detail; but the art may be reduced to four Principles of Referencing. (It may be worth pointing out that reducing a complex subject to four fundamentals is something that the particular teacher who wrote this has known to work. Other teachers, and other writers, put it in different ways. It is not uncommon to see bulleted lists with 5, 6, 7 or even more 'basics' of referencing. But the thinking is similar.)

1 Be honest. The reason for the threats is the crime of plagiarism.

2 Make it possible for your reader to find and check any source you have mentioned. This is the best reason for referencing.

3 Use your Department's system - with great care and attention to detail

4 Be consistent