Aberystwyth University

  • Aberystwyth University
  • Referencing & Plagiarism Awareness
  • 3. How to insert citations into your assignment.

Referencing & Plagiarism Awareness: 3. How to insert citations into your assignment.

  • 1. Introduction
  • 2. What is referencing and citation?
  • 4. What is plagiarism?
  • 5. Referencing Artificial Intelligence Outputs
  • 6. Consequences of plagiarism
  • 7. Plagiarism in the news
  • 8. Referencing Examples
  • 9. Reference management tools
  • 10. Submitting your work using Turnitin
  • 11. How to interpret your Turnitin similarity report
  • 12. Further help

What is citing?

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Citing is identifying the sources you have used in the text of your assignment.  This may be done as;

a direct quotation

paraphrasing

summarising

In-text citations give brief details about the source that you refer to.

This is an example citation (Harvard referencing style):

(Pears and Shields, 2013)  

Further citation examples from the different referencing styles used at Aberystwyth University can be found here .

The citations will allow the person reading your assignment to locate the full details of the source you have used in the reference list located at the end of your work.

Reference list (Harvard Style)

Pears, R. and Shields, G. (2013) Cite them right: the essential referencing guide . London: Palgrave.

Pears, R. and Shields, G. (2013). Cite them right: the essential referencing guide . London: Palgrave.

How to use quotes in your assignment.

how to write an assignment with reference

When you use quotations they should be relevant.  Try not to use too many as they can break the flow of your text.  You will need to balance quotations with your own understanding of the sources used.

Don't forget - quotes are included in your word count!

A few tips:

Enclose any quotes in " quotation marks " - be consistent. Check out the further examples to see whether your chosen referencing style uses single or double quotation marks.

If using long quotes that are more than a few sentences, add these as a separate paragraph. This should be indented and there is no need to use quotation marks. ( Please note : The Department of Geography and Earth Sciences stipulate that long, indented quotations require quotation mark at the beginning and the end of the quotation).

Depending on the referencing style you are using, give the author, date and page number that the quote is from.

The full details of the source of the quote are then added into the reference list at the end of your assignment.

Example (Harvard Style):

In-text citation

'There are several ways in which you can incorporate citations into your text, depending on your own style and the flow of the work' (Pears and Shields, 2013, p. 8).

Reference list

How to paraphrase.

how to write an assignment with reference

Paraphrasing involves expressing another author’s ideas or arguments in your own words, without direct quotation but with due acknowledgement.  It entails reformulating key points or information accurately, so that nothing important is lost but the means of communication is new. For instance:

Quotation     ‘It is impossible to step twice into the same river’ (Heraclitus) Paraphrase     Heraclitus argues that, just as a river is always in motion, the world is always changing so that nothing stays the same.

Paraphrasing can help with the flow or continuity of your written work and is a good way of demonstrating your understanding.

Read your source a few times to ensure you understand the meaning

Restate the key point(s) from the source in your own words, but without distorting the original meaning

Ensure you cite and reference the source.

Please note: When paraphrasing, you should NOT copy a passage from your source and then seek to change some of its wording. Use your own words and phrases from beginning to end when paraphrasing.

How to summarise.

how to write an assignment with reference

This method provides the key points from an article, book or web page as a brief statement.

A few Tips;

Summaries should be your own work. It is NOT permitted to use online summary tools or other software for this purpose.

Ensure you cite and reference the source

Only list the main topics

In text citation

Importantly, one particular book (Pears and Shields, 2013) looks at the different citation methods when including them in an assignment.

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References, citations and avoiding plagiarism

Assignments.

  • Getting Started
  • Independent research
  • Understanding a reference
  • Managing your references
  • How to reference
  • Acknowledging and referencing AI
  • Harvard referencing
  • Vancouver referencing
  • APA referencing
  • Chicago referencing
  • OSCOLA referencing
  • MHRA referencing
  • MLA referencing

Avoiding plagiarism

  • Further help

Referencing and managing information

Referencing in your assignments

In academic work of any kind, effective referencing of your sources will ensure that you:

  • show that you are writing from a position of understanding of your topic.
  • demonstrate that you have read widely and deeply.
  • enable the reader to locate the source of each quote, idea or work/evidence (that was not your own).
  • avoid plagiarism and uphold academic honesty.

In order to cite sources correctly in your assignments, you need to understand the essentials of how to reference and follow guidelines for the referencing style you are required to use.

  • Referencing styles

Citing your sources can help you avoid plagiarism. You may need to submit your assignments through Turnitin, plagiarism detection software. Find out more about Turnitin and how you can use it to check your work before submitting it:

  • What is plagiarism?

Why do I need to reference? Find out more

Teaching in Higher Education cover image

Referencing and empowerment

Karen Gravett & Ian M. Kinchin (2020) Referencing and empowerment: exploring barriers to agency in the higher education student experience, Teaching in Higher Education, 25:1, 84-97

American journal of roentgenology cover image

Plagiarism: what is it, whom does it offend, and how does one deal with it?

J D Armstrong, 2nd (1993) Plagiarism: what is it, whom does it offend, and how does one deal with it?, American Journal of Roentgenology, 161:3, 479-484

Teaching Referencing as an Introduction to Epistemological Empowerment

Monica Hendricks & Lynn Quinn (2000) Teaching Referencing as an Introduction to Epistemological Empowerment, Teaching in Higher Education, 5:4, 447-457

Academic honesty and conduct

  • UCL guide to Academic Integrity What is Academic Integrity, why is it important, and what happens if you breach it?
  • Understanding Academic Integrity course UCL's online and self-paced course to help you understand academic integrity, designed to help students to develop good academic practice for completing assessments.
  • Engaging with AI in your education and assessment UCL student guidance on how you might engage with Artificial Intelligence (AI) in your assessments, effectively and ethically.
  • Referencing and avoiding plagiarism tutorial

Referencing and avoiding plagiarism tutorial

Referencing style guides

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  • Last Updated: Feb 13, 2024 12:56 PM
  • URL: https://library-guides.ucl.ac.uk/referencing-plagiarism

Writing Center Home Page

OASIS: Writing Center

Reference list: common reference list examples, article (with doi).

Alvarez, E., & Tippins, S. (2019). Socialization agents that Puerto Rican college students use to make financial decisions. Journal of Social Change , 11 (1), 75–85. https://doi.org/10.5590/JOSC.2019.11.1.07

Laplante, J. P., & Nolin, C. (2014). Consultas and socially responsible investing in Guatemala: A case study examining Maya perspectives on the Indigenous right to free, prior, and informed consent. Society & Natural Resources , 27 , 231–248. https://doi.org/10.1080/08941920.2013.861554

Use the DOI number for the source whenever one is available. DOI stands for "digital object identifier," a number specific to the article that can help others locate the source. In APA 7, format the DOI as a web address. Active hyperlinks for DOIs and URLs should be used for documents meant for screen reading. Present these hyperlinks in blue and underlined text (the default formatting in Microsoft Word), although plain black text is also acceptable. Be consistent in your formatting choice for DOIs and URLs throughout your reference list. Also see our Quick Answer FAQ, "Can I use the DOI format provided by library databases?"

Jerrentrup, A., Mueller, T., Glowalla, U., Herder, M., Henrichs, N., Neubauer, A., & Schaefer, J. R. (2018). Teaching medicine with the help of “Dr. House.” PLoS ONE , 13 (3), Article e0193972. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0193972

For journal articles that are assigned article numbers rather than page ranges, include the article number in place of the page range.
For more on citing electronic resources, see  Electronic Sources References .

YouTube

Article (Without DOI)

Found in a common academic research database or in print.

Casler , T. (2020). Improving the graduate nursing experience through support on a social media platform. MEDSURG Nursing , 29 (2), 83–87.

If an article does not have a DOI and you retrieved it from a common academic research database through the university library, there is no need to include any additional electronic retrieval information. The reference list entry looks like the entry for a print copy of the article. (This format differs from APA 6 guidelines that recommended including the URL of a journal's homepage when the DOI was not available.) Note that APA 7 has additional guidance on reference list entries for articles found only in specific databases or archives such as Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, UpToDate, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global, and university archives. See APA 7, Section 9.30 for more information.

Found on an Open Access Website

Eaton, T. V., & Akers, M. D. (2007). Whistleblowing and good governance. CPA Journal , 77 (6), 66–71. http://archives.cpajournal.com/2007/607/essentials/p58.htm

Provide the direct web address/URL to a journal article found on the open web, often on an open access journal's website. In APA 7, active hyperlinks for DOIs and URLs should be used for documents meant for screen reading. Present these hyperlinks in blue and underlined text (the default formatting in Microsoft Word), although plain black text is also acceptable. Be consistent in your formatting choice for DOIs and URLs throughout your reference list.

Weinstein, J. A. (2010).  Social change  (3rd ed.). Rowman & Littlefield.

If the book has an edition number, include it in parentheses after the title of the book. If the book does not list any edition information, do not include an edition number. The edition number is not italicized.

American Nurses Association. (2015). Nursing: Scope and standards of practice (3rd ed.).

If the author and publisher are the same, only include the author in its regular place and omit the publisher.

Lencioni, P. (2012). The advantage: Why organizational health trumps everything else in business . Jossey-Bass. https://amzn.to/343XPSJ

As a change from APA 6 to APA 7, it is no longer necessary to include the ebook format in the title. However, if you listened to an audiobook and the content differs from the text version (e.g., abridged content) or your discussion highlights elements of the audiobook (e.g., narrator's performance), then note that it is an audiobook in the title element in brackets. For ebooks and online audiobooks, also include the DOI number (if available) or nondatabase URL but leave out the electronic retrieval element if the ebook was found in a common academic research database, as with journal articles. APA 7 allows for the shortening of long DOIs and URLs, as shown in this example. See APA 7, Section 9.36 for more information.

Chapter in an Edited Book

Poe, M. (2017). Reframing race in teaching writing across the curriculum. In F. Condon & V. A. Young (Eds.), Performing antiracist pedagogy in rhetoric, writing, and communication (pp. 87–105). University Press of Colorado.

Include the page numbers of the chapter in parentheses after the book title.

