1. Understanding referencing
Introductory videos that explain what referencing is and why it matters in academic and professional writing.
- What is academic referencing?
- Why does referencing matter?
- What is a source?
- What makes a source credible?
Videos and walkthroughs
Short videos and step-by-step guides will be added here to support referencing confidence, Ref-Check use, and clear interpretation of results.
Learning Hub
Foundations of Referencing
Our first video series, Foundations of Referencing, is currently in development. The series will introduce the key ideas behind academic referencing before users move on to checking, interpreting and improving their own work.
The aim is to keep each video short, calm and practical. The series is being designed for students, academic support teams, academics, reviewers, editors and professional users who want clear explanations without unnecessary complexity.
What to expect
Videos will use plain language, simple examples and a steady pace. They will support learning without replacing teaching, guidance or professional judgement.
- Short explanations.
- Clear examples.
- Practical next steps.
Current status
Videos are currently in development. This page gives an overview of the first planned series, Foundations of Referencing, so users can see what guidance will be added to the Learning Hub.
In the meantime, the written Learning Hub pages provide clear support on referencing basics, common referencing problems, understanding results, student guidance and academic support use.
First video series: Foundations of Referencing
This first series focuses on the building blocks of referencing: what sources are, how citations and reference lists work, why details matter, and how referencing supports trust in academic writing.
2. Citations and reference lists
Clear explanations of how in-text citations connect to the full details in a reference list.
- What is an in-text citation?
- What is a reference list?
- What does author-date referencing mean?
- Why dates matter in referencing
3. Common source types
Practical guidance on the kinds of sources users often need to recognise, cite and reference.
- What is a journal article?
- What is a DOI?
- What is a book chapter reference?
- What is a webpage reference?
- Why a URL is not always enough
4. Quality, accuracy and trust
Support for understanding why reference details need to be accurate and why some sources need closer review.
- What is a retracted source?
- Why does reference formatting matter?
- Why alphabetical order matters?
Why this series comes first
Before users interpret a Ref-Check report, it helps to understand the foundations: what a citation is, what a reference list does, how source details work, and why credibility matters.
- Supports students who are still learning the basics of referencing.
- Helps academic support teams explain common issues more clearly.
- Gives academics, reviewers and editors a shared language for discussing referencing quality.
- Connects the Learning Hub to the practical checks shown in Ref-Check results.
Use the written guides now
While videos are being developed, the written pages can be used for independent learning, teaching, academic support, marking, editing and review.
- Referencing basics explains the foundations.
- Common referencing problems explains what issues mean.
- Understanding your results explains how to use Ref-Check feedback.
- Student guidance supports pre-submission checking.
- Academic support resources supports teaching and review.
Where Ref-Check fits
Ref-Check helps users check citation and reference-list consistency, formatting, DOI and URL details, and sources that may need closer review.
The Foundations of Referencing series will support that process by helping users understand what they are checking and why it matters.