What is referencing?

When you write your assignment you will want to build a case for your own conclusions by citing or referencing other peoples' work, demonstrating what information led you to those conclusions.

You can incorporate the work of others in your own work but you need to show when you are using someone else's ideas and research and where you got them from. The reader can then track down the source if they want to read it.

Referencing is an essential academic skill and you can be marked on it.  

Referencing is easy marks. Don’t think of it as an add on. It is integral to your writing. Just as you proof read your writing you proof read your references.

Referencing may seem tricky to start with, but it is worthwhile taking the time to learn to reference correctly.

The mechanics of referencing ie the rules of particular referencing styles, are mostly straight forward. The why and how you use a citation when crafting or writing your assignment or paper needs more thought.

Referencing has two components

• In-text citations appear within the text to show the reader which reference in the reference list relates to that information. The in-text citation guides the reader to the reference, and the reference tells the reader where to find the original source of the information.
  
  
• Reference list contains details of information sources used in your assignment, including the authors, title and date, etc. They are presented as a list at the end of your assignment. 
  
  

Lötzke D, Ostermann T, Büssing A. Argentine tango in Parkinson disease – a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Neurol. 2015;15(1):1-18.