Acknowledging Sources in Academic Writing: Best Practices

The practice of acknowledging the sources of information that you have used in your essay or assignment is what is popularly termed as referencing. Referencing provides authenticity to your work as readers can get access to the sources in quick time if they want to check the validity of those citations. Besides, it helps you to avoid plagiarism.

How to reference or acknowledge your sources?

The secret of referencing is to pen down full name of the author, besides the date of his creation, titles and publication details or any other facet. You should mention the URL of the source while taking help from web pages, e-journals and eBooks. This process not only helps the readers check the authenticity of the evidences you have produced in support of your argument, but also helps you in remembering your own sources. You can easily access the sources even after weeks and months of your work.

Two basic ways to acknowledge/reference your sources:

Bibliography:
Here you can present the information in any sequence you want. The essential elements are:

i. The name of the author

ii. The title of the book or article

iii. The place and year of publication

iv. The publisher name

For example, Comparative Advantage in International Trade: A Historical Perspective By Andrea Maneschi (published by Edward Elgar Publishing, 1998)
Pro Tip: You should be consistent with the writing pattern. Arrange the list in alphabetical order by author’s name (initially by surname, but if necessary, by first name). If you use same author’s name twice, then arrange the list according to the year of publication.

1. Reference note: When you directly quote somebody, you need to tell your reader from where the text has been taken so that they can review the validity of the source, or pursue the point in future if they want.

Add a number at the end of each quotation which will identify the specific place from where it has been taken in a corresponding footnote (situated at the bottom of relevant page) or endnote (at the end of text, before the bibliography). You can use either of them according to your wish and feasibility. You can also give the same information in brackets at the end of each quotation.

Pro Tip: If your writing has a proper bibliography, it is not necessary to mention all the published information in reference note, instead you can do the job by only giving the author’s name, the year of publication and the page number (like Michael E. Porter, 2011. P211).
Benefits of referencing:

i. You can add weight to your arguments and comments and ideas.

ii. Referencing demonstrates your wide knowledge in the subject and your vast research work.

iii. It is only matter of fact that you bag better grades with proper referencing.

iv. With the help of referencing you can avoid any accusation of plagiarism.

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Most Popular Questions Searched By Students:

Q1. What is referencing?

Ans. Referencing and citation are acknowledging the sources you have used when writing the paper. Correct referencing and citation also help the reader of your work to easily determine those sources used in the paper and to follow up on them if required. So, referencing and citation demonstrate-

Your ideas, critical thinking, and comments indicate you've researched the topic by referring to established experts and authorities.
In-depth research skills and that you’ve made full use of library sources
Authenticity by using excellent academic practice

Q2. What are the benefits of referencing?

Ans. Referencing is a remarkable way to offer evidence to back up the assertions and claims one makes in his/her papers. Have a look at the crucial benefits of referencing or citing your academic papers-

Helps you avoid plagiarism effectively
Demonstrates your extensive understanding of the topic
Offers supporting evidence for your arguments, ideas, and opinions
It will help the readers to determine the sources you’ve used and refer back to any external material

Offers the reader an indication of the quality and authority of the material you are referencing

Q3. How do you reference a source in your essay or assignment?

Ans. It hugely depends upon the referencing style you have been asked to use by your educational institution or professors. Suppose, if you have been asked to cite in APA style while referencing a source, you need to mention the author's name and give the source's publication year. You need to usually give the year in parentheses.

Again, to reference a source in an assignment, entries should be made in alphabetical order by author's surname or the title when there is no author. When referencing four or more authors/editors, you can incorporate the first name followed by et al.

Q4. What is the process of referencing a source?

Ans. To write a proper citation that enables you to maintain accuracy and clarity in acknowledging sources, here are certain steps you need to follow-

Find out the citation style you must use from your instructor
Become well-versed with the elaborate guidelines of different citation styles
Know the different kinds of sources you need to cite
Find and read your style’s rules on how to create in-text citations
Know how to cite your sources in the bibliography accurately
If you feel confused, you can use the citation generator of MyAssignmenthelp.com any time

Q5. What are the dangers of not referencing a source?

Ans. The failure to acknowledge sources-textual, personal, or electronic, upon which you have relied is a serious breach of academic integrity. This kind of failure can lead to a severe accusation of plagiarism, considered a form of academic dishonesty in the educational world. When you plagiarise, you are not giving credit to those whose research paved the way for your paper. You are also doing a disservice to your reader, who cannot consult your sources for more information. It also gives a signal that your papers are not authentic and credible.