Citing & Referencing in Communication Studies

Citing & Referencing in Communication Studies

• Citing acknowledges the source of information, ideas, or quotes within the text (in-text citations or footnotes).
• Referencing provides a detailed list of all cited sources at the end of the document, including full bibliographic details.
• These methods ensure proper attribution, enhance credibility, allow readers to verify sources, and show the breadth of research.
• Avoiding plagiarism is a major reason for citing and referencing.

Objectives

• Differentiating between citing and referencing and why they're important is a key objective.
• Defining referencing styles like MLA and APA is essential.
• Examples of referencing styles used with books, newspaper articles, interviews, and web pages should be understood.
• Differentiating a bibliography from a reference list is important, as they have different purposes.
• Defining WWW, HTTP, and URL is necessary to understand referencing modern web resources.
• Knowing different types of URLs is essential, understanding that .gov, .com, .org, and .edu have specific implications.

What is Citing?

• Citing is acknowledging the source of specific information, ideas, or quotes.
• It's typically done through in-text citations or footnotes.
• The purpose of citing is to give credit to the original author and to allow readers to locate the source of the information.
• Example: (Smith, 2020) or [1].

What is Referencing?

• Referencing involves providing a detailed list of all cited sources at the end of the document.
• This list contains full bibliographic details.
• The purpose of referencing is to ensure readers can verify the sources used. It also demonstrates the breadth of research and helps others build on it.
• Example: Smith, J. (2020). Title of the Book. Publisher.

Importance of Citing & Referencing

• Proper citing and referencing prevent plagiarism by crediting original authors.
• These methods enhance the credibility of work by demonstrating thorough research.
• Readers can trace the origins of information, fostering further research and verification.

MLA Referencing Style

• MLA (Modern Language Association) style is primarily used in humanities.
• This style provides a standardized method for crediting sources and organizing references.
• Key MLA elements are in-text citations, Works Cited page, basic citation elements (author, title, publisher, date), and formatting guidelines (spacing, font, margins).

APA Referencing Style

• APA (American Psychological Association) style is primarily used in social sciences.
• This approach standardizes citing sources and structuring academic papers.
• Key APA elements are in-text citations, References page, proper order, punctuation, author names, publication dates, titles, and source details. Clear formatting guidelines on font, spacing, and margins are integral to the style.

Examples of MLA & APA Citation Methods (Specific examples for books, articles, interviews, and web pages)

• Detailed examples of how to cite various types of sources in MLA and APA formats are provided. These examples show the necessary information for each type.

Bibliography vs Reference List

• A bibliography lists all consulted sources but isn't linked to specific in-text citations.
• A reference list meticulously reflects the sources used in the work and explicitly corresponds to in-text citations.

WWW (World Wide Web)

• The World Wide Web is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessible via the internet.
• Web documents are formatted in HTML (Hypertext Markup Language).
• Websites use hyperlinks to navigate between different webpages.

HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol)

• HTTP is a protocol for transmitting hypertext requests and information.
• It forms the basis for data exchange on the web, using a client-server model (web browsers request, servers respond).
• HTTP determines message formatting and transmission, as well as web server and browser responses.

URL (Uniform Resource Locator)

• A URL is the address used to access resources on the internet.
• URLs consist of protocol (e.g., http, https), domain name (e.g., www.example.com), path (e.g., /page.html).

Types of URLs (.gov, .com, .org, .edu)

• .gov: Government websites, providing official information and services.
• .com: Commercial websites, often selling products or services.
• .org: Non-profit organizations, charities, and sometimes open-source projects.
• .edu: Educational institutions, providing educational resources.

Additional Questions and Answers

• Questions about the purpose of citing information, additional elements in reference styles, and specific URL types are addressed.

This quiz explores the critical aspects of citing and referencing in communication studies, emphasizing their importance in academic writing. You will learn about different referencing styles such as MLA and APA, and how to differentiate between a bibliography and a reference list. Additionally, this quiz covers citing sources from various formats, ensuring proper attribution and avoiding plagiarism.