UC Referencing Guide

It is very important to evaluate the information you intend to use to ensure that it is from an authoritative source and is appropriate for your research.  For more information use these guides for evaluating sources:

You should acknowledge your sources whenever you use a source of information:

• as your inspiration
• as the source of a theory, argument or point of view
• for specific information such as statistics, examples or case studies
• for direct quotation (using the author's exact words)
• to paraphrase or summarise an author's work

When you are taking something from another source, you are taking it out its original context and putting it into a new context - your own assignment.  You must make sure it fits properly into this new context. This means:

• it must be relevant to your argument
• it must join neatly with what comes before and after
• it must make logical and grammatical sense.