Why reference?

Referencing your work can be straightforward and is essential if you are to gain and maintain your academic integrity at university. However this skill is not usually taught by your lecturer so you have to figure it out yourself! But don't worry, that’s why our Librarians are here for you.

Which style of referencing should I use?

Your Student Handbook in MyBeckett will advise the style your subject follows: Harvard, OSCOLA or APA. In the Library, we provide referencing support for all these in print, in person and online.

Harvard referencing is used by most subjects and is introduced in Quote, Unquote", with guidance on citations, compiling a bibliography (with examples for every type of resource) and correct punctuation. Alternatively there’s a handy a-z of referencing examples on the Skills for Learning website.

OSCOLA referencing is the style you need if you study law and the Academic Librarians for Law, Ellie and Catherine, provide support for this style on their subject web pages.

The American Psychological Association (APA) style is used mostly by psychologists and some courses at the university follow this convention. Our Academic Librarians for Psychology Kirsty and Alison, have gathered together key resources to help you understand this.

What help is available?

We offer a wide range of support; group workshops, webinars, email queries.

Classes are held as part of the Skills for Learning workshop programme - look for “How to reference” (Harvard) workshops in the Libraries or sign up to "Webinar referencing" (Harvard) to join a virtual class.

I prefer to speak to someone one to one. Is that possible?

For a short one to one appointment in any style book a time at Headingley or City, available Monday to Friday, 10:00 - 11:00 or 14:00 - 15:00

If you can’t make these times email Tom or Karen at LLILibraryAcadSupptISLs@leedsbeckett.ac.uk in our Academic Support Team, give a brief outline of the help you need and suggest times you prefer.

*So, what does the Penguin have to do with it?

A citation used previously “…The Pedagogy of the Oppressed Penguin…”

Correct citation: The Pedagogy of the Oppressed (Friere, 1996)

Reference: Freire, P. (1996) The Pedagogy of the Oppressed. New revised ed. London. Penguin

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