Referencing
A selection of resources to help you develop your referencing skills.
About
Referencing is the literacy which enables learners to acknowledge the work of others, building on their own analysis of existing knowledge. It also enables learners to attribute sources by creating citations and generating accurate bibliographies.
These skills sit within a broad understanding of the legal and ethical context of information and help learners to manage their information and avoid plagiarism.
Correct referencing is an essential component of academic writing. Learn how to reference correctly in the style required by your department, as well as how to avoid plagiarism, using the guides below.
Departmental referencing styles
Find your department on the page below to identify the main referencing style it uses. Depending on your course or assignment, you may be asked to use different styles to those listed here. If in doubt, check with your tutors.
Departmental referencing styles
Why reference?
Watch the video below to find about more about why referencing is important and how to get started.
Tutorials and workshops
Understanding plagiarism [online tutorial]
Understand plagiarism, the difference between collaboration and collusion, and identify ways to avoid plagiarism through appropriate note taking, reference management, and time management.
View tutorial as a PDF (302KB)
Referencing: the essentials [online tutorial]
Referencing is an essential component of academic writing and research. It enables you to acknowledge the work of others when developing your own perspective.
This tutorial will give you an understanding of referencing and how you should use it in your academic work.
Plagiarism and referencing quiz [online tutorial]
A self help quiz to test your knowledge and understanding of plagiarism and the importance of referencing.
Referencing and preventing plagiarism [workshop]
This workshop introduces the purpose of referencing, the concept of plagiarism and how it can be avoided, and gives you an opportunity to practice referencing in your departmental style.
How to attribute images [online tutorial]
Learn how to attribute images used in your work to give fair credit to those whose work you use, and how this differs in digital and print forms.
View tutorial as a PDF (539KB)
Using reference management software: an introduction [workshop]
In this workshop you will learn how to prevent plagiarism and reference correctly, using reference management software to manage and edit your references.
Turnitin: interpreting your originality report [video]
This video from the Digital Learning Team will show you how to access and interpret your originality report for an assignment submitted to Turnitin.
Referencing style guides
The University referencing style guides adhere to the appropriate published standard, with interpretations of rules where required (such as an item type where no published guidance exists) made in a standard University style.
Harvard
This guide is based on the advice given in the Cite Them Right (2016) 10th rev. and expanded edition, with interpretations of rules where required made in a standard University style.
AIP
This guide is based on guidance from the American Institute of Physics, with interpretations of rules where required made in a standard University style.
APA 7th edition
This is the updated 7th edition of APA referencing. It adheres to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association 7th edition, with interpretations of rules where required made in a standard University style.
Cell
This guide adheres to the Cell Publications Information for Authors, with interpretations of rules where required made in a standard University style.
IEEE
This guide adheres to the Publication Manual of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, with interpretations of rules where required made in a standard University style.
MHRA Author-Date
This guide adheres to the Modern Humanities Research Association Style Guide: Third edition, with interpretations of rules where required made in a standard University style.
MHRA Footnotes
This guide adheres to the Modern Humanities Research Association Style Guide: Third edition, with interpretations of rules where required made in a standard University style.
OSCOLA Referencing
The Oxford University System for the Citation of Legal Authorities or OSCOLA referencing style is designed by Oxford University to accurately reference authorities, legislation, and a variety of legal materials.
It is widely used by Law Schools and legal researchers in the UK. This resource is from Cardiff University.
Vancouver
This guide adheres to the National Library of Medicine's Citing Medicine Style Guide, with interpretations of rules where required made in a standard University style.