Summary of Academic Writing and Referencing
Academic Writing and Referencing: A Student Guide
Introduction
Academic citation is the practice of acknowledging the sources of ideas, facts, data, images, or direct words that you include in your academic work. Proper citation prevents plagiarism, helps readers follow up on sources, and clarifies which ideas are yours and which belong to others.
Definition: Citation — A clear acknowledgement within your text that identifies the author and source of ideas, words, data, or images used in your work.
Why citation matters
- Prevents plagiarism by making the source of ideas explicit.
- Shows academic honesty and intellectual rigour.
- Lets readers verify, follow up, or further explore the sources you used.
- Distinguishes your original contribution from existing scholarship.
Core concepts broken down
1. Types of citation use
- Direct quotation: Reproduce the author’s exact words. Use quotation marks for short quotes and block formatting for long quotes.
Definition: Direct quotation — Using another author’s exact words; must include page/paragraph numbers in the in-text reference.
- Paraphrase: Restate an author’s ideas in your own words while preserving the original meaning.
Definition: Paraphrase — Rewriting another author’s idea in your own words; still requires citation.
- Summary: Condense the main idea(s) of a larger passage (article, chapter) into a shorter form in your own words.
Definition: Summary — A concise account of the main points of a longer piece of work; requires citation.
2. Reporting verbs (show stance)
Examples of reporting verbs and subtle differences:
- argues, claims, states, notes, suggests, warns, concludes, reports
- Use verbs to signal your stance: "argues" or "claims" may imply different strengths of endorsement.
3. In-text referencing basics (author-date systems, e.g. APA)
- Minimal in-text content: author(s) + year. Example: (Smith & Bruce, 2018).
- For direct quotes include page or paragraph number: (Smith & Bruce, 2018, pp. 25-26).
- Ways to place citations:
- Author-prominent: Leskowitz (2017) argues that...
- Information-prominent: ...important idea (Leskowitz, 2017).
4. Paraphrasing rules and placement
- Always express the idea in your own wording and sentence structure.
- Credit the original author with an in-text citation.
- Common placements:
- Citation at the beginning: Leskowitz (2017) describes...
- Citation in the middle: ...method (Leskowitz, 2017), which...
- Citation at the end: ...technique (Leskowitz, 2017).
5. Direct quotations formatting (APA-style guidance)
- Short quotes (<40 words): integrate and enclose with double quotation marks and add page number.
- Example (narrative): Webber (2018) concludes that “addressing the issue of school dropout...” (p. 82).
- Example (parenthetical): "Addressing ... systems" (Webber, 2018, p. 82).
- Long quotes (≥40 words): use a block quote, start on a new line, indent, double-space, no quotation marks, include the citation at the end.
6. Reference list (end of document)
- Purpose: provide full details so readers can locate sources.
- Basic APA rules:
- Title the page: References (centred).
- List entries alphabetically by author surname.
- Use a hanging indent for second and subsequent lines.
- Include every in-text reference in the list; include all necessary bibliographic details (author, year, title, source, DOI/URL if available).
- End each reference with a full stop except when it ends with a URL/DOI.
Table: Examples of in-text vs reference list entries
| Use in text | Example in text | Example reference list entry |
|---|---|---|
| Direct quote | (Johnson, 2014, p. 44) | Johnson, A. (2014). Health literacy, does it make a difference? Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing, 31(3 |
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Academic Citation Essentials
Klíčové pojmy: Citation prevents plagiarism and clarifies source of ideas, Direct quotation uses exact words and needs page/paragraph numbers, Paraphrase rewrites ideas in your own words but still needs citation, Summary condenses larger texts and requires a reference, In-text references in APA include author(s) and year; add page for quotes, Place citations author-prominent or information-prominent depending on emphasis, Reference list must be alphabetical with full bibliographic details and hanging indents, Use reporting verbs to signal stance (e.g., argues, suggests, warns), Multiple sources in one citation are separated by semicolons, Reproduced figures/tables must include an attribution note, Short quotes use quotation marks; long quotes are block formatted, Always be consistent with the chosen referencing style