Who do I have to reference?

Sometimes it is difficult to decide what sources you have to cite and what you can include in an essay because it is what we can call undisputed common knowledge. If you are unsure then it is best to check with someone; however, as a guide, think about whether this is something people know generally - not necessarily something everyone knows, but also not just something which only people studying your subject would know.

You may find a sentence or a few paragraphs in an article, a chapter of a book, or text on a website that explains a key idea, which is not common knowledge, but you cannot use this in your essay without providing a reference to the source.

If you present an idea as your own and do not reference the source, this is plagiarism.

A flatlay image of many pages of different kinds of documents Don't forget that you must reference all works that you refer to and use in your assignment, from wherever they are sourced, including (but not limited to):

Websites
Online journals
Books
Printed journals and articles
Newspapers (print or online)
Plays
Graphs, diagrams, and images
Tutors' notes (although you should avoid using this information, because lecturers and tutors present you with information in your classes, not for you to use in your essays, but for you to use as a springboard into further study and reading; this is what they then expect you to cite in your essays!)

So, who are you referencing? Anyone from whom you have taken information.

When do I have to reference?

Another question students sometimes have is: When do I have to reference?

You need to reference whenever you get information from somewhere, but you don't need to reference common knowledge. For example, if in an essay you write:

Although London is the capital city of the UK, there are, in fact, three capital cities on the island of Britain: London, Edinburgh, and Cardiff. London is the largest of these three cities.

You don't need to reference this as it is undisputed common knowledge.

If, however, you write:

Although London is the capital city of the UK, there are, in fact, three capital cities on the island of Britain: London, Edinburgh, and Cardiff. London is the largest of these three cities with a population of over 9.5 million (The Guardian, 2022).

You need to cite this, as the population of London is not common knowledge.

Students sometimes ask: "But what if I use the idea and put it into my own words? Do I still have to reference?"

The answer is: "Yes". Even if you have paraphrased or summarised the information (as discussed in the critical writing section of this module), you still have to cite in the text and reference in the reference list at the end. You haven't used their words, but you have used their information or ideas, so you should acknowledge this.

By correctly referencing sources, you are showing that you respect the original author's work and their right to credit for that work.

Image: Reagan Freeman on Unsplash