Christensen, L. (2001). For my people: Celebrating community through poetry. In B. Bigelow, B. Harvey, S. Karp, & L. Miller (Eds.), Rethinking our classrooms: Teaching for equity and justice (Vol. 2, pp. 16–17). Rethinking Schools.

Also include the volume number or edition number in the parenthetical information after the book title when relevant.

Freud, S. (1961). The ego and the id. In J. Strachey (Ed.),  The standard edition of the complete psychological works of Sigmund Freud  (Vol. 19, pp. 3-66). Hogarth Press. (Original work published 1923)

When a text has been republished as part of an anthology collection, after the author’s name include the date of the version that was read. At the end of the entry, place the date of the original publication inside parenthesis along with the note “original work published.” For in-text citations of republished work, use both dates in the parenthetical citation, original date first with a slash separating the years, as in this example: Freud (1923/1961). For more information on reprinted or republished works, see APA 7, Sections 9.40-9.41.

Classroom Resources

Citing classroom resources.

If you need to cite content found in your online classroom, use the author (if there is one listed), the year of publication (if available), the title of the document, and the main URL of Walden classrooms. For example, you are citing study notes titled "Health Effects of Exposure to Forest Fires," but you do not know the author's name, your reference entry will look like this:

Health effects of exposure to forest fires [Lecture notes]. (2005). Walden University Canvas. https://waldenu.instructure.com

If you do know the author of the document, your reference will look like this:

Smith, A. (2005). Health effects of exposure to forest fires [PowerPoint slides]. Walden University Canvas. https://waldenu.instructure.com  

A few notes on citing course materials:

  • [Lecture notes]
  • [Course handout]
  • [Study notes]
  • It can be difficult to determine authorship of classroom documents. If an author is listed on the document, use that. If the resource is clearly a product of Walden (such as the course-based videos), use Walden University as the author. If you are unsure or if no author is indicated, place the title in the author spot, as above.
  • If you cannot determine a date of publication, you can use n.d. (for "no date") in place of the year.

Note:  The web location for Walden course materials is not directly retrievable without a password, and therefore, following APA guidelines, use the main URL for the class sites: https://class.waldenu.edu.

Citing Tempo Classroom Resources

Clear author: 

Smith, A. (2005). Health effects of exposure to forest fires [PowerPoint slides]. Walden University Brightspace. https://mytempo.waldenu.edu

Unclear author:

Health effects of exposure to forest fires [Lecture notes]. (2005). Walden University Brightspace. https://mytempo.waldenu.edu

Conference Sessions and Presentations

Feinman, Y. (2018, July 27). Alternative to proctoring in introductory statistics community college courses [Poster presentation]. Walden University Research Symposium, Minneapolis, MN, United States. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/symposium2018/23/

Torgerson, K., Parrill, J., & Haas, A. (2019, April 5-9). Tutoring strategies for online students [Conference session]. The Higher Learning Commission Annual Conference, Chicago, IL, United States. http://onlinewritingcenters.org/scholarship/torgerson-parrill-haas-2019/

Dictionary Entry

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Leadership. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary . Retrieved May 28, 2020, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leadership

When constructing a reference for an entry in a dictionary or other reference work that has no byline (i.e., no named individual authors), use the name of the group—the institution, company, or organization—as author (e.g., Merriam Webster, American Psychological Association, etc.). The name of the entry goes in the title position, followed by "In" and the italicized name of the reference work (e.g., Merriam-Webster.com dictionary , APA dictionary of psychology ). In this instance, APA 7 recommends including a retrieval date as well for this online source since the contents of the page change over time. End the reference entry with the specific URL for the defined word.

Discussion Board Post

Osborne, C. S. (2010, June 29). Re: Environmental responsibility [Discussion post]. Walden University Canvas.  https://waldenu.instructure.com  

Dissertations or Theses

Retrieved From a Database

Nalumango, K. (2019). Perceptions about the asylum-seeking process in the United States after 9/11 (Publication No. 13879844) [Doctoral dissertation, Walden University]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses.

Retrieved From an Institutional or Personal Website

Evener. J. (2018). Organizational learning in libraries at for-profit colleges and universities [Doctoral dissertation, Walden University]. ScholarWorks. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=6606&context=dissertations

Unpublished Dissertation or Thesis

Kirwan, J. G. (2005). An experimental study of the effects of small-group, face-to-face facilitated dialogues on the development of self-actualization levels: A movement towards fully functional persons [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Saybrook Graduate School and Research Center.

For further examples and information, see APA 7, Section 10.6.

Legal Material

For legal references, APA follows the recommendations of The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation , so if you have any questions beyond the examples provided in APA, seek out that resource as well.

Court Decisions

Reference format:

Name v. Name, Volume Reporter Page (Court Date). URL

Sample reference entry:

Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954). https://www.oyez.org/cases/1940-1955/347us483

Sample citation:

In Brown v. Board of Education (1954), the Supreme Court ruled racial segregation in schools unconstitutional.

Note: Italicize the case name when it appears in the text of your paper.

Name of Act, Title Source § Section Number (Year). URL

Sample reference entry for a federal statute:

Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. § 1400 et seq. (2004). https://www.congress.gov/108/plaws/publ446/PLAW-108publ446.pdf

Sample reference entry for a state statute:

Minnesota Nurse Practice Act, Minn. Stat. §§ 148.171 et seq. (2019). https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/148.171

Sample citation: Minnesota nurses must maintain current registration in order to practice (Minnesota Nurse Practice Act, 2010).

Note: The § symbol stands for "section." Use §§ for sections (plural). To find this symbol in Microsoft Word, go to "Insert" and click on Symbol." Look in the Latin 1-Supplement subset. Note: U.S.C. stands for "United States Code." Note: The Latin abbreviation " et seq. " means "and what follows" and is used when the act includes the cited section and ones that follow. Note: List the chapter first followed by the section or range of sections.

Unenacted Bills and Resolutions

(Those that did not pass and become law)

Title [if there is one], bill or resolution number, xxx Cong. (year). URL

Sample reference entry for Senate bill:

Anti-Phishing Act, S. 472, 109th Cong. (2005). https://www.congress.gov/bill/109th-congress/senate-bill/472

Sample reference entry for House of Representatives resolution:

Anti-Phishing Act, H.R. 1099, 109th Cong. (2005). https://www.congress.gov/bill/109th-congress/house-bill/1099

The Anti-Phishing Act (2005) proposed up to 5 years prison time for people running Internet scams.

These are the three legal areas you may be most apt to cite in your scholarly work. For more examples and explanation, see APA 7, Chapter 11.

Magazine Article

Clay, R. (2008, June). Science vs. ideology: Psychologists fight back about the misuse of research. Monitor on Psychology , 39 (6). https://www.apa.org/monitor/2008/06/ideology

Note that for citations, include only the year: Clay (2008). For magazine articles retrieved from a common academic research database, leave out the URL. For magazine articles from an online news website that is not an online version of a print magazine, follow the format for a webpage reference list entry.

Newspaper Article (Retrieved Online)

Baker, A. (2014, May 7). Connecticut students show gains in national tests. New York Times . http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/08/nyregion/national-assessment-of-educational-progress-results-in-Connecticut-and-New-Jersey.html

Include the full date in the format Year, Month Day. Do not include a retrieval date for periodical sources found on websites. Note that for citations, include only the year: Baker (2014). For newspaper articles retrieved from a common academic research database, leave out the URL. For newspaper articles from an online news website that is not an online version of a print newspaper, follow the format for a webpage reference list entry.

Online Video/Webcast

Walden University. (2013).  An overview of learning  [Video]. Walden University Canvas.  https://waldenu.instructure.com  

Use this format for online videos such as Walden videos in classrooms. Most of our classroom videos are produced by Walden University, which will be listed as the author in your reference and citation. Note: Some examples of audiovisual materials in the APA manual show the word “Producer” in parentheses after the producer/author area. In consultation with the editors of the APA manual, we have determined that parenthetical is not necessary for the videos in our courses. The manual itself is unclear on the matter, however, so either approach should be accepted. Note that the speaker in the video does not appear in the reference list entry, but you may want to mention that person in your text. For instance, if you are viewing a video where Tobias Ball is the speaker, you might write the following: Tobias Ball stated that APA guidelines ensure a consistent presentation of information in student papers (Walden University, 2013). For more information on citing the speaker in a video, see our page on Common Citation Errors .

Taylor, R. [taylorphd07]. (2014, February 27). Scales of measurement [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDsMUlexaMY

Walden University Academic Skills Center. (2020, April 15). One-way ANCOVA: Introduction [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/_XnNDQ5CNW8

For videos from streaming sites, use the person or organization who uploaded the video in the author space to ensure retrievability, whether or not that person is the speaker in the video. A username can be provided in square brackets. As a change from APA 6 to APA 7, include the publisher after the title, and do not use "Retrieved from" before the URL. See APA 7, Section 10.12 for more information and examples.

See also reference list entry formats for TED Talks .

Technical and Research Reports

Edwards, C. (2015). Lighting levels for isolated intersections: Leading to safety improvements (Report No. MnDOT 2015-05). Center for Transportation Studies. http://www.cts.umn.edu/Publications/ResearchReports/reportdetail.html?id=2402

Technical and research reports by governmental agencies and other research institutions usually follow a different publication process than scholarly, peer-reviewed journals. However, they present original research and are often useful for research papers. Sometimes, researchers refer to these types of reports as gray literature , and white papers are a type of this literature. See APA 7, Section 10.4 for more information.

Reference list entires for TED Talks follow the usual guidelines for multimedia content found online. There are two common places to find TED talks online, with slightly different reference list entry formats for each.

TED Talk on the TED website

If you find the TED Talk on the TED website, follow the format for an online video on an organizational website:

Owusu-Kesse, K. (2020, June). 5 needs that any COVID-19 response should meet [Video]. TED Conferences. https://www.ted.com/talks/kwame_owusu_kesse_5_needs_that_any_covid_19_response_should_meet

The speaker is the author in the reference list entry if the video is posted on the TED website. For citations, use the speaker's surname.

