Citing and Referencing Management

Why do we reference?

Referencing is a fundamental skill in academic writing that serves multiple purposes: 

• Give Gredit Where Credit is Due: When you use someone else's ideas, research, or words, referencing shows you respect their intellectual contribution. This isn't just about being polite, it's about maintaining academic integrity and avoiding plagiarism.

• Help your Readers: References act like a roadmap for your readers. They can follow your citations to find the original sources, verify your claims, or explore topics further. This transparency strengthens your argument and builds trust.

• Showcase your Research Skills: Quality references demonstrate that you've engaged with credible, relevant sources. This shows your lecturer that you can identify reliable information and think critically about different perspectives on your topic. 

• Take Ownership of Your Learning:  By clearly distinguishing between your ideas and others', you show intellectual honesty. This builds your reputation as a trustworthy scholar and protects your academic integrity.

Understanding Citation Styles

Different academic disciplines use different referencing styles: think of them as different "languages" for citations. At UCC, you'll encounter styles like Harvard, APA, MLA, Chicago, and others. Each has its own rules for formatting, in-text citations, and reference lists. The next section on Referencing Styles will outline the main features of the most widely used styles.

How to Know Which Style to Use

Check with your department that you are using the correct style. Departments often have booklets, handouts or online material that detail how citations are formatted. If in doubt, ask your lecturer or tutor. 

Make Life Easier with Reference Management Tools

Reference management tools like Zotero, Mendeley, and EndNote can automatically format your citations and references in any style you need. This means you can easily switch between Harvard for one assignment and APA for another without manually reformatting everything.

This guide provides an introduction to Reference Managers, with links to installation guides, and getting started.

Good referencing habits take practice, but they're worth developing. They'll serve you well throughout your academic career and beyond. Careful referencing helps you avoid plagiarism.

Plagiarism means presenting someone else's work or ideas as your own without proper acknowledgment. This can happen deliberately, carelessly, or even accidentally, but the consequences are the same. UCC's Plagiarism Policy identifies several types of plagiarism, including:

• Verbatim Plagiarism: Copying text word-for-word from another source without quotation marks or acknowledgment.
• Collusion: When collaborative work is presented by one person without crediting others involved, or when someone knowingly allows their work to be submitted by another student.
• Self-plagiarism: Reusing your own previously submitted work in a new context without proper citation. Yes, you need to cite yourself too!

Familiarise yourself with UCC's Student Policies and Procedures. These will inform you about the University's expectations and procedures, as well as your rights. In particular, the Academic Integrity for Examinations and Assessment Policy, sets expectations for your academic work and highlights examples of poor academic practice, including:

• Unethical Use of Generative AI: Submitting AI-generated content (from tools like ChatGPT, Claude, or other AI systems) as your own work without:
  •  Acknowledging which AI tool you used
  • Getting permission to use AI for that specific assignment

Remember: Generative AI includes any artificial intelligence that creates new text, images, audio, video, or code. 

Why Careful Referencing Matters

UCC's Academic Integrity for Examinations and Assessments Policy 2025-2026 defines academic integrity standards and outlines procedures for investigating academic misconduct. Proper referencing is your primary defence against plagiarism accusations. It demonstrates that you understand the difference between your ideas and those of others, and shows respect for intellectual property.
 

The Six Fundamental Values of Academic Integrity

Academic integrity goes beyond just following rules about referencing, it's about embracing a set of ethical values that will serve you throughout your academic, personal, and professional life. These values, developed by the International Centre for Academic Integrity, align with UCC's Graduate Attributes Programme and will help you unlock your potential for success.

The Six Fundamental Values of Academic Integrity provide a framework for ethical decision-making in all aspects of your academic journey. By reflecting on your academic goals and creating plans around these values, you can develop stronger academic skills, take greater ownership of your learning, and maintain your academic integrity naturally.

Develop your skills by taking this short course: Academic Integrity Fundamentals available on UCC's Student Success Zone. It takes approx 2-3 hours and will help you identify the skills you need to succeed and give you the confidence to stand over your own work and take pride in it

Managing references and sitation styles may be new to you. It is all part of your learning process. Know that there are help and supports to guide you:

Join our Referencing workshops or drop-in sessions: check the Library Events page for upcoming classes.

Access self-paced training on the Library Canvas page:

• Citing, Referencing & Plagiarism is an introduction to the key concepts of citing, referencing & plagiarism

• Referencing Software is an introduction to Referencing (or Citation) software – detailing some of the ways it can help you in the process of your research and academic writing

• Ask a question on our Live Chat Ask Us 

UCC Skills Centre provides a range of resources, classes, drop in sessions and downloadable guides, helping you refine your academic writing skills and ensure you avoid pitfalls with paraphrasing and referencing.