References in your final year project form a vital part of your work or any other academic writing piece. Citing your information source by acknowledging a book, journal and author is very important. And that is what a good reference covers. References can be written wrongly for people who do not understand how it works.
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Your final year project is going to be all about presenting evidence that you are ready to enter your chosen field. So how can you make sure your references sound natural and relevant? Writing references is an important component of any academic final year project. To get the best marks and recommendations for your work, it is important to include the right kind of references.
In this article, I will share some helpful tips on how to write a good reference for a final year project or any academic writing piece. But before we go into that, I would like to explain what reference entails in academic writing briefly.
Table of Contents
What is a Reference?
The reference in the thesis is the main source of support that demonstrates the validity of your claims. It is often written as a bibliography list, in which the source citation is included at the end of the paragraph. It’s important to cite all sources that support the claims you make. Remember that citations are not just the author’s last name; they are also the title, publication date, and page numbers.
Reference refers to the citing of a document or source that inspires a particular passage in writing. It is applicable in books, magazines, websites, and all forms of academic writing. Any quote, transportation, or information that you write from a research project must be referenced at the end of the report.
Importance of writing references in your final year project
In general, a reference is simply a piece of writing, usually written by another author, that provides additional, relevant information to the reader about a topic. When you refer to something, you are providing the reader with extra information about the topic.
This makes your writing more interesting, informative, and engaging. A reference is a great way to demonstrate your research skills and knowledge in your writing. References are also useful if you’re writing about a specific event or situation that happened in the past.
One of the most common mistakes I see first-time students make is not providing enough evidence to support their argument. In a persuasive essay, this means that the author has to demonstrate that the reader believes them. The best way to accomplish this is to show the reader why your argument is true.
The best way to demonstrate your argument is to provide evidence or examples of how your argument is true. This doesn’t mean you need to provide an entire research paper, but it does mean you need to provide a sufficient amount of evidence for the reader to accept your argument.
Writing references in your final year project must not be overlooked for the following reasons;
- It gives credit and cites the source of your information.
- It gives the reader easy access to your project’s information. References in a project work also build a reader’s trust in any writing.
- Referencing other sources in your project helps to support your work academically.
- This practice shows signs of your professionalism and scholarship.
- It makes sure that you do not violate any copyright restrictions
Tips on Writing References in Your Final Year Project
The biggest challenge when referencing in your final year project is how to organize your references in a manner that makes sense for your project. I recommend using the following guide to help keep your reference list organized:
- Keep it short. Don’t list more than what is necessary.
- Keep them consistent with your academic style.
- Use a mix of books, magazines, articles, web pages, etc.
- If the source you cite also supports your stance, you should explain why the ideas should be trusted.
- On the other hand, if the source contradicts your stance, you should explain why they should trust your idea is very necessary.
- Finally, if your sources contradict each other’s views, you must take a stand on one of these views and explain your reasons.
How do you Cite Resources?
So, how do you cite sources? This is a very common question in final-year projects. The answer is easy: use APA style. However, there are many different types of sources and each requires a different citation style. There are many different citation styles in academic writing. Some of them include APA, MLA, Turabian, Chicago, and others.
The APA citation style is considered the most popular style. It is suitable for almost any type of academic writing. Most teachers will accept it, so you can be confident that it will work well.
So, which style of source citation should you use? That depends entirely on the format of your project. If you’re writing an article, your citations should follow the MLA guidelines. However, if you’re writing a book, you should follow the Chicago Manual of Style.
A standard for referencing is to use Harvard, APA, or MLA format. While there are many differences between these styles, one commonality among them is that all three require that you include page numbers (numbering only) within your text. The way this is done varies depending on the style being used. All three styles have sections and subsections.
1-Use APA Style
APA style is the one used in most universities and academic institutions. The format of APA style includes a title page, an abstract, the main text with a bibliography, and a reference list. These elements should appear in that order.
An APA citation begins with an author, a title, and an appropriate page number. These items appear in the same order within the reference. References are a little tricky to get right, but with some practice, they’re easy to format and insert into the text. Here are a few examples of the steps that go into creating a proper citation:
Kabir, J. M. (2016). Factors influencing customer satisfaction at a fast food hamburger chain: The relationship between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty (Publication No. 10169573) [Doctoral dissertation, Wilmington University]. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global.