TED Talk on YouTube

If you find the TED Talk on YouTube or another streaming video website, follow the usual format for streaming video sites:

TED. (2021, February 5). The shadow pandemic of domestic violence during COVID-19 | Kemi DaSilvalbru [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGdID_ICFII

TED is the author in the reference list entry if the video is posted on YouTube since it is the channel on which the video is posted. For citations, use TED as the author.

Walden University Course Catalog

To include the Walden course catalog in your reference list, use this format:

Walden University. (2020). 2019-2020 Walden University catalog . https://catalog.waldenu.edu/index.php

If you cite from a specific portion of the catalog in your paper, indicate the appropriate section and paragraph number in your text:

...which reflects the commitment to social change expressed in Walden University's mission statement (Walden University, 2020, Vision, Mission, and Goals section, para. 2).

And in the reference list:

Walden University. (2020). Vision, mission, and goals. In 2019-2020 Walden University catalog. https://catalog.waldenu.edu/content.php?catoid=172&navoid=59420&hl=vision&returnto=search

Vartan, S. (2018, January 30). Why vacations matter for your health . CNN. https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/why-vacations-matter/index.html

For webpages on the open web, include the author, date, webpage title, organization/site name, and URL. (There is a slight variation for online versions of print newspapers or magazines. For those sources, follow the models in the previous sections of this page.)

American Federation of Teachers. (n.d.). Community schools . http://www.aft.org/issues/schoolreform/commschools/index.cfm

If there is no specified author, then use the organization’s name as the author. In such a case, there is no need to repeat the organization's name after the title.

In APA 7, active hyperlinks for DOIs and URLs should be used for documents meant for screen reading. Present these hyperlinks in blue and underlined text (the default formatting in Microsoft Word), although plain black text is also acceptable. Be consistent in your formatting choice for DOIs and URLs throughout your reference list.

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APA (7th Edition) Referencing Guide

  • Information for EndNote Users
  • Authors - Numbers, Rules and Formatting
  • In-Text Citations
  • Reference List
  • Books & eBooks
  • Book chapters
  • Journal Articles
  • Conference Papers
  • Newspaper Articles
  • Web Pages & Documents
  • Specialised Health Databases
  • Using Visual Works in Assignments & Class Presentations
  • Using Visual Works in Theses and Publications
  • Using Tables in Assignments & Class Presentations
  • Custom Textbooks & Books of Readings
  • ABS AND AIHW
  • Videos (YouTube), Podcasts & Webinars
  • Blog Posts and Social Media
  • First Nations Works
  • Dictionary and Encyclopedia Entries
  • Personal Communication
  • Theses and Dissertations
  • Film / TV / DVD
  • AI software

APA 7th examples and templates

Apa formatting tips, thesis formatting, tables and figures.

  • What If...?
  • Other Guides

how to write an assignment with reference

You can view the samples here:

  • APA Style Sample Papers From the official APA Style and Grammar Guidelines

Quick formatting notes taken from the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association 7th edition

Use the same font throughout the text of your paper, including the title and any headings. APA lists the following options (p. 44):

  • Sans serif fonts such as 11-point Calibri, 11 point-Arial, 10-point Lucida,
  • Serif fonts such as 12-point Times new Roman, 11-point Georgia or 10-point Computer Modern.

(A serif font is one that has caps and tails - or "wiggly bits" - on it, like Times New Roman . The font used throughout this guide is a sans serif [without serif] font). You may want to check with your lecturer to see if they have a preference.

In addition APA suggests these fonts for the following circumstances:

  • Within figures, use a sans serif font between 8 and 14 points.
  • When presenting computer code, use a monospace font such as 10-point Lucida Console or 10-point Courier New.
  • Footnotes: a 10-point font with single line spacing.

Line Spacing:

"Double-space the entire paper, including the title page, abstract, text, headings, block quotations, reference list, table and figure notes, and appendices, with the following exceptions:" (p. 45)

  • Table and figures: Words within tables and figures may be single-, one-and-a-half- or double-spaced depending on what you decide creates the best presentation.
  • Footnotes: Footnotes appearing at the bottom of the page to which they refer may be single-spaced and formatted with the default settings on your word processing program i.e. Word.
  • Equations: You may triple- or quadruple-space before and after equations.

"Use 1 in. (2.54 cm) margins on all sides (top, bottom, left, and right) of the page." If your subject outline or lecturer has requested specific margins (for example, 3cm on the left side), use those.

"Align the text to the left and leave the right margin uneven ('ragged'). Do not use full justification, which adjusts the spacing between words to make all lines the same length (flush with the margins).  Do not manually divide words at the end of a line" (p. 45).

Do not break hyphenated words. Do not manually break long DOIs or URLs.

Indentations:

"Indent the first line of every paragraph... for consistency, use the tab key... the default settings in most word-processing programs are acceptable. The remaining lines of the paragraph should be left-aligned." (p. 45)

Exceptions to the paragraph indentation requirements are as follows:

  • Title pages to be centred.
  • The first line of abstracts are left aligned (not indented).
  • Block quotes are indented 1.27 cm (0.5 in). The first paragraph of a block quote is not indented further. Only the first line of the second and subsequent paragraphs (if there are any) are indented a further 1.27 cm (0.5 in). (see What if...Long quote  in this LibGuide)
  • Level 1 headings, including appendix titles, are centred. Level 2 and Level 3 headings are left aligned..
  • Table and figure captions, notes etc. are flush left.

Page numbers:

Page numbers should be flush right in the header of each page. Use the automatic page numbering function in Word to insert page numbers in the top right-hand corner. The title page is page number 1.

Reference List:

  • Start the reference list on a new page after the text but before any appendices.
  • Label the reference list References  (bold, centred, capitalised).
  • Double-space all references.
  • Use a hanging indent on all references (first line is flush left, the second and any subsequent lines are indented 1.27 cm (0.5 in). To apply a hanging indent in Word, highlight all of your references and press Ctrl + T  on a PC, or  Command (⌘) + T  on a Mac.

Level 1 Heading - Centered, Bold, Title Case

Text begins as a new paragraph i.e. first line indented...

Level 2 Heading - Flush Left, Bold, Title Case

Level 3 Heading - Flush Left, Bold, Italic, Title Case

Level 4 Heading Indented, Bold, Title Case Heading, Ending With a Full Stop. Text begins on the same line...

Level 5 Heading, Bold, Italic, Title Case Heading, Ending with a Full Stop.  Text begins on the same line...

Please note : Any formatting requirements specified in the subject outline or any other document or web page supplied to the students by the lecturers should be followed instead of these guidelines.

What is an appendix?

Appendices contain matter that belongs with your paper, rather than in it.

For example, an appendix might contain

  • the survey questions or scales you used for your research,
  • detailed description of data that was referred to in your paper,
  • long lists that are too unweildy to be given in the paper,
  • correspondence recieved from the company you are analysing,
  • copies of documents being discussed (if required),

You may be asked to include certain details or documents in appendices, or you may chose to use an appendix to illustrate details that would be inappropriate or distracting in the body of your text, but are still worth presenting to the readers of your paper.

Each topic should have its own appendix. For example, if you have a survey that you gave to participants and an assessment tool which was used to analyse the results of that survey, they should be in different appendices. However, if you are including a number of responses to that survey, do not put each response in a separate appendix, but group them together in one appendix as they belong together.

How do you format an appendix?

Appendices go at the very end of your paper , after your reference list. (If you are using footnotes, tables or figures, then the end of your paper will follow this pattern: reference list, footnotes, tables, figures, appendices).

Each appendix starts on a separate page. If you have only one appendix, it is simply labelled "Appendix". If you have more than one, they are given letters: "Appendix A", "Appendix B", "Appendix C", etc.

The label for your appendix (which is just "Appendix" or "Appendix A" - do not put anything else with it), like your refrerence list, is placed at the top of the page, centered and in bold , beginning with a capital letter.

You then give a title for your appendix, centered and in bold , on the next line.

Use title case for the appendix label and title.

The first paragraph of your appendix is not indented (it is flush with the left margin), but all other paragraphs follow the normal pattern of indenting the first line. Use double line spacing, just like you would for the body of your paper.

How do I refer to my appendices in my paper?

In your paper, when you mention information that will be included or expanded upon in your appendices, you refer to the appendix by its label and capitalise the letters that are capitalised in the label:

Questions in the survey were designed to illicit reflective responses (see Appendix A).

As the consent form in Appendix B illustrates...

How do I use references in my appendices?

Appendices are considered to be part of your paper for the purpose of referencing. Any in-text citations used in your appendix should be formatted exactly the same way you would format it in the body of your paper, and the references cited in your appendices will go in your reference list (they do not go in a special section of your reference list, but are treated like normal references).

If you have included reproduced matter in your appendices, treat them like an image or a table that has been copied or adapted. Place the information for the source in the notes under the reproduced matter (a full copyright acknowledgement for theses or works being published, or the shorter version used at JCU for assignments), and put the reference in the reference list.

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Quick guide to Harvard referencing (Cite Them Right)

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There are different versions of the Harvard referencing style. This guide is a quick introduction to the commonly-used Cite Them Right version. You will find further guidance available through the OU Library on the Cite Them Right Database .

For help and support with referencing and the full Cite Them Right guide, have a look at the Library’s page on referencing and plagiarism . If you need guidance referencing OU module material you can check out which sections of Cite Them Right are recommended when referencing physical and online module material .

This guide does not apply to OU Law undergraduate students . If you are studying a module beginning with W1xx, W2xx or W3xx, you should refer to the Quick guide to Cite Them Right referencing for Law modules .

Table of contents

In-text citations and full references.

  • Secondary referencing
  • Page numbers
  • Citing multiple sources published in the same year by the same author

Full reference examples

Referencing consists of two elements:

  • in-text citations, which are inserted in the body of your text and are included in the word count. An in-text citation gives the author(s) and publication date of a source you are referring to. If the publication date is not given, the phrase 'no date' is used instead of a date. If using direct quotations or you refer to a specific section in the source you also need the page number/s if available, or paragraph number for web pages.
  • full references, which are given in alphabetical order in reference list at the end of your work and are not included in the word count. Full references give full bibliographical information for all the sources you have referred to in the body of your text.

To see a reference list and intext citations check out this example assignment on Cite Them Right .

