Referencing

Your module convenor will inform you of which referencing style ought to be used when completing your assessment. Typically referencing is most applicable for essay style course work, though if you are in any doubt of when referencing should or should not be used, please contact your module convenor.

Accurate referencing enables the reader to go to the original source of the ideas you have used. Referencing also allows a reader to follow up an area that interests them and it shows that you are aware of the literature in your field. Correct referencing should always be used in academic writing. This avoids plagiarism and ensures that the original author is credited with their work. Plagiarism is a form of cheating in which the writer uses someone else’s work as though it were their own. There are penalties associated with plagiarism, which are dealt with through Academic Misconduct.

There are different ways of referencing sources. Guidance on how to reference correctly will be given in your tutorials and lectures. If you still have any concerns, then you should check with your personal tutor, or module tutor, who will be able to tell you if you are correctly referencing your work, or advise you on how to improve.

Further detailed information about referencing is available in ELE.

If you think you still need help with your study skills, you should make an appointment to see a Study Skills Counsellor who will be able to help you improve your study skills both for note taking and writing assessed work. See Study Skills for further information about what they offer and how to book an appointment.