Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions

1. What is the difference between references and a bibliography?

   • References
     • The items you have read and specifically referred to (or cited) in your assignment.
   • Bibliography
     • It is a list of everything you consulted for writing an assignment.

2. I read a book in my own (non-English) language. Do I give you an English translation of the title in the full reference?

   • Give details of the source you looked at, which will include the title and author, in the language concerned
     • if the book has also been translated from the original language, the name of the translator should be shown

3. The source has no date. How can I reference this?

   • State ‘no date’ in your citation and in the reference, or use an abbreviation, ‘n.d.’

4. Can I use abbreviations in references?

   • Only in tables, graphs and charts, and in relation to the terms ‘ibid’, ‘op cit.’ and ‘loc cit.’.

5. How do I cite sources where no author’s name is shown?

   • Books
     • Cite and reference by starting with the title, if the book shows ‘Anonymous’ this can be cited and referenced as such.
   • Magazine/journals/newspapers
     • cite the reference with the name of the newspaper.
   • Internet sources
     • Look for the name of an organization that produced the source

6. Are quotations and citations in the text counted in the assignment word count?

   • Yes, although check with your institution on this, as some courses may have decided differently.

7. How can I present and distinguish my own ideas and opinions from those in published sources?

   • When citing the work of others
     • Recent evidence suggests . . .• Strong evidence was found by (state by whom) that...
   • When suggesting that the idea is your own
     • It may be argued that......•However, a contradiction to this argument could/might/may be/is that......