Miranda, C. (2019). Exploring the lived experiences of foster youth who obtained graduate level degrees: Self-efficacy, resilience, and the impact on identity development (Publication No. 27542827) [Doctoral dissertation, Pepperdine University]. PQDT Open. https://pqdtopen.proquest.com/doc/2309521814.html?FMT=AI
Zambrano-Vazquez, L. (2016). The interaction of state and trait worry on response monitoring in those with worry and obsessive-compulsive symptoms [Doctoral dissertation, University of Arizona]. UA Campus Repository. https://repository.arizona.edu/handle/10150/620615
2-Use Harvard Style
It is important to note that the Harvard-style referencing system is the most popular. It is slightly different from the APA style, but they all have the same purpose. Below is some information on how to write the reference section of your project using the Harvard referencing style.
To cite a Harvard paper, you need to include the author’s surname (and any initials), the year of publication, the page number(s) and the volume number, and the issue number.
Harvard’s Style of Referencing a Book:
- The Author’s surname and initials
- Year of Publication and title of the book
- Edition or volume
- The place of the publication and the publisher
Example; MOHAMMED, Y., AND ADAM, G., 1989. A long walk from a step 2nd Edition Niger; Newswatch.
Harvard’s Style of Referencing an Article in a Journal
The elements to be cited include;
- Author’s name, initials
- Year of Publication
- Title of the article
- Journal
- Volume and part number in bracket
- Page number of contributions
Example; JAMES, T.B., 2007. Approaches to intelligent information retrieval. Information processing and management, 7 (2), 147-168.
Reference to a contribution to a book:
- Contributing Author’s Surname and Initials
- Publication year and title of the contribution made.
- Initials, surname, of the author or publication
- Edition
- Title of the book
- Place of Publication and Publisher.
- Page(s) of contribution.
Example; Bantz, C.R., 1995. Social dimensions of software development. In: J.A. Anderson, ed. Annual review of software management and development. Newbury Park, CA: Sage, 502–510.
FAQ- Frequently Asked Questions
What is a reference list?
What is a reference list? A reference list is a list of the sources you have used in your writing. The purpose of the list is to show your readers that you have been thorough when you wrote your paper. Your sources will be listed in order from the most relevant source to the least relevant one. The reason for listing the sources is to let your readers find your sources easily. The reader will know exactly which source has influenced your paper.
To create a good academic paper, you will need to write down everything that you need to say in your paper. You need to include your sources in the reference list. Your sources are the materials that you used to gather information for your paper. Your sources may include articles, websites, books, etc.
These are all the things you refer to in your paper. You need to make sure that these items are listed in the correct order and that they are placed in the correct place in your paper. You also need to include a bibliography at the end of your paper to show all the sources you used.
How to format your references
If you’re using research, your references need to have titles, headings, and subheadings. References can range from academic studies to news articles to business reports. Some academic journal websites have links to the online versions of articles, allowing you to see the citation and making it easier to find what you’re looking for.
Citations should have the author name (including author affiliation), title, year, page number, volume number, and any other relevant information. Headings and subheadings are a great way to organize the material and make it easier for readers to find what they’re looking for.
Final Thoughts: How to Write References in your Final Year Project
In conclusion, references are a significant part of academic writing. They give credit to authors whose ideas you have discussed, either directly or indirectly. They are often cited by other scholars who cite your work. You are expected to name all your sources. In general, you should try to give credit where it’s due.
Referencing your final year project and other academic writing is essential. It provides a great deal on the credibility of your work.
There are a few things to keep in mind when writing references. Make sure to include the author’s name and the title of the book or article. Be sure to include the page number(s) of the book or article. Include the publisher. In a journal, include the volume number and issue number. In a magazine, include the year. In books, include the page numbers.
Also, include a summary of the information you are referencing. For example, “This is the first time I’ve ever seen this happen.” Or, “This is the second time I’ve ever seen this happen.” In your summary, include the context. What is it that you are writing about? How does it fit into the broader scope of your paper?
Although there are various referencing styles, the APA and Havard’s kinds of references are one of the most popular and widely used in the world. That is why I have used it in this article.
Edited and Updated by Brook Abebe
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