Research Guides: Modern Languages: Research Issues

Why Cite Reference Sources

To avoid plagiarism
To acknowledge debts to other writers
To verify quotations
To enable all those who read your work to locate your sources easily
To enable readers to follow-up and read more fully the cited author’s arguments
To demonstrate the body of knowledge upon which your research is based

What constitutes Plagiarism

Copy sentences from a web page, a blog, a book, or an article and insert them into your paper without citing them.
Copy large chunks of text from one or more original sources and insert it into work.
Use an image or video from any source and do not cite it properly.
Quote or paraphrase from another paper without crediting the original author.
Cite data without crediting the original source.
Propose another author’s idea as if it were your own.
Fabricating references or using incorrect references.
Submitting someone else’s presentation, program, spreadsheet, or other file with only minor alterations.

Test your knowledge: take Indaiana University's plagiarism quiz

Reference Managers Supported by Research Commons

1. EndNote is software for storing and managing bibliographic references. You can create your own EndNote library and manually add references or import them from databases. EndNote works with Microsoft Word and other word processing programs to create citations and bibliographies in a citation style of your choice.

2. Mendeley is a free online referencing system that you can use on the web and on your desktop. You can create your own fully-searchable reference library, cite as you write and read and annotate your PDFs. It also functions as an academic social network; you can create your own researcher profile.

Common Referencing styles

American Psychological Association (APA) Referencing Guide (pdf file). Although originally drawn up for use in psychological journals, the APA style is now widely used in the social sciences, in education, in business, and numerous other disciplines.
Modern Language Association of America (MLA) Referencing Guide (pdf file). It is mainly used in English and The humanities.
Harvard Referencing Guide (pdf file). It came originally from "The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation" published by the Harvard Law Review Association. The Harvard style and its many variations are used in law, natural sciences, social and behavioural sciences, and medicine.

Useful links on Plagiarism

Plagiarism

What is Plagiarism?

Plagiarism-Don't do it

Referencing

Research and Documentation Online

Literature Review

How to write a literature review Burmingham City University's Centre for academic success study guide
University of Leicester: Planning and conducting a dissertation research project - Provides guidance on the whole process, from begining to end. Includes choosing a topic, writing a proposal, time planning, literature review, collecting data and writing up.
Literature review online tutorial (RMIT, Aus). A set of short videos showing you how to think, plan, structure and write the introduction, body and conclusion of a literature review. An essential starting point for postgraduates.
What makes a good literature search? provide a list of steps you should consider when doing your literature search.
Review of literature for research Looks at the research question and the mechanics of the literature review.

Useful Titles

These titles and more on different aspects of research are available in the University of Ghana Library System. Look them up in the UGCat for precise location and call no.

Understanding Research Methods by Mildred L. Patten
ISBN: 9781936523009
Publication Date: 2012-01-01
The Literature Review by Diana Ridley
ISBN: 1446201430
Publication Date: 2012-07-31
This Second Edition of Diana Ridley's bestselling guide to the literature review outlines practical strategies for reading and note taking, and guides the reader on how to conduct a systematic search of the available literature, and uses cases and examples throughout to demonstrate best practice in writing and presenting the review. New to this edition are examples drawn from a wide range of disciplines, a new chapter on conducting a systematic review, increased coverage of issues of evaluating quality and conducting reviews using online sources and online literature and enhanced guidance in dealing with copyright and permissions issues.
The Complete Guide to Referencing and Avoiding Plagarism by Colin Neville
ISBN: 0335220894
Publication Date: 2007-07-01
Why is there so much emphasis on citing sources in some written work? How can I be sure I am referencing sources correctly? What is plagiarism and how do I avoid it? There is a great deal of emphasis on accurate referencing in written work for university students, and those writing for professional purposes, but little information on the ‘when’, the ‘why’, as well as the ‘how’ of referencing. This book fills that gap, giving clear guidelines on how to correctly cite from external sources, what constitutes plagiarism, and how it can be avoided.A unique feature of the book is the comparisons it makes between different referencing styles - such as Harvard, APA, MLA and Numerical referencing styles - which are shown side-by-side. This provides a useful guide, for students as they progress through higher education, and particularly for those on combined studies courses - who may be expected to use two, and sometimes three, different referencing styles.Other special features in the book include: Essays demonstrating referencing in action Exercises on when to reference, and on what is, and what is not, plagiarism A ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ section on the referencing issues that most often puzzle people A detailed guide to referencing electronic sources, and advice on how to choose reliable Internet sites A Complete Guide to Referencing and Avoiding Plagiarismis essential reading for all students and professionals who need to use referencing to accurately reflect the work of others and avoid plagiarism.

Subject Librarian, School of Languages

Moses Bediako

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