Use a source
A source is where the evidence, idea, data or context comes from. It might be a journal article, book, webpage, report, policy or guidance document.
Learning Hub guide
Referencing basics
Build the source trail before you check it.
Referencing is the way academic writing shows where information, ideas and evidence have come from. This page gives students a clear, practical route through the essentials before they move into the video series or use Ref-Check.
Sources
Citations
Reference lists
Cite it in your writing
The in-text citation shows exactly where a source has shaped a point, claim or explanation in the main body of the work.
List the full details
The reference list gives the full source details, so the reader can trace the source, check it, and understand what has been used.
The main idea
Referencing creates a trail from your writing back to the source.
A reader should be able to see where evidence has been used, understand which source supports the point, and then use the reference list to find the full source details.
The simple pattern: use a source, cite it where it informs the writing, then include the full details in the reference list.
In the writing: Research skills develop over time (Smith, 2022).
In the reference list: Smith, J. (2022) Developing research skills. London: Example Press.
1
What is referencing?
Referencing is the way a writer shows which sources have informed their work. It helps separate the writer’s own voice from the evidence, ideas or information they have drawn on.
A source might be a journal article, book, report, website, policy document, guideline, chapter or other published material.
Good referencing makes the evidence trail clear.
More detail
Referencing is not only about formatting. A clear reference helps another person find the same source, check the details, and understand how the source has contributed to the writing.
2
Citation or reference?
A citation is the short marker in the main text. A reference is the full source detail in the reference list. They work as a pair: one points, the other explains.
Citation
Research skills develop over time (Smith, 2022).
Reference
Smith, J. (2022) Developing research skills. London: Example Press.
The citation points to the reference. The reference gives the full details.
Useful check: the surname or organisation name and the year normally need to line up between the citation and the reference list entry.
Show examples
Clear match
(Smith, 2022)
Smith, J. (2022) Developing research skills. London: Example Press.
The surname and year appear in both places.
Organisation as author
(World Health Organization, 2021)
World Health Organization (2021) Example health guidance. Geneva: WHO.
Some sources are written by organisations rather than named individuals.
Possible mismatch
(Smyth, 2022)
Smith, J. (2022) Developing research skills. London: Example Press.
The year matches, but the surname is spelled differently.
3
Why citations and references need to match
Every citation in the text should usually have a matching entry in the reference list. Every reference in the list should usually have been used in the text.
This matters because the reader needs to know both where the source was used and how to find it afterwards.
Cited, but missing from the list
The reader may not have enough information to find the source.
Listed, but not cited
It is not clear where the source has been used in the writing.
Show examples
Match
Research confidence can develop through supported practice (Ahmed, 2021).
Ahmed, R. (2021) Learning through practice. London: Example Press.
Missing from list
Student feedback can improve confidence (Brown, 2020).
No Brown 2020 entry is included.
Listed but not cited
No citation to Taylor, 2019 appears in the main text.
Taylor, M. (2019) Academic writing in practice. Bristol: Example Press.
4
Reference details and referencing styles
A reference usually includes the author, year, title and publication details. The exact order, punctuation and use of italics depend on the referencing style being used.
Always follow the style required by the university, journal, publisher or organisation.
Quality point: formatting helps, but the details matter most. A beautifully formatted reference is still a problem if the source cannot be identified.
What details are usually included?
- author or organisation
- year or date
- title
- publication, journal, book, website or publisher information
- volume, issue or page details where relevant
- DOI or URL where relevant
Common styles include Harvard, APA, Vancouver, Chicago, MLA and OSCOLA.
Show examples
Journal article
Green, L. and Patel, N. (2023) 'Student confidence and feedback', Journal of Learning Practice, 12(2), pp. 44-58.
Book
Morris, A. (2020) Introduction to academic writing. 2nd edn. Manchester: Example Press.
Online report
Office for Student Learning (2024) Supporting academic skills. Available at: https://www.example.org/report
5
DOIs and URLs
A DOI is a stable identifier for some published sources. A URL is a web address. Both can help readers find a source, but they are not the same thing.
Some references need a DOI, some need a URL, and some need neither. The right choice depends on the type of source and the required referencing style.
DOI
Often used for journal articles and some other published sources. Many begin with 10.
URL
Often used for webpages, online reports, guidance documents and web-based sources.
Show examples
DOI
10.1234/journal.2024.015
The part before the slash is the prefix. The part after the slash is the suffix.
DOI shown as a link
https://doi.org/10.5678/example.2021.44
The DOI itself is the part beginning with 10.
URL
https://www.example.org/reports/learning-skills-2024
The link should take the reader to the intended online source.
Before submitting
A practical referencing checklist
Use this as a final structured check before submitting or reviewing written work.
- Do the citations in the text appear in the reference list?
- Are all references in the list used in the text?
- Are author names and years consistent?
- Is the reference list in the correct order?
- Does the formatting match the required style?
- Are DOIs included where the style expects them?
- Do URLs work and lead to the intended source?
- Can the sources be found, recognised and checked?