The reasons why accurate referencing is essential for academic work are not immediately
apparent, particularly for students new to higher education. This essay will, therefore, examine
why referencing is an essential part of academic writing and in the process address the
question: ‘what is the point of referencing?’ There are three main reasons for referencing.
Firstly, referencing helps student writers to construct, structure, support and communicate
arguments. Secondly, references link the writer’s work to the existing body of knowledge.
Thirdly, only through referencing can academic work gain credibility. This essay will discuss
these three aspects of referencing in detail, examine their validity, identify how referencing
affects a writer’s writing style, and show how referencing helps students to present their own
ideas and opinions in assignments.
Becker (1986) believes the construction of arguments is the most important function of
referencing systems. There are four dimensions to this. Firstly, drawing on existing literature,
academic writers can construct their own arguments and
adopting a referencing system
supports this process. Secondly, it helps to structure the existing information and arguments
by linking published authors to their respective works. Third, referencing helps academic
writers identify sources, gather evidence, as well as show the relationships between existing
knowledge. Finally, referencing also provide a framework to enable writers to structure their
arguments effectively by assessing, comparing, contrasting or evaluating different sources.
However, merely describing existing research, rather than producing their own contributions
to the discussion, is inadequate for most academic writers. It is important for every academic
writer to avoid this narrowminded
argumentation trap; academic writing is not just about
compiling existing arguments, but adding new perspectives, finding new arguments, or new
ways of combining existing knowledge. For example, Barrow and Mosley (2005) combined
the fields Human Resources and Brand Management to develop the ‘Employer Brand’
concept.
When the argument has been constructed, it needs academic support – and only references can
provide this required support. We all know that academic works are not about stating opinions
as
that would be akin to journalistic comment but
arguments are supported by evidence,
and only arguments presented with sufficient and valid support are credible. Hence arguments
are only as strong as the underlying evidence: arguments relying on questionable sources are –
well, questionable.
Referencing also enables writers to communicate their arguments efficiently. The referencing
framework allows them to produce a holistic work with different perspectives, whilst still
emphasising their own positions; quotations, for example, help the reader to differentiate the
writer’s opinions from others. Again, if arguments are badly referenced, readers might not be
able to distinguish the writers’ own opinions from their sources. Especially for academic
beginners, referencing helps them to adapt to the precise and accurate academic writing style
required for degree level study. Neville (2007, p. 10) emphasises this issue of writing style,
and identifies the quest to “find your own voice” as one of the main reasons for referencing. In
academic writing, this requires developing an individual style that is neither convoluted nor
convivial in tone, but which is clear, open but measured, and is about identifying and using
evidence selectively to build and support one’s own arguments.
Immanuel Kant said “Science is organized knowledge.” This short quote brilliantly captures
the point that the primary mission of science and other disciplines is not to promote individual
achievements, but to establish a connected, collective, and recognised body of knowledge.
This is the most fundamental reason for referencing from a theoretical point of view. Hence
some authors identify this as the principal reason for referencing: “The primary reason for
citation [...] is that it encourages and supports the collective construction of academic
knowledge” (Walker & Taylor, 2006, pp.2930).
The writer’s references are links to this
network of knowledge. Without these links an academic work would operate within an
academic vacuum, unrelated to existing academic knowledge. A writer needs to show how his
or her work relates to current research and debates in their chosen subject area.
Referencing a work indicates that the writer finds the referenced material important: hence
references create ‘academic clout’ in an assignment. In the global academic community a
morecited
article will find more recognition. However, this practice is not without its critics.
Thody, for example, calls this the “sycophantic” use of referencing and
it can certainly be
used to “flatter your mentors” (2006, p.186). Thompson calls this “ritualized obedience to the
reigning authorities” (2003, p.27). So the important issue here is not about selecting
references for their expediency value, but for their enduring quality. This brings us to the next
point: credibility.
Martin Joseph Routh said in 1878: “You will find it a very good practice always to verify
your references, sir!” Correct referencing enables, therefore, the reader to check sources and
verify conclusions. The issue of credibility is identified by commentators as a key issue in
referencing. Nygaard, for example, identifies credibility as the main reason for referencing:
“The goal of referencing is to enhance [...] your credibility as an author” (2008, p.177).
Neville came to the same conclusion that “to be taken seriously, [a writer] needs to make a
transparent presentation of valid evidence” (2007, p.10). Also the Academic Learning Support
from Central Queensland University (2007) sees the credibility of arguments as primary
motive for correct referencing.
References allow the reader to trace the source of the writer’s arguments, consult the original
independently and verify whether the writer’s usage of the sources is valid. Some readers, for
example, interested in a point in question, might want to verify the writer’s interpretation of a
referenced work. The quality of references is, therefore, extremely important for the
credibility of an academic work. Arguments are only as good as the underlying references untrustworthy
and unreliable sources can even invalidate an argument, while reliable and
dependable sources strengthen the writer’s argument.
Finally, the writer’s selection of sources also demonstrates whether the writer has evaluated all
important arguments and has a thorough understanding of the subject. Only a credible work
that takes all important arguments into account will find acceptance in the academic world.
So what is the point of referencing? This essay has presented three main arguments why
academic writers have to adopt a referencing system: Firstly, it helps to structure, support and
communicate arguments. Secondly, it links the work to the existing body of knowledge,
although it is also important for writers not merely to present the ideas of others, but to
contribute where possible with innovative ideas of their own. Thirdly, only referencing can
give the argument credibility – and this is a particularly significant element for success in the
academic world. (1200 words)