Difference between reference list and bibliography

a reference list only includes sources you have referred to in the body of your text

a bibliography includes sources you have referred to in the body of your text AND sources that were part of your background reading that you did not use in your assignment

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Examples of in-text citations

You need to include an in-text citation wherever you quote or paraphrase from a source. An in-text citation consists of the last name of the author(s), the year of publication, and a page number if relevant. There are a number of ways of incorporating in-text citations into your work - some examples are provided below. Alternatively you can see examples of setting out in-text citations in Cite Them Right .

Note: When referencing a chapter of an edited book, your in-text citation should give the author(s) of the chapter.

Online module materials

(Includes written online module activities, audio-visual material such as online tutorials, recordings or videos).

When referencing material from module websites, the date of publication is the year you started studying the module.

Surname, Initial. (Year of publication/presentation) 'Title of item'. Module code: Module title . Available at: URL of VLE (Accessed: date).

OR, if there is no named author:

The Open University (Year of publication/presentation) 'Title of item'. Module code: Module title . Available at: URL of VLE (Accessed: date).

Rietdorf, K. and Bootman, M. (2022) 'Topic 3: Rare diseases'. S290: Investigating human health and disease . Available at: https://learn2.open.ac.uk/mod/oucontent/view.php?id=1967195 (Accessed: 24 January 2023).

The Open University (2022) ‘3.1 The purposes of childhood and youth research’. EK313: Issues in research with children and young people . Available at: https://learn2.open.ac.uk/mod/oucontent/view.php?id=1949633&section=1.3 (Accessed: 24 January 2023).

You can also use this template to reference videos and audio that are hosted on your module website:

The Open University (2022) ‘Video 2.7 An example of a Frith-Happé animation’. SK298: Brain, mind and mental health . Available at: https://learn2.open.ac.uk/mod/oucontent/view.php?id=2013014&section=4.9.6 (Accessed: 22 November 2022).

The Open University (2022) ‘Audio 2 Interview with Richard Sorabji (Part 2)’. A113: Revolutions . Available at: https://learn2.open.ac.uk/mod/oucontent/view.php?id=1960941&section=5.6 (Accessed: 22 November 2022).

Note: if a complete journal article has been uploaded to a module website, or if you have seen an article referred to on the website and then accessed the original version, reference the original journal article, and do not mention the module materials. If only an extract from an article is included in your module materials that you want to reference, you should use secondary referencing, with the module materials as the 'cited in' source, as described above.

Surname, Initial. (Year of publication) 'Title of message', Title of discussion board , in Module code: Module title . Available at: URL of VLE (Accessed: date).

Fitzpatrick, M. (2022) ‘A215 - presentation of TMAs', Tutor group discussion & Workbook activities , in A215: Creative writing . Available at: https://learn2.open.ac.uk/mod/forumng/discuss.php?d=4209566 (Accessed: 24 January 2022).

Note: When an ebook looks like a printed book, with publication details and pagination, reference as a printed book.

Surname, Initial. (Year of publication) Title . Edition if later than first. Place of publication: publisher. Series and volume number if relevant.

For ebooks that do not contain print publication details

Surname, Initial. (Year of publication) Title of book . Available at: DOI or URL (Accessed: date).

Example with one author:

Bell, J. (2014) Doing your research project . Maidenhead: Open University Press.

Adams, D. (1979) The hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy . Available at: http://www.amazon.co.uk/kindle-ebooks (Accessed: 23 June 2021).

Example with two or three authors:

Goddard, J. and Barrett, S. (2015) The health needs of young people leaving care . Norwich: University of East Anglia, School of Social Work and Psychosocial Studies.

Example with four or more authors:

Young, H.D. et al. (2015) Sears and Zemansky's university physics . San Francisco, CA: Addison-Wesley.

Note: You can choose one or other method to reference four or more authors (unless your School requires you to name all authors in your reference list) and your approach should be consistent.

Note: Books that have an editor, or editors, where each chapter is written by a different author or authors.

Surname of chapter author, Initial. (Year of publication) 'Title of chapter or section', in Initial. Surname of book editor (ed.) Title of book . Place of publication: publisher, Page reference.

Franklin, A.W. (2012) 'Management of the problem', in S.M. Smith (ed.) The maltreatment of children . Lancaster: MTP, pp. 83–95.

Surname, Initial. (Year of publication) 'Title of article', Title of Journal , volume number (issue number), page reference.

If accessed online:

Surname, Initial. (Year of publication) 'Title of article', Title of Journal , volume number (issue number), page reference. Available at: DOI or URL (if required) (Accessed: date).

Shirazi, T. (2010) 'Successful teaching placements in secondary schools: achieving QTS practical handbooks', European Journal of Teacher Education , 33(3), pp. 323–326.

Shirazi, T. (2010) 'Successful teaching placements in secondary schools: achieving QTS practical handbooks', European Journal of Teacher Education , 33(3), pp. 323–326. Available at: https://libezproxy.open.ac.uk/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/log... (Accessed: 27 January 2023).

Barke, M. and Mowl, G. (2016) 'Málaga – a failed resort of the early twentieth century?', Journal of Tourism History , 2(3), pp. 187–212. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/1755182X.2010.523145

Surname, Initial. (Year of publication) 'Title of article', Title of Newspaper , Day and month, Page reference.

Surname, Initial. (Year of publication) 'Title of article', Title of Newspaper , Day and month, Page reference if available. Available at: URL (Accessed: date).

Mansell, W. and Bloom, A. (2012) ‘£10,000 carrot to tempt physics experts’, The Guardian , 20 June, p. 5.

Roberts, D. and Ackerman, S. (2013) 'US draft resolution allows Obama 90 days for military action against Syria', The Guardian , 4 September. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/04/syria-strikes-draft-resolut... (Accessed: 9 September 2015).

Surname, Initial. (Year that the site was published/last updated) Title of web page . Available at: URL (Accessed: date).

Organisation (Year that the page was last updated) Title of web page . Available at: URL (Accessed: date).

Robinson, J. (2007) Social variation across the UK . Available at: https://www.bl.uk/british-accents-and-dialects/articles/social-variation... (Accessed: 21 November 2021).

The British Psychological Society (2018) Code of Ethics and Conduct . Available at: https://www.bps.org.uk/news-and-policy/bps-code-ethics-and-conduct (Accessed: 22 March 2019).

Note: Cite Them Right Online offers guidance for referencing webpages that do not include authors' names and dates. However, be extra vigilant about the suitability of such webpages.

Surname, Initial. (Year) Title of photograph . Available at: URL (Accessed: date).

Kitton, J. (2013) Golden sunset . Available at: https://www.jameskittophotography.co.uk/photo_8692150.html (Accessed: 21 November 2021).

stanitsa_dance (2021) Cossack dance ensemble . Available at: https://www.instagram.com/p/COI_slphWJ_/ (Accessed: 13 June 2023).

Note: If no title can be found then replace it with a short description.

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  • Referencing

A Quick Guide to Referencing | Cite Your Sources Correctly

Referencing means acknowledging the sources you have used in your writing. Including references helps you support your claims and ensures that you avoid plagiarism .

There are many referencing styles, but they usually consist of two things:

  • A citation wherever you refer to a source in your text.
  • A reference list or bibliography at the end listing full details of all your sources.

The most common method of referencing in UK universities is Harvard style , which uses author-date citations in the text. Our free Harvard Reference Generator automatically creates accurate references in this style.

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Table of contents

Referencing styles, citing your sources with in-text citations, creating your reference list or bibliography, harvard referencing examples, frequently asked questions about referencing.

Each referencing style has different rules for presenting source information. For in-text citations, some use footnotes or endnotes , while others include the author’s surname and date of publication in brackets in the text.

The reference list or bibliography is presented differently in each style, with different rules for things like capitalisation, italics, and quotation marks in references.

Your university will usually tell you which referencing style to use; they may even have their own unique style. Always follow your university’s guidelines, and ask your tutor if you are unsure. The most common styles are summarised below.

Harvard referencing, the most commonly used style at UK universities, uses author–date in-text citations corresponding to an alphabetical bibliography or reference list at the end.

Harvard Referencing Guide

Vancouver referencing, used in biomedicine and other sciences, uses reference numbers in the text corresponding to a numbered reference list at the end.

Vancouver Referencing Guide

APA referencing, used in the social and behavioural sciences, uses author–date in-text citations corresponding to an alphabetical reference list at the end.

APA Referencing Guide APA Reference Generator

MHRA referencing, used in the humanities, uses footnotes in the text with source information, in addition to an alphabetised bibliography at the end.

MHRA Referencing Guide

OSCOLA referencing, used in law, uses footnotes in the text with source information, and an alphabetical bibliography at the end in longer texts.

OSCOLA Referencing Guide

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In-text citations should be used whenever you quote, paraphrase, or refer to information from a source (e.g. a book, article, image, website, or video).

Quoting and paraphrasing

Quoting is when you directly copy some text from a source and enclose it in quotation marks to indicate that it is not your own writing.

Paraphrasing is when you rephrase the original source into your own words. In this case, you don’t use quotation marks, but you still need to include a citation.

In most referencing styles, page numbers are included when you’re quoting or paraphrasing a particular passage. If you are referring to the text as a whole, no page number is needed.

In-text citations

In-text citations are quick references to your sources. In Harvard referencing, you use the author’s surname and the date of publication in brackets.

Up to three authors are included in a Harvard in-text citation. If the source has more than three authors, include the first author followed by ‘ et al. ‘

The point of these citations is to direct your reader to the alphabetised reference list, where you give full information about each source. For example, to find the source cited above, the reader would look under ‘J’ in your reference list to find the title and publication details of the source.

Placement of in-text citations

In-text citations should be placed directly after the quotation or information they refer to, usually before a comma or full stop. If a sentence is supported by multiple sources, you can combine them in one set of brackets, separated by a semicolon.

If you mention the author’s name in the text already, you don’t include it in the citation, and you can place the citation immediately after the name.

  • Another researcher warns that the results of this method are ‘inconsistent’ (Singh, 2018, p. 13) .
  • Previous research has frequently illustrated the pitfalls of this method (Singh, 2018; Jones, 2016) .
  • Singh (2018, p. 13) warns that the results of this method are ‘inconsistent’.

