Study Success at Sussex (S3)
Referencing
Why do I need to reference?
In academic writing in the UK, you are expected to give your own opinions and come to your own conclusions. You will use other people's ideas to develop your work. When you do, it is important to make it clear where the idea came from, so that it does not seem you are trying to present other people's ideas as your own.
Copying ideas from others without a proper reference is plagiarism, and the University takes it very seriously. Accurate referencing is also important because it allows your reader to easily find the work you have referred to for more information.
This section includes:
- How do I reference quotes and ideas?
- What information should I include in a reference?
- Which referencing system should I use?
Test your referencing knowledge with our short quizes:
Referencing properly will also help you to quickly return to a section in a text for your own information. It's a good idea to write out your references as you take notes whilst reading.
Try using the Turnitin - Essay checking tool in Study Direct to help improve your referencing.