24 Citing and Referencing Relevant Sources
24.1 Understanding Citation Styles
Overview of styles
The American Psychological Association (APA) style is mainly used in subjects like psychology, sociology, and education. It asks for in-text citations and a full list of references at the end.
The Modern Language Association (MLA) style is often used in subjects like literature, philosophy, and the arts. It needs in-text citations and a ‘Works Cited’ page at the end.
The Chicago Manual of Style is good for many subjects because it has two ways of doing things: author-date and notes-bibliography. This makes it a flexible choice for subjects like history and some sciences.
IEEE Style
In the MSc SDA course, we use the IEEE style. The IEEE style was created by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and is mainly used in technical subjects like electronics, engineering, telecommunications, computer science, and information technology.
This style is known for using square brackets for in-text citations. These point to a numbered list of references at the end of the document. Each number matches a full reference in this list. The references are usually in the order they appear in the paper, not in alphabetical order.
Key features of IEEE citation style include:
In-text citations: Brief, numbered references within square brackets, which correspond to the full citations in the reference list.
Reference list: A numbered list of references at the end of the article, providing full details of all sources cited in-text. The list is ordered as cited in the text, not alphabetically.
Abbreviations: IEEE style often uses standard abbreviations for commonly cited terms, such as “Trans.” for Transactions or “Conf.” for Conference.
Conciseness: The style aims for brevity and is thus suitable for publications with space constraints.
Consistency
Maintaining consistency in citation is paramount. A single citation style should be applied uniformly across the entire document. This involves a thorough check of each citation element to ensure they all adhere to the specified formatting rules.
Importantly, avoid the pitfall of mixing elements from different citation styles within the same work, as this can lead to confusion and a lack of professionalism.
Resources and tools
Lots resources and tools are available to aid in proper citation. Citation guides provided by libraries or online offer in-depth formatting instructions.
For efficiency and accuracy in creating bibliographies, online citation generators such as Zotero or EndNote can be invaluable. Furthermore, the citation features integrated into many word processors present a convenient way to manage references directly within the document.
24.2 In-Text Citations
Proper formatting
In-text citations (citations within the body of your text) must follow the guidelines of the citation style chosen. These guidelines dictate the formatting and presentation of citations to ensure consistency and readability.
Each citation must include all necessary information, typically the author’s name and the year of publication.
In-text citations should be placed appropriately, usually at the end of a sentence or immediately following a quote, to clearly indicate the source of the information or idea.
Quotations and paraphrasing
When citing direct quotations, it is essential to include precise page numbers or other relevant locators to direct readers to the exact source of the text. Paraphrases, where information is reworded, must also be cited to credit the original source of the idea.
You should always remember the distinction between paraphrasing and quoting directly. Direct quotations are the verbatim repetition of a source, while paraphrasing involves restating information in one’s own words; both require proper citation.
Avoiding overcitation
You should learn to distinguish between what is considered common knowledge, which does not need to be cited, and ideas that are unique to a specific author and thus require citation.
The ability to balance cited material with one’s own analysis is crucial to writing a thoughtful and analytical piece. Furthermore, you should be aware of appropriate methods of self-citation to avoid self-plagiarism when referencing your previous work.
Clarifying attribution
Proper attribution in academic writing involves giving credit for both the ideas and the specific data or information drawn from other works.
Use of signal phrases like “according to” or “as mentioned by” can effectively introduce information that requires citation.
When dealing with multiple authors, learn the correct format for citation, which varies depending on the number of authors and the citation style being used.
24.3 Creating a Bibliography
Comprehensive listing
A bibliography should include a comprehensive listing of every source referenced in the text, confirming the credibility and depth of research.
Check the style guide to ensure you incorporate all requisite publication details for each entry.
Correct formatting
The bibliography must be formatted according to the specific citation style chosen.
Note that online sources come with their own set of rules, accounting for URLs and access dates, among other details.
Alphabetising and ordering
Bibliographies are typically organised alphabetically by the authors’ last names.
When you cites multiple works by the same author, you need to know how to sequence these entries correctly.
Consistent citation
Consistency is vital: the names, titles, and publication details in in-text citations must match those in the bibliography.
Meticulously check the details of citations and review the entire list for consistency and accuracy prior to submission, even if using a programme like Zotero or Endnote.
24.4 Avoiding Plagiarism
It’s important to understand the difference between ‘paraphrasing’, ‘summarising’ and ‘plagiarism’.
Effective paraphrasing involves restating text in your own words while retaining the original meaning and citing the source. Strategies for paraphrasing include changing the sentence structure, using synonyms, and summarising main points.
Summarising is the art of condensing the main ideas of a text into a brief overview, which also requires proper citation.
Plagiarism, on the other hand, is the act of presenting someone else’s work or ideas as your own, without proper acknowledgment of the original source.
It’s a form of intellectual dishonesty that can take many forms, such as direct copying of text, using someone’s ideas without giving credit, or poorly paraphrasing another’s work.
Even accidental plagiarism, where sources are improperly cited or not cited at all, falls under this definition. The seriousness of plagiarism cannot be overstated. It breaches ethical standards and can result in severe academic consequences, including failure of assignments, suspension, or even expulsion from the University.
There’s guidance from the University of Strathclyde for students here.
Encouraging the creation of original work is fundamental to academic and intellectual growth. It nurtures critical thinking, enabling us to engage with concepts at a deeper level and to develop our own perspectives.
Original work is also a cornerstone of academic integrity. The learning process is iterative, and it’s important to understand that making mistakes and learning from them is part of honing one’s abilities to think and express ideas independently.