The terms ‘bibliography’ and ‘reference list’ are sometimes used interchangeably. Both refer to a list that contains full information on all the sources cited in your text. Sometimes ‘bibliography’ is used to mean a more extensive list, also containing sources that you consulted but did not cite in the text.

A reference list or bibliography is usually mandatory, since in-text citations typically don’t provide full source information. For styles that already include full source information in footnotes (e.g. OSCOLA and Chicago Style ), the bibliography is optional, although your university may still require you to include one.

Format of the reference list

Reference lists are usually alphabetised by authors’ last names. Each entry in the list appears on a new line, and a hanging indent is applied if an entry extends onto multiple lines.

Harvard reference list example

Different source information is included for different source types. Each style provides detailed guidelines for exactly what information should be included and how it should be presented.

Below are some examples of reference list entries for common source types in Harvard style.

  • Chapter of a book
  • Journal article

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Your university should tell you which referencing style to follow. If you’re unsure, check with a supervisor. Commonly used styles include:

  • Harvard referencing , the most commonly used style in UK universities.
  • MHRA , used in humanities subjects.
  • APA , used in the social sciences.
  • Vancouver , used in biomedicine.
  • OSCOLA , used in law.

Your university may have its own referencing style guide.

If you are allowed to choose which style to follow, we recommend Harvard referencing, as it is a straightforward and widely used style.

References should be included in your text whenever you use words, ideas, or information from a source. A source can be anything from a book or journal article to a website or YouTube video.

If you don’t acknowledge your sources, you can get in trouble for plagiarism .

To avoid plagiarism , always include a reference when you use words, ideas or information from a source. This shows that you are not trying to pass the work of others off as your own.

You must also properly quote or paraphrase the source. If you’re not sure whether you’ve done this correctly, you can use the Scribbr Plagiarism Checker to find and correct any mistakes.

Harvard referencing uses an author–date system. Sources are cited by the author’s last name and the publication year in brackets. Each Harvard in-text citation corresponds to an entry in the alphabetised reference list at the end of the paper.

Vancouver referencing uses a numerical system. Sources are cited by a number in parentheses or superscript. Each number corresponds to a full reference at the end of the paper.

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Harvard referencing quick guide: Sample assignment

  • Introduction
  • General guidelines
  • Citing and referencing material

Sample assignment

  • Referencing software

Citing and reference list example

The text to the right shows how citations and the reference list are typically written in the Harvard referencing style.

Note: the text itself is not designed to be a proper example of academic writing and does not use information from the sources cited; it is for illustrative purposes only.

The purpose of this assignment is to show common elements of the Harvard style of referencing in Dundalk Institute of Technology. It is not intended to be an example of good quality academic writing, and indeed may not make sense in general, but it should show you how citations and a reference list are formed in the Harvard style of referencing (Cameron 2021). If you include a “direct quotation from a book you have read” (Giddens and Sutton 2021, p.117) you should include the relevant page number.

You don’t always have to write the author and year in brackets. Cameron (2021) explains that if the author’s name occurs naturally in the text then the year follows it in brackets. If there are two authors you should include both of them in the citation (Levine and Munsch 2021). If there are three or more authors you don’t have to list all of the names in the citation but you should include them all in the reference list (Robbins et al. 2020). The reference list should appear at the end of your assignment and be in alphabetical order based on the first author’s surname (Bruen 2022) rather than the order in which they appear in your assignment ( Papagiannis  2022). If you are using a citation for a second time you do not need to include it twice in the reference list (Cameron 2021).

Referencing an academic journal that you find online requires more information in the reference list but uses the same format for citing as other sources (Tesseur 2022). If referencing a source from a library database you say from which database you found it (Mayombe 2021).

Don’t forget that websites need to be cited too (Dundalk Institute of Technology 2022). We recommend you look at the full version of DkIT’s Harvard referencing guidelines, and contact the Library if you have any questions. Good luck.

Reference list

Bruen, M. (2020). River flows. In: Kelly-Quinn, M. and Reynolds, J., eds.  Ireland’s rivers . Dublin: University College Dublin Press, pp.39-59.

Cameron, S. (2021). The business student's handbook: skills for study and employment . 7th ed. Harlow: Pearson.

Dundalk Institute of Technology. (2022).  Research support  [online]. Available from: https://www.dkit.ie/research/research-support.html [accessed 25 March 2022].

Giddens, A. and Sutton, P.W. (2021).  Sociology . 9th ed. Cambridge: Polity Press.

Levine, L.E. and Munsch, J. (2021).  Child development: an active learning approach  [online]. 4th ed. London: SAGE Publications. Available from: https://books.google.ie/books?id=zlrZzQEACAAJ&dq [accessed 25 March 2022].

Mayombe, C. (2021). Partnership with stakeholders as innovative model of work-integrated learning for unemployed youths.  Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning  [online], 12(2), pp.309-327. Available from: Emerald Insight [accessed 25 March 2022].

Papagiannis, N. (2020).  Effective SEO and content marketing: the ultimate guide for maximizing free web traffic  [online]. Indianapolis: Wiley. Available from: EBSCOhost eBook Collection [accessed 25 March 2022].

Robbins, S.P., Coulter, M.A. and De Cenzo, D.A. (2020).  Fundamentals of management . 11th ed. Harlow: Pearson.

Tesseur, W. (2022). Translation as inclusion? An analysis of international NGOs’ translation policy documents.  Language Problems and Language Planning  [online], 45(3), pp. 261-283. Available from: https://doras.dcu.ie/26151 [accessed 25 March 2022].

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  • Research Guides

Citing Business Sources in APA Style

  • 2. Citing references in-text
  • 1. About this guide

2. Citing references in the text of your assignment

Guidelines and examples from apa style.

  • 3. Citing sources in your reference list
  • 4. Reference List Examples: Brock Library Business Databases
  • 5. Reference List Examples: Statistical Sources
  • 6. Reference List Examples: Audiovisual Sources
  • 7. Citing Sources in Presentations

APA Style uses the author-date citation system  (rather than footnotes or endnotes), which are often called in-text citations ,  parenthetical citations, or narrative citations . These are discussed in the Seventh Edition in Chapter 8, Works Credited in the Text. 

  • You must include an in-text citation whenever you directly quote from another work, or when you paraphrase an idea from another work.
  • You must include a page number in in-text citations for direct quotations, and you are encouraged to include them when you paraphrase.
  • There must be a corresponding Reference List entry for every in-text citation (except for a few exceptions, such as personal communications). 

2.1: Examples of in-text citations with page numbers (print or online)

To cite a source in the text of your written assignment, indicate the last name of the author(s), or if there is no author, the first few words of the document title (in quotation marks), then the page, chapter, figure, or table numbers (if applicable). Narrative citations incorporate the author's name and date of publication within the text. Parenthetical citations place the author and date in parentheses after a quotation or paraphrase. If a publication was written by an organization (such as an association, corporation, or other type of group), then you need to spell out the name of the group in full.

You must provide a specific page number (or specific part) when quoting directly from a source, and you are encouraged to to do so when paraphrasing.

  • Example of a narrative citation for a direct quotation:

...according to Ojala (2006), “transformational librarians look at the changes in the information world and take advantage of those changes to enhance their roles”(p. 5).

  • Example of a parenthetical citation for a direct quotation with multiple authors:

..."teams at the top are the most difficult" (Katzenbach & Smith, 1999, p. 3).

  • Example of a parenthetical citation for a paraphrase (one author):

There are nine ways to build demand through marketing (Kotler, 1999, p. 47).

  • Example of a parenthetical citation for a paraphrase (group author):

         Financial literacy is an essential skill for Canadians (Task Force on Financial Literacy, 2010, p. 4).

  • Example of a parenthetical citation for a paraphrase (no author):

Facebook addicts are a great target market ("Your piece of Facebook action", 2012, p. 11).

2.2: Examples of in-text citations without page numbers

Indicate the last name of the author(s) or, if there is no author, the first few words of the document title (in quotation marks), then the year of publication, then cite the nearest heading and the number of the paragraphs following, preceded by the abbreviation para.

1. Example of a parenthetical citation, personal author:

Parking meters and vending machines must be reprogrammed to accept the new loonie and toonie (Caton, 2012,  para. 5) .

2. Example of a parenthetical citation, group author:

Vending machines are a key retail channel in captive locations such as hospitals (Euromonitor, 2012, Trends section, para. 4).

2.3: Two or more works, same author, same year.

In order to differentiate between two or more works by the same author that were published in the same year, assign letter suffixes to the publication year, both in the in-text citation and in the corresponding entries in the reference list.

         1. Example (group author):

(Datamonitor, 2011a, p.2)

(Datamonitor, 2011b, p.5)

2. Example (personal author):

(Porter & Rivkin, 2012a, p. 54)

(Porter & Rivkin, 2012b, p.80)

2.4: Examples of In-text Citations for Personal Communications

Personal communications include nonrecoverable resources such as email or text messages, telephone conversations, Teams or Zoom chats, etc. Include the initial and surname of the communicator, and an exact date, if possible. These citations may be formatted as narrative citations, or as parenthetical citations. A corresponding Reference List entry is not required.

Narrative citation:  L. Lowry (personal communication, February 26, 2021)

Parenthetical citation: (L. Lowry, personal communication, February 26, 2021)

  • In-Text Citations (APA Style) Provides guidelines on creating in-text citations including specific guidance on how to cite a wide variety of formats including interviews, classroom resources, and personal communications.
  • Classroom or Intranet Sources Consult this section for guidance on citing sources such as a recorded lecture posted in Brightspace.
  • Quotations from Research Participants - includes guidance on how to disguise participant information in order to preserve the anonymity or confidentiality of research participants. Also valuable when citing information obtained from community partners as part of a service learning project.
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  • Next: 3. Citing sources in your reference list >>
  • Last Updated: Apr 21, 2023 9:32 AM
  • URL: https://researchguides.library.brocku.ca/APABusiness

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  • Setting Up the APA Reference Page | Formatting & References (Examples)

Setting Up the APA Reference Page | Formatting & References (Examples)

Published on November 4, 2020 by Raimo Streefkerk . Revised on January 17, 2024.

