“By creating we think, by living we learn” Patrick Geddes
As a student you become an academic author when you write for academic purposes. In most instances, you will need to cite sources in your text and include the publication details in a reference list or bibliography at the end of your work. Normally, work would be penalised for failure to provide such publication information since this is what validates your work in total and, specifically, the argument or case you have constructed within your work. Failure to include this information may be construed as a form of plagiarism.
There are approximately 200 acknowledged referencing styles used globally. There is no single model used in the University as the styles are often related to the conventions of particular disciplines. Your module handbook will either name a referencing style and/or give an outline of the model you should use.
Note that there are facilities available to staff for identifying potential plagiarism in student submissions.
Six of the most commonly used styles in higher education are the American Psychological Association (APA), Chicago, Harvard, Michigan, Modern Languages Association (MLA) and Vancouver Referencing Styles. Some of these styles are revised regularly by the bodies that created them and they publish updates in hard copy and on the internet. Nevertheless, there can be slight differences in interpretation. These arise because different publishing houses adopt particular modifications as their own house-style and these become the ones that may be adopted by academics in their advice to students. Always check the style you have been instructed to follow against the model given in your handbook. If you are given the name of a style, but no model, then adopt the relevant version as shown online or through the programmes given below. The one cardinal rule is to be consistent in your use of the referencing style and do not mix different styles. Below are two routes within the University of Dundee that will help you to view information about these styles.
Advance@Dundee gives you models of different styles of referencing. This area is under revision and will shortly include the APA and links to Nursing and Legal referencing models.
This is a module within My Dundee and is made available to students through their course programmes. If it is not shown on your list of modules, then ask your tutor or lecturer to have it included as a module link by contacting vle@dundee.ac.uk.In future, we hope to make this a standard module on My Dundee so that you will have automatic access to it.
The module covers four key aspects:
1. Academic Ethics
2. Academic Writing
3. Referencing
This area models the following citation and referencing styles
In addition, the guidance for the Legal and the Nursing styles of referencing are also provided in this area.
4. Resources
If you do not have access to Write Attributes on My Dundee, then ask your tutor to arrange this for you and others on your course. The staff member should email vle@dundee.ac.uk. Note that in future, we hope to make this a standard module on My Dundee so that you will have automatic access to it.
If you would like to view Write Attributes before asking for your students to be given access to it, then please place your request by emailing vle@dundee.ac.uk. If you feel that it is appropriate to your students, then you can request that module is made available to them. Note that successful trials indicate that this resource should be made available to students routinely and we are working at putting this in place.
You might also find it useful to link to the relevant URLs on Plagiarism and Referencing on Advance@Dundee within your My Dundee module and course handbook.
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