What is referencing?
A reference, often referred to as a citation, is an entry that gives precise details of the original source of information that you have used in your work. This may be done in a footnote or in a dedicated section, referred to as the reference list or the bibliography.
Whether you are directly copying the words of another author (quoting) or putting their ideas and concepts into your own words (paraphrasing), you must acknowledge that you have done so with a reference. The original work may be a book, journal article, magazine article, video or a website.
References should be clear, accurate and should enable anyone reading your work to find the source material easily.
There are several standardised styles of referencing. Each uses a different method for displaying the reference (as a footnote or at the end) and the method of referencing each different information source also varies . The way that the reference is cited in the text (this is known as in-text referencing) is also different.
The University of Sussex does not adopt any one particular style. Check with your supervisor or department to confirm which style you should use.