APA reference page (7th edition)

On the APA reference page, you list all the sources that you’ve cited in your paper. The list starts on a new page right after the body text.

Follow these instructions to set up your APA reference page:

  • Place the section label “References” in bold at the top of the page (centered).
  • Order the references alphabetically .
  • Double-space all text.
  • Apply a hanging indent of 0.5 inches.

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Table of contents

Setting up the apa reference page, apa alphabetization guidelines, which sources to include on the reference page, annotated bibliography, creating apa references.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

References are ordered alphabetically by the first author’s last name. If the author is unknown, order the reference entry by the first meaningful word of the title (ignoring articles: “the”, “a”, or “an”).

Word processors like Word or Google Docs and citation generators can usually order the reference list automatically. However, ordering becomes challenging when citing multiple works by the same author or works by authors with the same last name.

Our in-depth article on ordering references in APA Style explains what to do in these situations.

Only include references for sources cited in the body text (with an APA in-text citation ). Don’t include references for:

  • Sources that you only consulted;
  • Personal communications (e.g., emails or phone calls);
  • General mentions of websites or periodicals ;
  • Common knowledge .

For some student papers, it’s common to describe or evaluate the source in an annotation . These annotations are placed on a new line below the corresponding reference entry. The entire annotation is indented 0.5 inches.

If an annotation consists of multiple paragraphs, the first line of the second and any subsequent paragraphs is indented an additional 0.5 inches.

APA annotated bibliography (7th edition)

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how to write an assignment with reference

The format of an APA reference differs depending on the source type. Play around with the options in the Scribbr Example Generator to get familiar with APA Style.

Scribbr Citation Generator

With Scribbr’s free APA citation generator you can easily cite your sources according to the new 7th edition guidelines. It’s accurate, fast, and easy to use. Give it a try!

APA Citation Generator

APA citation examples

Check out Scribbr’s citation examples to learn more about citing each type of source, ranging from books and journals to podcasts and tweets !

Periodicals

  • Journal article
  • Newspaper article

Reports and gray literature

  • Press release
  • Dissertation or thesis
  • Conference paper

Books and reference works

  • Dictionary entry
  • Encyclopedia entry

Audiovisual works

  • Movie or documentary
  • YouTube video

Online media

  • Personal communication
  • Tables and figures

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Streefkerk, R. (2024, January 17). Setting Up the APA Reference Page | Formatting & References (Examples). Scribbr. Retrieved February 19, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/apa-style/apa-reference-page/

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APA Formatting and Style Guide (7th Edition)

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Library Connect

Referencing and assignment writing

  • by The Library
  • posted April 13, 2021

how to write an assignment with reference

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Our Digital Library services are here for all your study needs!

As your assignment due dates for Trimester 1 approach, you can be confident in your writing and referencing with help from the Library.

Writing, Researching and Referencing Guide

Check out our Writing, Researching and Referencing guide for an overview of all the study skills you’ll need to handle assessments this trimester and feel more confident about study, writing and referencing. Find information to help you with:

  • Study skills: learn all the strategies you need, from time management to online learning.
  • Understanding the task: find out how to break down your assignment questions to really focus on what you need to cover.
  • Researching: get tips on using Library resources and suggestions on how to start your research.
  • Academic writing: discover strategies for planning and structuring your assignments, including the layout of a report.
  • Referencing: learn why it’s important and what goes into a reference.

Writing and Referencing workshops

The Library offers multiple online workshops to assist with writing your assignments and referencing. These workshops include Structuring Assignments, Using References in your Writing and Understanding Referencing and run until the end of April. You can register for an available workshop on the Library Workshops page.

Write Assignments webpages

On our Study webpages you can find more information on writing assignments including information about different assignment types , academic writing and how to structure assignments.

Referencing guides

We have referencing guides for a range of styles including APA, Chicago and Harvard. These guides include examples on how to quote and paraphrase in the text of your assignment and how to format reference lists.

You can determine the referencing style for your course by checking your assignment task sheet and rubrics, or asking your course convenor. You can then refer to the relevant referencing guide when writing your assignment.

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   The Use of References in Academic Papers

What is Referencing (or Citing)?

For the majority of students, citing and referencing may seem challenging and even daunting. However, in most cases, the initial instructions given by the educators require the use of some credible and reliable sources while completing a paper. Let’s discuss the notion of referencing and the main difficulties relative to referencing that are usually faced by college undergraduates.

Don’t waste your time! Order your assignment!

First of all, referencing (citing) can be defined as acknowledging all the sources of information that the college undergraduates used in their academic assignments such as an essay, a research paper, a report, or a term paper. By citing a reference, they acknowledge different sources used in the process of writing. In the case, if students fail to provide a proper reference, they will be punished for plagiarism that is usually regarded as a serious academic offense.

Needless to say that plagiarism is considered equivalent to cheating. As a result, they may be given a zero on their written assignment. In some cases, a high percentage of plagiarism may lead to the individual’s expulsion from college or university.

Apart from that, by referencing some scientific journal articles, you acknowledge the contribution of the other scholars in your work. In this case, you give credit to the researchers and respect their intellectual property rights. It is common knowledge that references are used to support all the claims and arguments presented in the paper. For instance, if you use the reliable sources, like journal articles, scientific books, and some governmental reports, the citations taken from these publications will make your writing more persuasive.

Can I Use References in a College Assignment?

Yes, you can use references in a college assignment. What is more, you have to cite the sources you have used in the paper in order to prevent a high similarity known as plagiarism. For general development, it is useful to read about  how to use Harvard referencing in assignments .

Can I Use any Kind of Sources in My Academic Writing?

No, you cannot use any kind of sources in your academic writing. The reason for this issue is the fact that all the college assignments require the use of credible and reliable sources. So, let’s discuss the materials that can be used in your paper as well as the ones that cannot be cited.

Referencing is appropriate if you take the ideas from: – books and scientific journal articles; – credible magazines and newspapers; – brochures and pamphlets; – films, documentaries, and international television programs; – some digital resources (e-mails, letters, or discussion forums); – reprinted diagrams, charts, and illustrations; – reliable websites.

You can determine the reliability of websites by means of the URL’s ending: 1. If a website ends in .edu,  in most cases, it has been created by an educational institution. That’s why it this source can be used in your paper.

  • If a website ends in .gov , you can add it to the list of references since it is a reliable government website.

Do not use in your paper : -blogs, tweets, and forums; -personal websites and some questionable web pages that may provide biased information; -editorials and self-published sources; – online sources with the URLs ending in .html ; – online sources with the URLs ending in .com . How to Write an Assignment with References?

To begin with, it is important to mention that your academic paper may include either direct quotations or indirect ones.

Regarding the direct quotes, you have to use word-for-word citations putting them in quotation marks. For instance, “I looked up from my desk and said, “No, you can’t have a cookie”. When you use the indirect quotes, you have to paraphrase the original message. As a result, you don’t need to put indirect quotes in quotations marks. For example, “I looked up from my desk and told him no, he couldn’t have a cookie”

You Should Never: 1. Put a block of quotes at the end of the paragraph; 2. Leave a quote standing alone; 3. Use a quote without acknowledging the source you have used in your writing.

Key Referencing Tips

1. Consult Your Style Guide. You have you consult this document in order to get familiar will all the stylistic requirements for your written assignment. 2. Consistency and Clarity. These two factors are the most important elements in referencing. 3. Judicious Citations. Some students use a few citations in their papers while the others, in turn, cite everything they like. In this case, it is important to use the quotations as the evidence supporting your points. 4 . Handling Unconventional Sources Make sure that you know how to write references on assignment and to cite less conventional sources of information like audi0-visual materials or unpublished works. 5. Use Some Robot Helpers Do not forget that you may use a number of software packages that include online citation generators.

Related assignments:

  • How to write your name in assignment
  • How to write a 1500 word assignment
  • How to use harvard referencing in assignments
  • How to write a good academic assignment

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  • Select style:
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  • Chapter of an edited book
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  • DVD, video, or film
  • E-book or PDF
  • Edited book
  • Encyclopedia article
  • Government publication
  • Music or recording
  • Online image or video
  • Presentation
  • Press release
  • Religious text

What Is Cite This For Me’s Reference Generator?

Cite This For Me’s open-access generator is an automated citation machine that turns any of your sources into references in just a click. Using a reference generator helps students to integrate referencing into their research and writing routine; turning a time-consuming ordeal into a simple task.

A referencing generator accesses information from across the web, drawing the relevant information into a fully-formatted bibliography that clearly presents all of the sources that have contributed to your work.

If you don’t know how to reference a website correctly, or have a fast-approaching deadline, Cite This For Me’s accurate and intuitive reference generator will lend you the confidence to realise your full academic potential. In order to get a grade that reflects all your hard work, your references must be accurate and complete. Using a citation machine not only saves you time but also ensures that you don’t lose valuable marks on your assignment.

Not sure how to format your citations, what citations are, or just want to find out more about Cite This For Me’s reference generator? This guide outlines everything you need to know to equip yourself with the know-how and confidence to research and cite a wide range of diverse sources in your work.

Why Do I Need To Reference?

Simply put, when another source contributes to your work, you have to give the original owner the appropriate credit. After all, you wouldn’t steal someone else’s possessions so why would you steal their ideas?

Regardless of whether you are referencing a website, an article or a podcast, any factual material or ideas you take from another source must be acknowledged in a citation unless it is common knowledge (e.g. Winston Churchill was English). Failing to credit all of your sources, even when you’ve paraphrased or completely reworded the information, is plagiarism. Plagiarising will result in disciplinary action, which can range from losing precious marks on your assignment to expulsion from your university.

What’s more, attributing your research infuses credibility and authority into your work, both by supporting your own ideas and by demonstrating the breadth of your research. For many students, crediting sources can be a confusing and tedious process, but it’s a surefire way to improve the quality of your work so it’s essential to get it right. Luckily for you, using Cite This For Me’s reference generator makes creating accurate references easier than ever, leaving more time for you to excel in your studies.

In summary, the citing process serves three main functions:

  • To validate the statements and conclusions in your work by providing directions to other sound sources that support and verify them.
  • To help your readers locate, read and check your sources, as well as establishing their contribution to your work.
  • To give credit to the original author and hence avoid committing intellectual property theft (known as ‘plagiarism’ in academia).

