This is an introductory guide to referencing. It contains basic information on a range of different referencing styles, and on reference software programmes supported at the University of Birmingham. It draws substantially on content from ourprevious iCite Guide.
The recommended source for detailed information and worked examples is Cite Them Right Online (Pears and Shields, 2023), developed from the long-running book Cite Them Right, currently in a 12th edition, by Pears and Shields (2022).
Cite Them Right Online is a frequently updated subscription resource from Bloomsbury Publishing, available to University of Birmingham staff and students and to members of other subscribing institutions. Use the Login link and enter your institution's name (eg: University of Birmingham) for full access.
For fuller access details please see the Cite Them Right Online tab in the menu for this Guide.
If you are a University of Birmingham student or member of staff and require information in another format for accessibility reasons, please email asc@contacts.bham.ac.uk.
Pears, R. and Shields, G. (2022) Cite Them Right. 12th edn. New York: Bloomsbury Academic.
Pears, R. and Shields, G. (2023) Cite Them Right Online. Available at: https://www.citethemrightonline.com/ (Accessed 21 November 2023)
Referencing is an important academic skill as it shows the reader of your work the sources you have used to research your topic, and gives support and weight to your arguments and conclusions. When writing an essay or thesis, referring to the sources you have used is an academic requirement. There are four good reasons for referencing;
As a general rule you should not put your trust in any resource which does not give references.
The University has adopted the Cite Them Right style of referencing. According to the co-authors, Graham Shields and Richard Pears (2023a):
Referencing is the process of acknowledging other people’s work when you have used it in your assignment or research. It allows the reader to locate your source material as quickly and easily as possible so that they can read these sources themselves and verify the validity of your arguments. Referencing provides the link between what you write and the evidence on which it is based. You identify the sources that you have used by citing them in the text of your assignment (called citations or in-text citations) and referencing them at the end of your assignment (called the reference list or end-text citations). The reference list only includes the sources cited in your text. It is not the same thing as a bibliography, which uses the same referencing style, but also includes all material, for example background readings, used in the preparation of your work.
'Cite Them Right Online' has an excellent Tutorial (Pears and Shields, 2023b) which you can sign up to as a member of the University. This will cover all the main areas of referencing and give you a thorough grounding in the reasons for, and academic context of, referencing practice. It is highly recommended, especially if you are newer to referencing or returning to studies.
In addition, the Academic Skills Centre has set up a self-enrol Canvas course 'Good Academic Practice' which includes material on referencing. This is open to University of Birmingham members with their usual login details.
Please see Referencing Software for details of referencing software options.
Plagiarism is the act of using or copying someone else's work and pretending that you thought of it or created it. In order to avoid suspicion of plagiarism it is important to make appropriate use of references.
If you are in doubt about what plagiarism is and how to avoid it you should consult your Tutor and read the University's code of practice on plagiarism.
At present copyright law allows only small extracts of items to be copied legally provided that they are referenced properly. Only copy what is completely necessary, and only when the use falls into one or more of the following categories:
Students’ use will fall under personal private study, criticism and review, illustration, and/or quotation. For further information, see our copyright guidance.
Pears, R. and Shields, G. (2023a) 'What is referencing?', in Cite Them Right Online. doi: 10.5040/9781350928060.3.
Pears, R. and Shields, G. (2023b) 'Tutorial', in Cite Them Right Online. Available at: https://www.citethemrightonline.com/tutorial (Accessed 21 November 2023)
The University provides important guidance to help you understand what plagiarism is, why it is unacceptable, and the penalties that can be incurred if you submit plagiarised work.
The library also provides guidance on how to reference correctly and how to use referencing software.
This information is additional to that which you may receive from your University department.
From Pears and Shields (2023).
Pears, R. and Shields, G. (2023) 'Top ten tips', in Cite Them Right Online. doi: 10.5040/9781350928060.11
Above text taken from:
Pears, R. and Shields, G. (2023) 'Glossary of referencing terms', in Cite Them Right Online. doi: 10.5040/9781350928060.21.