AUAS Library
Acknowledging Sources
No one likes to be accused of plagiarism. Therefore you should reference (state) your sources correctly in your thesis or paper. Use the tips and tools of the Library.
Why must sources be acknowledged?
If you are writing a paper, you use information from books, journals and websites. Any source you use, must be fully acknowledged. Therefore, it is important to keep an account of all the sources you use. By referencing:
- you indicate clearly which are your own ideas and which are somebody else’s. If you do not, it is plagiarism. Plagiarism is a violation of copyright.
- you respect the intellectual property of the maker.
- the reader can check where you got the information from.
How do you acknowledge your sources?
Acknowledging sources consists of two steps:
- At the end of your paper you add a list with the full details of all the sources you have used, i.e. a reference list or bibliography.
- In the text you insert a brief reference to the source each time you cite it.
Watch this video:
Tips and tricks for acknowledging sources
Using styles
At AUAS, most disciplines use the APA style or Vancouver style. There are also other guidelines and styles to reference sources. Enquire at your faculty which style you should use.
Managing and processing your sources
There are various tools to manage your sources, such as RefWorks, Mendeley and Zotero.
AUAS students and staff can freely use RefWorks. The Library offers extensive support. Read more about RefWorks.
Do you have only a limited number of sources? Then you can also manage your sources in Microsoft Word and insert them in your documents. Download a manual here [PDF in Dutch].