In-text referencing hints
Drawing on the ideas of others when you are developing your own thinking and writing is exciting and necessary for the development of your intellect and your academic writing.
Useful phrases to introduce references: adapted from Cottrell (1999, p. 124)
- As X (year) points out, ...
- According to X (year), ...
- To quote from X (year, page),
- X (year) states\suggests that ...
- X (year) tells\shows us that ...
- In an article entitled Name of text, X (year) points out that ...
- Referring to ..., X (year) says that...
- As X (year) stated\wrote\said, ...
- Writing in 1996, X argued that...
When selecting a verb to introduce what the author has said, told, showed, stated, argued etc. select one which conveys the author's attitude toward the material. For example,
- The author questions...
- The author decided...
- The author demonstrates...
OR relates, writes, identifies, defines, names, predicts, explains, expresses, differentiates, discusses, distinguishes, classifies, associates, applies, interprets, restates, reviews, uses, summarises, detects, appraises, criticises, arranges, composes, creates, designed, formulates, organises, prepares, plans, produces, assesses, critiqued, evaluates, measures, prescribes, produced, specifies, chose, recommends, etc
Provide referencing citations whenever you use in-text sources.