How Do I Cite My Sources With The Cite This For Me Referencing Generator?

Cite This For Me’s reference generator is the most accurate citation machine available, so whether you’re not sure how to format in-text references or are looking for a foolproof solution to automate a fully-formatted bibliography, this referencing generator will solve all of your citing needs.

Crediting your source material doesn’t just prevent you from losing valuable marks for plagiarism, it also provides all of the information to help your reader find for themselves the book, article, or other item you are citing. The accessible interface of the reference generator makes it easy for you to identify the source you have used – simply enter its unique identifier into the citation machine search bar. If this information is not available you can search for the title or author instead, and then select from the search results that appear below the reference generator.

Don’t know how to reference a website? The good news is that by using tools such as Cite This For Me’s reference generator, which help you work smarter, you don’t need to limit your research to sources that are traditional to cite. In fact, there are no limits to what you can cite, whether you are referencing a website, a YouTube video or a tweet.

To use the reference generator, simply:

  • Select your style from Harvard, APA, OSCOLA and many more*
  • Choose the type of source you would like to cite (e.g. website, book, journal, video)
  • Enter the URL , DOI , ISBN , title, or other unique source information to find your source
  • Click the ‘Cite’ button on the reference generator
  • Copy your new citation straight from the referencing generator into your bibliography
  • Repeat for each source that has contributed to your work.

*If you require another style for your paper, essay or other academic work, you can select from over 1,000 styles by creating a free Cite This For Me account.

Once you have created your Cite This For Me account you will be able to use the reference generator to create multiple references and save them into a project. Use Cite This For Me’s highly-rated iOS or Android apps to generate references in a flash with your smartphone camera, export your complete bibliography in one go, and much more.

What Will The Reference Generator Create For Me?

Cite This For Me’s reference generator will create your citation in two parts: an in-text citation and a full citation to be copied straight into your work.

The reference generator will auto-generate the correct formatting for your bibliography depending on your chosen style. For instance, if you select a parenthetical style the reference generator will generate an in-text citation in parentheses, along with a full citation to slot into your bibliography. Likewise, if the reference generator is set to a footnote style then it will create a fully-formatted citation for your reference list and bibliography, as well as a corresponding footnote to insert at the bottom of the page containing the relevant source.

Parenthetical style examples:

In-text example: A nation has been defined as an imagined community (Anderson, 2006).* Alternative format: Anderson (2006) defined a nation as an imagined community.

*The reference generator will create your references in the first style, but this should be edited if the author’s name already appears in the text.

Bibliography / Works Cited list example: Anderson, B. (2006). Imagined Communities. London: Verso.

What Are Citation Styles?

A citation style is a set of rules that you, as an academic writer, must follow to ensure the quality and relevance of your work. There are thousands of styles that are used in different academic institutions around the world, but in the UK the most common are Harvard, APA and Oscola.

The style you need to use will depend on the preference of your lecturer, discipline or academic institution – so if you’re unsure which style you should be using, consult your department and follow their guidelines exactly, as this is what you’ll be evaluated on when it comes to marking. You can also find your university’s style by logging into your Cite This For Me account and setting your institution in ‘My Profile’.

Citing isn’t just there to guard against plagiarism – presenting your research in a clear and consistent way eases the reader’s comprehension. Each style has a different set of rules for formatting both the page and your references. Be sure to adhere to formatting rules such as font type, font size and line spacing to ensure that your work is easily legible. Furthermore, if your work is published as part of an anthology or collected works, each entry will need to be presented in the same style to maintain uniformity throughout. It is important to make sure that you don’t jump from one style to another, so follow the rules carefully to ensure your reference list and bibliography are both accurate and complete.

If you need a hand with your citations then why not try Cite This For Me’s reference generator? It’s the quickest and easiest way to cite any source, in any style. The reference generator above will create your citations in the Harvard referencing style as standard, but it can generate fully-formatted references in over 1,000 styles – including university variations of each style. So, whether your lecturer has asked you to adopt APA referencing , or your subject requires you to use OSCOLA referencing , we’re sure to have the style you need. To access all of them, simply go to Cite This For Me’s website to create your free Cite This For Me account and search for your specific style such as MLA or Vancouver .

How Do I Format A Reference List Or Bibliography?

Drawing on a wide range of sources greatly enhances the quality of your work, and reading above and beyond your recommended reading list – and then using these sources to support your own thesis – is an excellent way to impress your reader. A clearly presented reference list or bibliography demonstrates the lengths you have gone to in researching your chosen topic.

Typically, a reference list starts on a new page at the end of the main body of text and includes a complete list of the sources you have actually cited in your paper. This list should contain all the information needed for the reader to locate the original source of the information, quote or statistic that directly contributed to your work. On the other hand, a bibliography is a comprehensive list of all the material you may have consulted throughout your research and writing process. Both provide the necessary information for readers to retrieve and check the sources cited in your work.

Each style’s guidelines will define the terminology of ‘reference list’ and ‘bibliography’, as well as providing formatting guidelines for font, line spacing and page indentations. In addition, it will instruct you on how to order each list – this will usually be either alphabetical or chronological (meaning the order that these sources appear in your work). Before submitting your work, be sure to check that you have formatted your whole paper according to your style’s formatting guidelines.

Sounds complicated? Citing has never been so easy; Cite This For Me’s reference generator will automatically generate fully-formatted citations for your reference list or bibliography in your chosen style. Sign in to your Cite This For Me account to save and export your bibliography.

How Do References Actually Work?

Although the reference generator will create your bibliography for you in record time, it is still useful to understand how this system works behind the scenes. As well as saving you time with its referencing generator, Cite This For Me provides the learning resources to help you fully understand the citing process and the benefits of adopting great citing standards.

The referencing process:

  • Find a book, journal, website or other source that will contribute to your work
  • Save the quote, image, data or other information that you will use in your work
  • Save the source information that enables you to find it again (i.e. URL, ISBN, DOI etc.)
  • Format the source information into a citation
  • Copy and paste the citation into the body of the text
  • Repeat for each source that contributes to your work.
  • Export or copy and paste the fully-formatted citation into your bibliography.

how to write an assignment with reference

Manage all your references in one place

Create projects, add notes, cite directly from the browser and scan books’ barcodes with a mobile app.

Sign up to Cite This For Me – the ultimate reference management tool.

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Tips to Successful Referencing for Your Assignments

successful referencing

Referencing is an important part of your academic assignments . After all, it holds a significant amount of marks in exams. Your efforts at referencing are the building blocks for a good research paper. For some students, it is so much fun to search — and reference — but it can be one of the most daunting tasks for many students. Here is understand successful referencing for your assignments.

How to Make Referencing Easier For Academic Assignments?

If you are running out of time and you are required to write your paper as soon as possible, it can be easy for you to make mistakes in your citations. Most of the students often overlook the importance of a proper citation (for quotes) and a referencing system, but if these two items are done correctly, you can nail your grades.

What Is Referencing?

It is a process in writing assignments where we give credits to the writers we have collected our information and facts from. It allows us to use the contribution of other writers and researchers in our work. Through proper referencing, we can provide evidence to support our arguments and claims.

Now the question is how we can make the referencing process easier?

Here are a few tricks by   Management Dissertation Topics Help   to make referencing easier for your assignments:

Maintain Consistency :

The first thing to do is being consistent with the format of the references to make the referencing easier. Several universities and organizations use different styles and versions of referencing. You need to be aware of what your university requires.

Insert Parenthetical Citations :

Many students neglect to include parenthetical citations as they find it easy to rewrite a sentence from a source to include in their paper. But skipping the parenthesis leads to a misunderstanding of the content and other issues.

Consider a Referencing Guide :

A huge part of correct referencing depends on the accuracy of formatting and using a reference guide is a great idea. You can also consider literary review help services. Review services will help you with correct the usage of italics, commas, dots, and dashes. Again, readability.

Explain the Details :

Always proofread :, there are mentors at your university counseling service you can contact for help..

  • Contact a mentor in the counseling department at your university.
  • Contact a mentor in your specified department.
  • Seek MBA dissertation help from a writing service.
  • Proofread, proofread, proofread.
  • Ask a trusted friend to read your paper.

Wrapping it Up.

It is essential for high marks and to get your degree to have a properly cited paper. Use these few tips to make your own referencing easier.

You’ll likely get stuck over and over in the writing of your dissertation. That’s to be expected. In the middle of your paper you’ll want to quit.

Don’t quit! Just take a break — keep going — and you’ll be okay.

how to write an assignment with reference

Rana Rajput

Hi, I'm Rana Rajut, a young blogger and economics and marketing graduate. I am a long time reader of ReadWrite.

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How To Write References In An Assignment

How To Write References In An Assignment

What is an Assignment?

An assignment is an expansive term, which includes different sorts of projects. An essay, research paper, lab report, contextual analysis, programming task, and numerous different formats of academic composition.

what is reference in assignments?

Referring in the assignment can be overwhelming for students who don’t comprehend the standards.  There are various approaches to reference. Various departments, courses or speakers may require various styles with reference to the lecturer, teacher or educator and instructor in the event that are uncertain. Awful referring to is a typical route for students to lose marks in assignments so it merits requiring some time and exertion to figure out how to write reference effectively.

Why reference in assignment needed?

We get our thoughts and data from various sources, like books, journals and sites. At the point when we write a task, we utilize important data from these sources to help us produce a very much contended answer that is upheld by proof. On the off chance that we compose something in a task and we don’t say where the thought or then again contention comes from, we could be blamed for copyright & plagiarism. When composing any academic assignment, paper, report or task, need to feature utilization of other author’s thoughts and words so you:

  • Give the original creator acknowledgment for their own thoughts and work.
  • Validate arguments with respect to by giving credits.
  • Empower the reader to perceive how dated the data may be.
  • Demonstrate to your tutors/instructors that you have read around the subject
  • Stay away from plagiarism.

Styles of Referencing

There are a wide range of styles of referring to. The most well-known styles and the rest of this article manage this system. In any case, college may incline toward the utilization of an alternate system so check with teacher or in course data concerning which referring to style to utilize in assignment.

