Direct and indirect citations and referencing in assignments

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Direct and indirect citations and referencing in
assignments
Belinda Bold, Learning Support Services Meg
Weller, Reference Librarian August 2009
2
Understand the task

• Make sure you fully understand the question?
• What is the format (essay, report, responding to
  questions, presentation?)
• What sort of research is expected?
• What system of referencing should you follow?
• How long (word count) should the assignment be?
• When is it due in?

3
Get your ideas down

• Do a mind map on the topic use questions to
  expand the ideas and knowledge you already have
• Read your notes and class readings for direction
• Do some preliminary research to expand your
  ideas. At this stage you might need to add new
  areas and take some away

4
Organise your ideas

• From your mind map, write some notes under
  general headings
• Group points under the general headings
• Where there are gaps in information (or more
  detail, examples needed) write down some
  questions that you can research

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Key words for research

• Look at the topics that are emerging from your
  ideas
• Select the key words from both the topic and
  your mind map for research topics
• Global Warming is expected to have an impact on
  the health and welfare of humans around the
  world, but already it is having an impact on the
  economy. Discuss
• global warming climate change
• economy business sustainability
• health fauna
• welfare

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Research

• First stage of research, use the headings you
  have make sure you keep this information
  together and write the reference details on your
  notes
• The information you research is to support what
  you want to say check the question, your
  headings and summary
• Dont use research unless it answers questions
  you ask
• The research is not to tell us what someone else
  already wrote, it is to back up or refute what
  your assignment is saying.

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Direct quotes

• If the quote fits, use it
• You must not change any of it
• The quote is there to back up what your
  assignment is saying, or
• To contrast what your assignment is saying
  (compare and contrast)

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Using a direct quote for in text referencing

• Original text

• Direct quote in essay

• In the long run, sea-level rise and major storm
  surges represent two of the greatest threats to
  Alaskas coastal infrastructure.

• Williams states that sea-level rise and major
  storm surges represent two of the greatest
  threats to Alaskas coastal infrastructure
  (Williams 2008).

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Indirect quotes

• If the quote doesnt fit, change the wording to
  fit what you are saying
• You must not change the specific meaning of the
  quote or the authors intent
• You must still reference the quote
• You can combine two or more quotes in an indirect
  quote, but be clear and reference both
• You can quote someone who has been quoted in the
  text you have ready (secondary citations)

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Using an indirect quote for in text referencing

• Original text

• Indirect quote in essay

• Because global warming in Alaska is causing
  accelerated shoreline erosion, melting permafrost
  and greater flooding, infrastructure is being
  damaged .

• According to Deborah Williams, President of
  Alaska Conservation Solutions, global warming has
  already caused a lot of structural changes such
  as flooding and erosion to Alaskas coastal areas
  (2008).

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Make it flow

• Once you have information under all headings,
  check the flow
• Do all paragraphs link to the assignment topic?
• Do all paragraphs lead to the conclusion?
• Check the order of the information
• Link each paragraph to the next
• Have you backed it all up????

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Re read the question!!!!!!!

• Re read the question
• Re read the conclusion
• Do all of your points link clearly to the
  question?
• Does the conclusion summarise the direction and
  key points in your assignment?