Bibliographic Referencing

QUILT Seminar Series

4th April 2008

Outline

• Background

• The Student View

• Outcomes from the Working Group

• Available Support

• Discussion

Background• Evidence of students within and between disciplines being asked to

use and conform to different referencing conventions, leading to confusion;

• Some staff require students to use the systems that they themselves had used as students, which may result in students using different systems within the same subject area or degree programme;

• Paper recommending a review went to the Learning and Teaching Committee on 2nd May 2007

• Emphasis should be on working with Schools to ensure that they were able to provide their students with appropriate support and clear guidance about the particular conventions they were expected to use in relation to each assignment;

• Working Group set up to look at the enhancement of support to students in this important area.

The Student View

• Students perceive that the purpose and value of correct referencing is not always adequately explained to them;

• Students tend to share information and advise each other on bibliographic styles, regardless of discipline area;

• Overwhelming majority want to get it right;

• BUT some students rely on old A-level habits of referencing rather than developing familiarity with the rigorous academic systems of their disciplines;

• “Why have I had marks deducted when my housemate hasn’t?”

Outcomes from the Working Group

• Following consultation with schools the Working Group recommended …

– Adoption of a common statement on the purpose and value of correct referencing;

– Production of a poster for school noticeboards;

– Further development of a range of online tutorials

– that Boards of Study adopt a single referencing style.

Guidance on referencing

It is essential that in all academic assignments you acknowledge the sources of information you have used. This means providing a reference (also known as a citation) whenever you quote, paraphrase or draw ideas from the work of others. Each reference must include full and accurate details of where you found the original information.

• Referencing is an academic skill which you must use to: • support your arguments and give your work a factual basis• highlight the quality and depth of your research• enable the reader to locate the material you consulted• develop the academic integrity and professional values you will need in your future career. A guide to academic integrity is available from www.cardiff.ac.uk/regis/sfs/academic/

There are several different ‘styles’ of referencing, but each discipline tends to favour a particular style. In [Programme] you are required to use the [APA, Harvard etc.] style of referencing. It is important you use the correct referencing style and use it consistently throughout your writing.Printed and interactive online guidance for this style can be found at www.cf.ac.uk/insrv/educationandtraining/guides/citingreferences .

Lost marks for poor referencing?

Go to: www.cardiff.ac.uk/insrv/libraries

Then: ‘Get help with citing references’

View examples, practise and learn with new online referencing tutorials

Know how to reference book chapters, journal articles and online sources?

Available support

• Printed and online guides

• A poster for schools

• EndNote

• Online tutorials

• http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/insrv/educationandtraining/guides/citingreferences/index.html

Issues for discussion

• Do undergraduate students ever need to use more than one referencing system?

• Can a 'Cardiff Harvard' system be adopted that all can buy into?

• What other support materials and/or advice do schools want?

• Are there local examples of good practice can be shared?

• Others?