Referencing and Bibliographies
What referencing is and why it is important
Referencing is a vital part of the academic writing process as it allows the reader of your work to:
- find the sources of quotations, theories, data or other information that you have referred to in your writing
- follow the intellectual contribution other authors have made to the development of a concept or argument you are putting forward
- see that you have read and understood concepts put forward by other writers while developing your own ideas
- check the integrity of your work in terms of plagiarism
References can be to books, journal articles, newspapers, websites, diagrams or any other sources you have used. If you quote or make use of another writer's work in your academic writing, you must ensure that it is properly referenced in your work.
Referencing Styles
How you reference sources in your work will depend on the style of referencing you are using. You should check with your course tutor/supervisor first to make sure that you are familiar with the specific guidelines and requirements for your subject area.
Commonly used referencing styles include Harvard, APA, MLA, MHRA and Vancouver (though Vancouver is not usually used in Humanities).
How to Reference
Help and support with referencing is available from the John Rylands University library and you should contact your Faculty Team Librarian for further information.
Plagiarism and other forms of Academic Malpractice
Important information on avoiding plagiarism and other forms of academic malpractice can be found by clicking on this link to our page on Avoiding Plagiarism.