Effective Learning Service
References and Bibliographies
References and Bibliographies
A M E M B E R O F
University of Bradford, School of Management References and Bibliographies
留學生dissertation網Effective Learning Service 1
Academic writing is special in an age of rapid communication. Most assignments inhigher education require you to slow the tempo and carefully explore and test outideas, either for their own sake or in relation to real or hypothetical situations.This requires you to, not just present and describe ideas, but to be aware ofwhere they came from, who developed them - and why. Ideas, theories, models,
practices are often shaped by the social norms, values and practices prevailing atthe time and place of their origin and the student in higher education needs to beaware of these influences. Referencing plays a role, therefore, in helping to locateand place ideas and arguments in their historical, social, cultural and geographicalcontexts.
Referencing can also help you to find your own voice in assignments, by helpingyou construct essays and reports that project the way you see or perceive things,but supported by a body of evidence that strengthens your opinions - andconverts them into arguments.
Education needs ideas, arguments and perspectives to thrive, but these have tobe tested rigorously and subjected to the critical scrutiny of others. This is doneby researching, preparing and presenting work into the public domain; aformidable task for any writer or commentator, and one that can take yearssometimes to achieve.
Referencing is then, also about respecting and honouring the hard work of writersand commentators – by acknowledging them in your assignments.Colin Neville
Effective Learning Service
PREFACE
The Effective Learning Service at the School of Management is part of a UKgovernment funded LearnHigher project, which involves collaboration between16 UK institutions of higher education.
The aim is to develop a resources network to enable students to gain access tohigh quality learning support material produced by UK universities.The Effective Learning Service at the School of Management has been selected todevelop resources on referencing to share with students. A website onreferencing is currently being developed, and a book on this topic: The CompleteGuide to Referencing and Avoiding Plagiarism’, by Colin Neville, is due to belaunched by The Open University Press in August 2007.
More information can be found on the LearnHigher project at:
www.learnhigher.ac.uk
University of Bradford, School of Management References and Bibliographies
Effective Learning Service 2
REFERENCES and BIBLIOGRAPHIES
It is an expected academic practice that students will refer to (or cite) thesources of ideas, data and other evidence in written assignments.
This is not just practice for tradition’s sake; it is done for valid academic reasons.#p#分頁標題#e#
There are four main reasons related to your academic studies why referencing isimportant:
1. to support your arguments and give credibility to the information youpresent in assignments;
2. to enable your tutors to check the accuracy and validity of the evidencepresented;
3. to enable your tutors and other interested readers to trace the sources youcite and to use the same evidence for their own purposes;
4. to avoid the accusation of plagiarism.
As mentioned in the preface, referencing is also a way of acknowledging the hardwork that goes into the research, preparation, writing and revision of academictexts. Accurate referencing is also one way of giving indirect thanks to thisinvisible and invaluable effort and achievement.
More pragmatically, it also shows a tutor you have, at least, read some of thesources listed on a reading list!
And last, but probably not least from a student perspective, accurate andintelligent referencing will enhance a good essay and contribute to the marks yougain. Selection of relevant evidence and accurate referencing is an importantelement in the marking criterion.
This booklet will: