Cambridge University Library
Referencing without tears:
why, when and how to cite
Dr Emma Coonan, Research Skills Librarian
Referencing: boring but important
© evaxebra
www.flickr.com
Why do it at all?
Ensuring that your readers can distinguish between your own
and others’ thinking means that you:
• Give credit for the work you have built on in your arguments
• Get credit for the work you have done yourself
Why do it at all?
www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/plagiarism/students/depts.html
When to do it
You must cite your source …
• When you quote from someone’s work
• When you paraphrase someone’s work
• When you use or refer to published data
• When you follow someone’s research method
• When you use any idea from someone’s work
(Turabian, 2007)
A reference consists of …
• In-text citation: a short ‘pointer’ to the full entry
plus
• Full entry in a bibliography or reference list.
This entry should contain all the details necessary for a
reader to follow up your sources.
You must give both parts of the reference to avoid the
charge of plagiarism!
In-text citations
• Some styles use parenthetical citations
“In a recent study of parenthetical citation practice (Walker,
2007) …”
• Others require footnotes/endnotes1. Footnotes appear at
the bottom of the page; endnotes at the end of your paper
or dissertation.
1. Anthony Grafton, The Footnote: A Curious History (Cambridge,
MA: Harvard University Press, 1997).
‘References’ or ‘Bibliography’?
• References = works cited
Only contains the items you’ve made specific reference to
in your work
• Bibliography = works consulted
A list of everything you read to prepare for the assignment.
It contains all the items you’ve cited PLUS sources that you
found useful but didn’t cite
(Neville, 2007)
How to do it
There are many different citation styles …
Citation styles
… and they vary across the University.
Your school or department will probably have a preferred
citation style. It might even be mandatory to use a
particular style.
Citation styles
Do you know
which one you
should use …
… or where to
find out?
How to do it
Brabazon, Tara. The University of Google: Education in the (Post)
Information Age. Aldershot: Ashgate, 2007.
[Book reference, MLA style]
Burn, Andrew, and Jenny Leach, ‘ICT and moving image literacy in English,’
in The impact of ICT on literacy education, ed. by Richard Andrews
(London: RoutledgeFalmer, 2004)
[Chapter reference, MHRA style]
Mellers, B. A. (2000). Choice and the relative pleasure of consequences.
Psychological Bulletin, 126, 910-924.
[Journal article reference, APA5]
Yeh, Michelle. “The ‘Cult of Poetry’ in Contemporary China.” Journal of
Asian Studies 55 (1996): 51-80.
[Journal article reference, Turabian – reference list style]
Online publications
• Similar level of detail to print publications
• Also include URL or DOI and (usually) date accessed
Uzzi, Brian, and Jarrett Spiro. 2005. Collaboration and creativity: The
small world problem. American Journal of Sociology 111, no. 2
(September).
http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/AJS/journal/issues/v111n2.html
(accessed December 19, 2005) [Turabian]
A bit more on when to do it
• Paraphrasing
• Common knowledge
• Secondary referencing
Paraphrasing
"You are greeted inside by parallel rows of massive columns that recall
the façade of an Egyptian temple, vividly banded in red and blue.
Above, projecting walkways and ‘seminar balconies’ zig-zagging
around the walls add to the theatrical feel, as do the lattice-sided stairs
that criss-cross the interior space like something imagined by Escher
or perhaps Piranesi. It's an eclectic and exuberant mix of colours,
styles and materials: colourful, a touch vulgar even, but undeniably
exciting.”
Once inside the building you face rows of massive Egyptianate
columns, banded in blue and red. Above you are walkways and
balconies which feel theatrical, while the criss-cross lattice-sided stairs
are like something Escher might have imagined. All in all, it is an
interesting and exuberant mix of styles and colours. Some might think
it is a bit vulgar but you can’t deny that it is exciting.
