Referencing can be described as giving credit, with citation, to the source of information used in one’s work. Research is a buildup on what other people have previously done thus referencing helps to relate your own work to previous work. Unacknowledged use and presenting someone else’s ideas as if they were your own can be used to describe plagiarism. Ton Duc Thang University takes plagiarism very seriously and could lead to the loss of marks or exclusion from the university. Referencing is important for a number of reasons, some of which include:
- It allows for acknowledgement of the use of other people’s opinions, ideas, theories and inventions.
- Helps readers understand what influenced the writer’s thinking and how their ideas were formulated.
- Helps the readers evaluate the extent of the writer’s reading.
- Enables readers to visit source materials for themselves and verify the information