LibGuides: Referencing: Home

Referencing basics

What is referencing?

Referencing is providing a list of the sources referred to in your assignment. A sample text showing Harvard-style referencing is available on Cite Them Right. However, you will find examples in almost all academic sources you read, as referencing is integral to academic writing.

Why is referencing important?

There are three key reasons to provide references:

Referring to sources helps give your work credibility by demonstrating that you are engaging with existing research.
Acknowledging your use of other people's ideas or words is essential so that you are not seen as passing off other people's work as your own (plagiarism).
References help anyone reading your work to find the sources you have used to further their research or to check your interpretation.

Will I get marked down for poor referencing?

Your use of sources is one of the criteria used to mark academic assignments. However, the focus is on the quality of your engagement and the quality of the sources rather than how closely you follow the correct formatting (although this might also affect grades). You should take care to:

Acknowledge any use of sources, whether quoting from them or not
Put quotations in quotation marks and provide a page number
Be careful not to misrepresent the sources you use

What referencing style should I use?

Most courses use Harvard referencing - specifically the version provided by Cite Them Right. However, there are many exceptions - most notably law (OSCOLA) and Psychology (APA). Please check with your course about which style you are required to use.