Courtesy of Andy Priestner, JBS Library
Common knowledge
You don’t need to cite a source if you’re stating a fact that:
• is widely accessible - you may not know the total
population of China, but you would be able to find the
answer easily from numerous sources
• is likely to be known by a lot of people
• can be found in a general reference resource, such as
a dictionary or encyclopedia
www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/plagiarism/students/referencing
commonknowledge.html (2008)
Secondary referencing
You find a useful quotation from another source in the item
you’re reading, and can’t locate the original source.
• Best to get hold of the original if you can, to verify the
quotation and its context
• If you can’t – make it clear in your text that you are relying
on an intermediary source!
“Murray’s conclusion (2003, p.65) supported the views
of White (2001) on genetic abnormalities in crops.”
(Pears & Shields, 2005)
Reference management software
• Download, import, or manually enter references
• Keep all your references together and up-to-date
• Customise fields as you want them
• Create your bibliography and citations in approved styles
EndNote (“classic” version)
• Desktop software available via PWFs and from the
Computing Service
• Interfaces directly with major databases and library
catalogues so you can import records, not retype or cutand-paste them
• Supported by UCS training sessions
Lots of fields that can
be personalised for
your own use
Contains templates
for referencing a
wide range of
material
‘Cite while you
write’ automatically
fills in citations in
the correct style
and format
‘Cite while you write’
Huge number of
output styles for
creating your
bibliography
EndNote Web
• Online version, not limited to your desktop
• Available via University subscription to Web of Knowledge
• Fewer advanced features than EndNote
• Find it at www.endnoteweb.com
Collect, store and
organise your
references
Also offers the
‘Cite while you
write’ function
and output
styles
Zotero
• Free, open source Firefox extension
• Automatically recognises citation data and captures with a
single click
• Does not store your records online (yet)
• Find it at www.zotero.org
Zotero runs in
your browser
window …
…and
automatically
recognises
bibliographic data
One click
captures the
citation
Referencing tips
Starting out
• Find the right software – for you
• When taking notes, distinguish clearly between source
quotations, paraphrases, and your own train of thought
Getting through
• Futureproof your references: use customisable fields to
assign tags, keywords, priority …
• Organise your downloads: give articles or papers
meaningful filenames, and save them where you can find
them again
• Backup regularly
Referencing tips – finishing up
• Make sure ALL your references are in one place – and
backed up
• Know which citation style to use
• Spend time with your references! It will help with the
writing-up process
Time management
• Leave yourself enough time: don’t try to create your
bibliography at the last minute. Set aside a weekend, more
if you’re doing a Ph.D.
• Use your downtime: the ‘fuzzy hours’ when you are not
creative are good for systematic, repetitive tasks
Where to get help …
• School or department referencing guidelines (essential!)
• CUSU website: study skills
www.cusu.cam.ac.uk/academic/studyskills/
• University Offices: plagiarism and referencing information
www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/plagiarism/students/referencing/
• Libraries and librarians
- Print copies of major style guides (UL Reading Room: R860)
- Library research skills sessions
www.lib.cam.ac.uk/Courses
• Computing Service training courses
www.cam.ac.uk/cs/courses/
Bibliography and further reading
Li, Xia. Electronic Style: A Guide to Citing Electronic Information.
Westport: Meckler, 1993.
Neville, Colin. The Complete Guide to Referencing and Avoiding
Plagarism. 3 January 2007.
<http://www.myilibrary.com/Browse/open.asp?ID=112960&loc=i>
(accessed 30 January 2009).
Pears, Richard, and Graham Shields. Cite Them Right: the Essential
Guide to Referencing and Plagiarism. Newcastle: Pear Tree, 2005.
Stothard, Michael. “‘1 in 2’ Admits to Plagiarism.” Varsity 31 Oct. 2008:
1-2.
Turabian, Kate L. A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses,
and Dissertations. 7th ed. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 2007.
Research Skills Programme
At www.lib.cam.ac.uk/Courses/ you can …
• Find our timetable of subject-based sessions
• Book for hands-on information skills classes
• Request one-to-one training
• Download these slides and other handouts
E-mail us at research-skills@lib.cam.ac.uk