Different Parts of referencing

There are two sections to referring to – how to refer to a material in the book of your assignment called as citations and also, how to reference toward the finish of task called reference list. The reference list incorporates just the sources that you refer to in your content, a book reference incorporates all material that you read in readiness for your assignment .

How to write references in project reports and assignments

Each time you cite or compose a section motivated my something you may have read somewhere else, should incorporate a source reference – this applies to books, papers, magazines, sites, and so forth Each TIME you base your composition on data found somewhere else, you should incorporate a source reference. This likewise applies to your own past work, for example, something you may have thought of yourself in past projects.

The motivation behind the source references is:

  • To offer credit to individuals whose work you have applied.
  • To scholastically uphold your own work.
  • To empower your readers to get the works and look at whether he/she may have arrived at similar resolutions on a similar premise.

In this way, referring to structures a significant piece of scholastic task work. Source references should be short and uniform and should be situated were important. Source references might be organized differently. Correspondence and Digital Media has concluded that all source references should be organized by the APA referring to style. We suggest that you generally utilize the most recent version of APA. Page numbers are not needed; however, it is energized for clearness.

How to write your references quickly and easily

  • There is no ideal number of references for a scholastic article yet relying upon the subject you could be managing in excess of 100 distinct papers, meeting reports, video articles, clinical rules or quite a few different assets.
  • That is a great deal of substance to oversee. Prior to presenting your composition, this should be checked, cross-references in the content and the rundown, coordinated and arranged.
  • The specific substance and arrangement of the references and references in your paper will rely upon the diary you intend to distribute in, so the initial step is to check the diary’s Guide for Authors before you submit.

Guidelines to write reference

It is exceptionally fundamental that an assignment incorporates precise source references. Accepting notes as you come will make it simpler for you to arrange your last reference rundown, and you limit the danger of ending up in a circumstance wherein you can’t track down a specific reference.

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Where Should I Put My Professional References?

Are you confused on how to share professional references during the job application process? Look no further!

What is a list of references?

First off, a list of references is different from letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation are documents created by the reference and used to send to employers, grad schools, etc. A list of references is a one-page document comprised of 3-5 professionals that can attest to your professionalism, work ethic, style of work, personality, etc. It will include their name, title/position, company name, phone number, email, and the description of the reference in relation to you. There is no need to put "References available upon request" on your resume as this takes up space on your document and is implied if you wish to continue on as a candidate.

Who should I ask to be a reference?

These references can be current or former managers, supervisors, professors, colleagues, direct reports (if you lead/led a team), clients (job dependent), professional mentors, or athletic coaches. You should avoid using family as they are seen as too partial towards you. It is important to note that you should only be adding references that will provide a positive reference for you. Prior to adding the references to your document, make sure to call the potential candidates and ask them if would be a positive reference if called. With them officially a part of your job process, give them a heads-up on the potential companies that may be calling, share information on the position that you applied for, and remind them of skills or accomplishments that you would like them to highlight. ECS has a sample reference request in Correspondence Samples within the Handshake Resource Library.

When/why is a list of references necessary?

Employers request this to have others attest to your qualifications on your resume while also gauging your ability to do a job well. Your professional references may be requested at any point in the application process. This document request may come at the beginning when you submit your application; they may ask for it explicitly or it can be added into the supplemental document section. It's also possible that they ask for this later during the interview portion of the process.

“Network continually – 85% of all jobs are filled through contacts & personal references.” – Brian Tracy

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COMMENTS

  1. 3. How to insert citations into your assignment.

    How to insert citations into your assignment. - Referencing & Plagiarism Awareness - LibGuides at Aberystwyth University Referencing & Plagiarism Awareness: 3. How to insert citations into your assignment. 13. Quiz Feedback What is citing? Citing is identifying the sources you have used in the text of your assignment. This may be done as;

  2. Assignments

    Referencing in your assignments In academic work of any kind, effective referencing of your sources will ensure that you: show that you are writing from a position of understanding of your topic. demonstrate that you have read widely and deeply. enable the reader to locate the source of each quote, idea or work/evidence (that was not your own).

  3. How to Write Reference in Assignment ️ Useful Guide

    APA style examples Show more Referencing can be a difficult task, but do not worry! Our detailed guide will explain the steps to follow. In academic writing, referencing is essential. It acknowledges the work of others and strengthens and clarifies your views.

  4. PDF How to Reference in your Assignments

    How to Reference in your Assignments HELPS + UTS Library Workshop Objectives To understand plagiarism of its Avoidance and the importance To become familiar with the Harvard-UTS referencing system and Convention To learn how to provide in-text citations compile reference lists and What is plagiarism? No acknowledgement of the author or its source

  5. How to Cite Sources

    Knowledge Base Citing sources How to Cite Sources | Citation Generator & Quick Guide Citing your sources is essential in academic writing. Whenever you quote or paraphrase a source (such as a book, article, or webpage), you have to include a citation crediting the original author.

  6. Reference List: Common Reference List Examples

    For legal references, APA follows the recommendations of The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation, so if you have any questions beyond the examples provided in APA, seek out that resource as well. Court Decisions. Reference format: Name v. Name, Volume Reporter Page (Court Date). URL . Sample reference entry: Brown v.

  7. How to reference an assignment using APA

    This third and final video in the 'How to write an assignment' series explains how to reference an assignment using the American Psychological Association (A...

  8. APA (7th Edition) Referencing Guide

    Double-space all references. Use a hanging indent on all references (first line is flush left, the second and any subsequent lines are indented 1.27 cm (0.5 in). To apply a hanging indent in Word, highlight all of your references and press Ctrl + T on a PC, or Command (⌘) + T on a Mac. Headings: Level 1 Heading - Centered, Bold, Title Case

  9. Quick guide to Harvard referencing (Cite Them Right)

    There are different versions of the Harvard referencing style. This guide is a quick introduction to the commonly-used Cite Them Right version. You will find further guidance available through the OU Library on the Cite Them Right Database. For help and support with referencing and the full Cite Them Right guide, have a look at the Library's ...

  10. References

    References provide the information necessary for readers to identify and retrieve each work cited in the text. Check each reference carefully against the original publication to ensure information is accurate and complete. Accurately prepared references help establish your credibility as a careful researcher and writer. Consistency in reference ...

  11. A Quick Guide to Referencing

    In-text citations are quick references to your sources. In Harvard referencing, you use the author's surname and the date of publication in brackets. Up to three authors are included in a Harvard in-text citation. If the source has more than three authors, include the first author followed by ' et al. '.

  12. LibGuides: Harvard referencing quick guide: Sample assignment

    The reference list should appear at the end of your assignment and be in alphabetical order based on the first author's surname (Bruen 2022) rather than the order in which they appear in your assignment (Papagiannis 2022). If you are using a citation for a second time you do not need to include it twice in the reference list (Cameron 2021).

  13. Citing Business Sources in APA Style

    Citing references in the text of your assignment APA Style uses the author-date citation system (rather than footnotes or endnotes), which are often called in-text citations , parenthetical citations, or narrative citations. These are discussed in the Seventh Edition in Chapter 8, Works Credited in the Text.

  14. APA Formatting and Citation (7th Ed.)

    Place the table of contents on a separate page between the abstract and introduction. Write the section label "Contents" at the top (bold and centered), press "Enter" once, and list the important headings with corresponding page numbers. Reference page. The APA reference page is placed after the main body of your paper but before any ...

  15. Reference List: Basic Rules

    Reference List: Basic Rules. This resourse, revised according to the 7 th edition APA Publication Manual, offers basic guidelines for formatting the reference list at the end of a standard APA research paper. Most sources follow fairly straightforward rules. However, because sources obtained from academic journals carry special weight in research writing, these sources are subject to special ...

  16. Setting Up the APA Reference Page

    On the APA reference page, you list all the sources that you've cited in your paper. The list starts on a new page right after the body text. Follow these instructions to set up your APA reference page: Place the section label "References" in bold at the top of the page (centered). Order the references alphabetically. Double-space all text.

  17. APA Formatting and Style Guide (7th Edition)

    Basic guidelines for formatting the reference list at the end of a standard APA research paper Author/Authors Rules for handling works by a single author or multiple authors that apply to all APA-style references in your reference list, regardless of the type of work (book, article, electronic resource, etc.)

  18. Referencing and assignment writing

    Writing and Referencing workshops. The Library offers multiple online workshops to assist with writing your assignments and referencing. These workshops include Structuring Assignments, Using References in your Writing and Understanding Referencing and run until the end of April. You can register for an available workshop on the Library ...

  19. Preparing your assignments? University referencing guide for ...

    1. The Harvard method For books: For websites: In-text citation: (The author (s) and date created) Reference list: Author (s) surname, initial. (Date of publication). Website Title. Available at: http:// link (Access date: date accessed). For journals: In-text citation: (The author (s) and date published) Reference list: Author (s), initials.

  20. How to write an assignment with references free sample

    1. If a website ends in .edu, in most cases, it has been created by an educational institution. That's why it this source can be used in your paper. If a website ends in .gov, you can add it to the list of references since it is a reliable government website.

  21. FREE Reference Generator: Accurate & Easy-to-Use

    To use the reference generator, simply: Select your style from Harvard, APA, OSCOLA and many more*. Choose the type of source you would like to cite (e.g. website, book, journal, video) Enter the URL, DOI, ISBN, title, or other unique source information to find your source. Click the 'Cite' button on the reference generator.

  22. Tips To Write Successful Referencing For Your Assignments

    After following these steps, you should record all the details of the texts that are being used in a separate sheet or at the top of your first page of notes. Keep track of: -author's name ...

  23. How To Write References In An Assignment

    Each time you cite or compose a section motivated my something you may have read somewhere else, should incorporate a source reference - this applies to books, papers, magazines, sites, and so forth Each TIME you base your composition on data found somewhere else, you should incorporate a source reference.

  24. Where Should I Put My Professional References?

    First off, a list of references is different from letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation are documents created by the reference and used to send to employers, grad schools, etc. A list of references is a one-page document comprised of 3-5 professionals that can attest to your professionalism, work ethic, style of work, personality ...