It is important to learn the scholarly practice of citing other people’s research, and referencing the material you have used.
Referencing:
Enables your reader to find the material you have referred to
Demonstrates your breadth of reading about the subject
Supports and/or develops your argument
Avoids plagiarism: using somebody else’s work without acknowledging the fact is plagiarism. It is important to always reference when quoting or paraphrasing another person’s work
Referencing is the academic practice of acknowledging the sources you have used in your work. Sources may be other people's words and ideas, or legal authorities such as legislation and case law.
Referencing demonstrates your ethical use of information, and the range of your research and reading, provides authority to your arguments, enables others to find materials cited, and avoids accusations of plagiarism.
Plagiarism is the use of another person's work without proper acknowledgement. Most plagiarism is unintentional and the result of poor academic practice. It is important to reference when directly quoting or paraphrasing another person's work.
Referencing styles are sets of rules governing referencing practice. They prescribe the type, order and format of information in a reference. There are 3 main types of referencing style: in-text, footnote and endnote. Always check what referencing style is required by your department or assessment, as there may be local interpretations.
The Library has an online course that will take you through the process of referencing that you can find here.
Referencing software allows you to manage references, insert citations and create a bibliography, in your referencing style. It is particularly useful for students writing dissertations and theses,
EndNote is referencing software from Clarivate. EndNote Desktop supports the MHRA referencing style. EndNote is available from Warwick IT Services, and is supported by Warwick Library. Please see the EndNote LibGuide for further information.
Plagiarism is an academic offence and something that the University takes very seriously. You can find an online course that takes you through what plagiarism is and how to avoid it here.
