Lecture 18 References and bibliography

Summary

This video script discusses the importance of correctly formatting references and bibliography in academic and research documents. It explains the difference between a list of references, which must be cited in the text, and bibliography, which includes additional sources. The script covers various citation styles, including in-text citations and full reference listings, and emphasizes the need for accuracy to avoid plagiarism and ensure proper recognition of other researchers' work. It also provides examples of how to cite different types of sources, such as books, journal articles, and web pages, and stresses the importance of organizing references in alphabetical order for easy accessibility.

Takeaways

• 📚 References are crucial for acknowledging the work of others and ensuring their research influences are recognized in your publication.
• 🔍 Proper referencing helps to avoid plagiarism by giving due credit to the original sources of information.
• 🎓 The difference between a list of references and a bibliography is that the former includes only cited sources, while the latter may include additional sources that influenced the work but were not directly cited.
• 📝 In-text citations are necessary to acknowledge the source of information within the body of the text, typically by mentioning the author's name and publication year.
• 📑 The list of references should provide complete details about the cited sources, including author names, publication year, title, journal or book name, volume, issue number, page numbers, and more.
• 🔑 When citing multiple works by the same author in the same year, use letters (a, b, c) to distinguish between them in both the in-text citation and the list of references.
• 🌐 For web-based references, it's important to include the date of access along with the full URL to ensure the information is traceable.
• 📈 The list of references is typically organized alphabetically to facilitate easy searching and retrieval of cited works.
• 📘 Journals may have specific citation styles, such as using superscript numbers instead of author-year citations, which should be followed as per the journal's guidelines.
• 📋 Unpublished sources should be clearly marked as such and included in the list of references with as much detail as possible.

Q & A

Why are references important in academic writing?

References are crucial in academic writing to ensure that the research influences of others are recognized within your publication. They help give credit for previous work, avoid plagiarism, and allow readers to trace the sources of information and ideas.

What is the difference between a reference and a bibliography?

A reference is a citation that has been specifically cited at least once within the body of the text, whereas a bibliography includes all the sources that have been consulted during the research, not just those cited in the text. A bibliography is typically larger than a list of references.

How should in-text citations be formatted when there is only one author?

For in-text citations with a single author, the author's surname and the publication year are used, such as '(SAR, 2005)'. If the citation is part of a sentence, it can be written as 'SAR (2005) argues that...'.

What is the correct way to cite multiple authors within the text?

When citing two authors, both surnames are used, e.g., 'SAR and CH (2005)'. For three or more authors, the first author's surname is followed by 'et al.' and the year, e.g., 'SAR et al. (2005)'.

How do you handle citations from a source with more than one publication in the same year by the same author(s)?

If an author has published multiple works in the same year, the citations are distinguished by appending lowercase letters (a, b, c, etc.) after the year, both in the in-text citation and the reference list.

What details are required for a complete reference list entry for a journal article?

A complete reference list entry for a journal article should include the authors, publication year, title of the article, title of the journal, volume number, issue number (if applicable), and page numbers of the article.

How should references to web pages be cited in academic writing?

References to web pages should include the author or organization, publication year, title of the web page, 'Available online at', the URL, and the date of access. It's important to provide the full URL and the date when the page was accessed to ensure the information is verifiable.

What is the standard order for listing references in academic documents?

The standard practice is to list references in alphabetical order based on the authors' surnames. This makes it easier for readers to locate specific references within the list.

Why is it important to include all cited references in the reference list at the end of a document?

Including all cited references in the reference list ensures that readers can easily find and verify the sources used in the document. It is a sign of good academic practice and professionalism, and it helps maintain the integrity of the research.

Can unpublished sources be included in a reference list, and if so, how should they be cited?

Unpublished sources can be included in a reference list, but they should be clearly marked as unpublished and include as much detail as possible, such as the author, title, and the fact that it is unpublished, along with any available retrieval information.